Forest Song Highly Commended at VAS Autumn exhibition

I worked on this painting last year during lock down, working over an old figurative painting from 2010, which I'd called 'Heartache'. While layering the shapes and colours, I was thinking about Tarra Valley - the glorious rainforest there, the magnificent mountain ash and ferns and all the intricate layers of plant and animal life - especially the lyrebirds which are always such a treat to see. In the last month I walked in Sherbrooke Forest and two lyrebirds crossed the path - giving me the life and movement lines I needed to complete the painting. It's on display at the Victorian Artists Society from May 7–May 31. Thank you to judge Colin Johnstone for his encouragement and congratulations to all the other highly commended artists and the winner Gwedoline Krumins for her stunning winning painting. You can see all the paintings here. Photo credit Ron Smith.

‘Energy of paint application is so obvious in this work. We enter spaces into a world of sounds – senses are captured. This is a bold, individual and confidently expressed work.’ Colin Johnson