During the Rooted in Nature exhibition, I ran two small, intimate workshops focused on observing nature through different lenses. The first workshop explored trees from a distance — their shapes, rhythm, and presence in the landscape. The second shifted to a close-up study of eucalypt blooms, celebrating detail, texture, and colour.
Working with texture paste and acrylic, we built layered, expressive surfaces full of energy. I keep my groups small to allow for a more personal approach, and although everyone followed the same process, each artwork turned out completely different.
There is something truly magical about creating inside an exhibition space. Being surrounded by artworks and artists in the act of making seems to boost creativity and confidence — the energy is contagious. Both groups did an incredible job, and I’m genuinely proud of the results and the courage they brought to their work.
Trained in the classical European school of realistic drawing and painting, I’ve worked across many mediums, but today I am best known for textural acrylic and oil works that focus on the individuality of Australian flora. My process begins with shallow sculptural relief backgrounds that capture the forms and textures of the bush. Onto these surfaces, I layer subtle hues and naturalistic details. From afar, the paintings often read as abstract compositions; up close, they reveal intricate studies of colour and form. As a newcomer to Australia, painting became my way of connecting with this land — learning its trees, flowers, and light through observation. I believe that when we truly know something, we begin to care for it. My work invites viewers to see the bush not as a uniform green mass, but as a collection of distinct, vibrant individuals.
There is a particular kind of magic in creating art surrounded by so many artworks. Working within the exhibition space was deeply inspiring, and behind us you could glimpse True Blue & a Little Bit of Yellow — AUSTRALIANA unfolding around the workshops. I am immensely proud of everyone who took part in the painting workshops during the Australiana exhibition. Scarlett banksia bloomed in every artwork, each one different, each one full of care and attention. The second workshop focused on native flowers, and the results were so strong that it became hard to tell which work was mine and which belonged to the participants. That level of engagement and confidence is something truly special. People often ask how to cope with stress, how to live with worry, how not to feel overwhelmed by the news from Ukraine. My answer is simple: respond in the way you can, and stay connected. Art, shared time, and human presence matter. Thank you to everyone who came to support, create, and be present. I hope these workshops brought moments of light and positive energy. We choose to live fully, to stay strong, stay together, and find joy in art and friendship — despite everything.
