As a little girl wandering into the bush, the banksia offered a sense of strangeness and also nostalgic familiarity … 

 

This body of work reflects upon nature as an enduring symbol of resilience within the landscape. Through the painted and sculpted form, I am interested in playing upon the idea of the oxymoron: two opposites which coexist alongside one another. This includes the banksia which is sculpted in the temporal and fragile clay medium, before being fired into an enduring and resilient object. The dual quality of flora,  imbued with a sense of trauma and simultaneous beauty can be linked to Australia's colonial history and the ongoing notion of “discovery.” As I am interested in landscape and its representation, I feel it is important to acknowledge these complicated histories and the uncanny nature of the place we call home.