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Great Southern Land

The artworks here are inspired by my travels to Australia. For some I have drawn on a specific photo I took from the plan as I flew from Darwin to Brisbane. The sun was setting as we crossed over the outback, and I took photos of the changing sky. Yet when I developed the photos, I was less taken with the sky and became intrigued by the intricate patterns and myriad lines in the landscape. Research on Google Earth - and mapping the flight path - revealed the location as outside Mt Isa and the lines were rivers, roads, unsealed tracks, sandy creeks, and tributaries from dams. Others are inspired by a travelling residency in the Northern Territory during which my partner and I visited four national parks and travelled some 3000km in 2 weeks. In developing this work I am abstracting from my photographs and a series of charcoal sketches I did at the end of each day, often in dying light with a wee dram in hand, swatting away at the flies, downloading the energy from the day. The Northern Territory is a beautiful and complex part of Australia. These lands hold deep spiritual significance for the traditional indigenous peoples and immersion in the area reveals centuries of both cooperation and exploitation. The social problems that persist even today are startling. Through this work I hope to draw attention to both the complexity and beauty of the region.

© 2024 by JSA. 

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