Gallery 1

TREESCAPES

I have known these particular trees for over 25 years - and most of them are much older than that. However they are unlikely to survive a change of ownership, the next drought or the next bushfire, so I wanted to record them.  Here in Australia we are still casually burning and bulldozing trees as if they are vermin, instead of treasuring them as fixers of Carbon Dioxide, as cleansers of the air we breath. Earlier this year, the Northern Territory Government even 'cut red tape' to make it quicker (and easier) to clear native bush land land held under pastoral tenure. At the time of this exhibition, applications for approval to clear over 13,884 hectares are pending (equivalent to over 38,000 football pitches and how much has already been approved in the last 18 months?)

So this small exhibition at Darwin Visual Arts is a quiet protest.  

Treescape February 2021

Charcoal drawing on 3 sheets of coloured paper

75 x 165cm

Treescape January 2021 (detail)

This is the third drawing I have made documenting the survival (so far) of a magnificent White gum, which was nearly killed in the 2018 bushfire.

Charcoal drawing on 4 sheets of coloured paper

75 x 220 cm

Creekscape - May - June 2021

The deceptively serene waterway will soon be dry. Behind the narrow margin of paperbarks and Syzygiums, is an abandoned minesite, An incendiary wasteland of exotic grasses.

Charcoal drawing on 8 sheets of blue paper with touches of pastel

150 x 220 cm

Verandascape 1 - The Corellas tree

Each of these drawings is a view from our front veranda - the gaps between them being equivalent to the pillars holding up the roof. I planted some of these trees, some were here already and the birds planted the rest. Their shade makes the house habitable.

The Stringybark died some years ago but Corellas and Galahs still enjoy it as a perch with an excellent view of their feeding area

Charcoal on grey paper with touches of pastel

75 x 55 cm

Verandascape 2 - Bush chook mound

The resident Bush chooks (Megapodius reinwardt) chose to build their mound on what was once part of our drive. They have been working on it about 7 years now, but we don't know if they have succesfully incubated any eggs, yet.

Charcoal on grey paper with touches of pastel

75 x 55cm

Verandascape 3 - Drongo

This tiny area of rainforest attracts birds like the Spangled drongo

Charcoal on grey paper with touches of pastel

75 x 55cm

Verandascape 4 - Fruit dove

Often heard but seldom seen - Rose crowned fruit doves also pass through this little patch of rainforest trees.

Charcoal on grey paper with touches of pastel

75 x 55cm

Verandascape 5 - Possum's place

It is now 25 years since I planted these Milkwoods (Alstonia actinophylla) Now they provide shade for our house and a favourite place for the possums' siesta.

charcoal on grey paper with touches of pastel

75 x 55 cm

Verandascape 6 - Bowerbird

A Great bowerbird has concealed her nest in a thicket to the right of this image. The male's bower, with his collection of white snail shells and green objects is further away, on the side of our drive.

charcoal on grey paper with touches of pastel

75 x 55 cm

Howard Springs

Not the Quarantine resort, but what is left of the actual springs, after groundwater has been extracted for nearby suburban development.

Charcoal on paper

50 x 42 cm

Its What We Do

We fish and we burn. Its what we humans do. View of the Cox Peninsula in late April 2021 from Crab Claw Island Resort.

Pastel drawing on 3 sheets of blue paper

75 x 165 cm

Mangrove Treescape at Crab Claw Island

This group of Mangroves is next to the jetty on Crab Claw Island in Bynoe Harbour. Their root systems appear to interlock.

Charcoal drawing on 3 sheets of coloured paper

75 x 165 cm