Having arrived at our campsite and set ourselves up it was time to think about creating art.

To start the brush moving I decided to check out the area where my friend and I were camped. Only a few metres into the forest some good shapes presented themselves. Also, due to the gap in the trees (caused by the road), the trees behind my three major darks were lit by sunlight. The ferns on my side of the road were nicely sunlit too. With the bright mossy greens and the colourful ground litter, the scene was set.

After setting up among the mosses and fungi I blocked in the darks, on a 25x12cm ply panel, to see if the composition would work. It all seemed okay, so I began painting.

(The photo above and the following one are details from the finished painting.)

It seems that I have to stop myself painting every so often so I can step back and review what has hapoened. It’s a chance to take a photo or two, have a drink and plan what to do next. Sometimes stepping back results in a shock. I see things that aren’t what I want, or, I might see that I am actually finished, or close to it. In a location like takayna a painting break allows you to reconnect with the atmosphere around you. It can affect your painting, knowingly, or subconsciously. Hopefully for the better!

In this case, I decided that I would leave out the leaves in front of a couple of my dark trunks. I liked the structure they gave the painting. The leaves would obscure that somewhat. And, how much green does one really need anyway?

What do you think of the finished piece?

Part way through, I had a visit from the Bob Brown Foundation photographer. The next two photos later appeared in their posts about Art for Takayna.

The resulting little oil painting seemed successful and felt like it had set the scene for the next few days.

At the end of the day I was looking forward to what day two would bring – location, subject, weather and result-wise.

The Art for Takayna fundraising exhibition is happening 5 to 21 June at the Long Gallery in the Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart.

Along with three others, this painting, “Guardians,” will be at the exhibition. Framed in Tasmanian oak and ready to hang, it measures 39cm wide x 26.5cm high.

This is my artist’s statement for “Guardians.”

“Who knows what they have witnessed?

Situated very close to the road, I imagine them wishing they hadn’t sensed some of it. The death of their friend, or perhaps surveyors scoping out where to locate a tailings dam.”

I am currently busy preparing for several exhibitions but there is more takayna art to come soon.