Dad, 2020, oil on copper, 24 x 14 cm, SHNPP Finalist
Dad is not a man of many words. The way he moves in space is quiet but possesses a deep sensibility and strength. You will regularly find him in the bush tending to trees and plants and continually planting more to nurture and love. Such is his sense of duty and admiration towards nature. Drawing from candid moments of him outside in his full-brimmed hat, the image intimately dwells upon the indistinct and palpable surfaces of his features. Through the many years of his time spent under the harsh glare of the Australian sun, the dramatic patterns of shade and light have shaped and imprinted on my mind’s image of his being. In many ways, these polarities extend past his flesh and evoke the quiet intensities of his spirit, which I continue to greet with admiration and respect.