From the Studio & Garden: The Garden & Bush

My life has slowly been returning to a quieter rhythm — a gentle returning to my art and to my garden, and to the bush that surrounds us.

I find myself wandering slowly, noticing small things. The soft curve of eucalyptus leaves,
the faded blush of tiny blossoms, banksias in all their beautiful, in-between stages. When I see banksias I can't help recall May Gibbs banksia men in Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and recall how scared I was when I was young!

The colours are muted, softened by light — silvery greens, warm neutrals, the occasional deep, earthy tone. It’s a palette I’m endlessly drawn to, and one that finds its way, almost unconsciously, into my work.

These moments are simple, but they feel important. A reminder to pause, to observe,
to let inspiration arrive quietly rather than chase it. This is where it begins for me — not in the studio, but out here, among the leaves, the textures, the stillness.

And slowly, gently, it makes its way back into my paintings.