Acrylic on Ampersand museum quality Clayboard  61cm x 45.5cm. Cradled and ready to hang 

There is a moment, just as the sun meets the horizon when the sun lights up the landscape with the most surprising  colours.  The gum trees glow with an incredible orange pink (cadmium red from this artist’s pigment dominated mind) colour that feels magical.

This landscape was significantly affected by the impacts of the drought leading up to the 2019/20 bushfires. I have seen these majestic Sydney Apple Gums suffer and some not survive, whilst ravaged by months of little to no rain. They are now ‘reawakened’ after the return of rain fall and hold their heads high to the rising sun. 

I often paint with my emotions. In a way I feel my returning optimism about the unfolding events in Australia and around the world have been painted into this picture. I prefer to stress the positive and bring a sense of hope than linger on the negative and take a cynical perspective. I hope this shines through in this painting.

My process involves the use of transparent and opaque pigments to capture the play of light and colour in the landscape. In this case transparent washes of cadmium red overlaid by opaques layers of tinted titanium white help capture that fleeting glow that lights up the landscape as the sun meets the horizon at dawn and at dusk.