Love Notes
Exhibition ~ Grainger Gallery
Opening Aug 14 2025

Each of these paintings began with a foraging or birding expedition.
I’m nerding out with my camo backpack, my long lens at the ready,
my merlin or e-bird app open. A harsh “Yak Yak”- a red wattlebird.. “Zzt-
zzt”- a scrubwren, “Curra..curra..currawong”.. they’re all familiar.

Then the mood turns- excitement builds around an unfamiliar call, theres a
chase, one or two that get away and finally our eyes meet.. time
stands still.. and I am aware that this exquisite creature has been
observing and tracking me in turn, that it has allowed itself to be seen
and I am profoundly grateful.
Part triumph of citizen scientist and part dreamy awestruck magic of
Disney princess. That’s the feeling I am trying to capture in these
compositions- (both real and imagined!)- painted “Love notes” to our
precious Australian flora and avian fauna.