This is my second solo show at the very prestigious Michael Reid Sydney. Painted during the 2019/2020 Summer of extreme drought and bushfires, with alternating dust storms and smoke haze, habitats and wildlife being killed at an alarming rate, as well as homes and people lost. This was by far the most difficult exhibition to paint as we watched out garden wither and die and our local wildlife suffer from starvation and thirst. We had our bags packed to leave at a moments notice, and storms brought fear rather than joy because they would start more fires that they would put out. And then we lost our beloved cat, Nikita my studio boss, on Christmas Day due to kidney failure. All round it was an awful Summer… but painting this exhibition kept me sane. Having something to focus on and knowing that I had a deadline and the most amazing opportunity gave me focus where there was chaos. It is a slightly different exhibition, I would say a slightly more mature exhibition… only slightly because difficult times call for a bit of whimsy…
Like the great Victorian naturalists who were the great creators of Cabinets of Curiosities, I decided to branch out from just painting my local visitors, although quite a few of my locals are here. There are sea dragons and birds of paradise and all sorts of weird and wonderful creatures which share this earth with us. The world truly is an amazing place if we took the time to look.
This exhibition opens on the 29th January and runs through until the 22nd February 2020 at Michael Reid Sydney.
