'Teacher Plant Mandala' is an original hand-done piece I completed in 2017.Oil pastel on board, 1.2m diameter, approx. 60hrs.I see this work as a co-creation as it was commissioned by my friend Jilli Manning for her shop 'Happy High Herbs' in Lake St., Cairns. Jilli requested a mandala of all the psychedelic plants depicted, in rainbow spectrum if possible, radiating out from base chakra red (amonita), based around the American Indian Prayer Wheel. The composition and research involved in rendering all of these elements to make it ‘work’, is what I do. I added crystals to give it charge, and the feathers to give it more dynamic movement. The day I was finally ready to begin it, both the black and...
In December 2023, Cyclone Jasper crossed the coast of Far North Queensland. Check out #cyclonejasper across social media to get a sense of the magnitude and widespread damage caused by this weather event, which seriously affected our FNQ communities in ways we could never have imagined. We who are from this area have experienced many cyclones over the years. Initially the Category 2 cyclone itself did not appear to be as destructive as they have the potential to be, but the unprecedented flooding that ensued was devastating, with many losing their homes, vehicles, everything. The immensity of the deluge and sheer volume of water that raged through our rivers was mind boggling and something we never though we would see. The impact has...
The Sulphur-crested cockatoo is a large & beautiful bird. And yes, often noisy! But, have you ever watched the grace of their flight, the way they play with their fellow birds, or open 'hard nuts to crack'? They feature in much of my work as I see them as messengers who 'keep a look out', always posting one bird higher in the tree to warn the flock of any dangers. These special birds are the totem for Kuku-Thaypan people of the Quinkan Country around Laura. They were also once the emblem on our Kuranda Primary School T-shirts growing up here! When I find them meeting my path, gleaming & sunlit, or screeching and wheeling in the winds, depending...
'Dancing Woman' & 'Dancing Man' (2012) are two of my hand-painted festival banners measuring approx. 60 cm wide x 280 cm deep. They are painted on calico with acrylics, approx. 30 hrs work in each. My intention for each was to embody the essence of male energy, the active principle, and female energy, or the receptive principle in simple lines and colours. The curves and flowing lines of dance! They were originally painted for the Kuranda Roots Festival, and typically hang either side of a stage or dance floor. A decade ago, friend and event organiser Morgyn reached out to ask me to lead the decor and stage dressing for the now iconic Kuranda Roots festival. In the photos I am using for print, they have a painterly photoshop filter...
