WAITING FOR THE FIREWORKS TO START – BANKA BANKA WEST STATION NT – AUSTRALIA

After sunset, on the 1^st of July 2022, I took a photograph of a bunch of children sitting on a farm rail waiting in anticipation for a show of fireworks. My husband and I were staying at the Banka Banka Station which is a working cattle station and tourist stop in the NT and by luck it was Guy Fawkes Night, that night, in the Northern Territory.

This photo was etched in my mind as I loved how it captured the candid “slice of life” moment. When I paint, I love to bring my photos to life and in this case capture the feelings we experienced that night like the amazing outback atmosphere and the real-life experience of gathering around at dusk on the property.

In this painting I was particularly drawn to the contrast between that deep, heavy night sky and the glowing warmth of the dirt. The way the kids’ blue jackets tie them into the night, combined with those small pops of light from their torches to me gives the whole piece a magical, storytelling quality.

The wagon wheel and metal hoops in the foreground perfectly anchor the painting to the station’s deep 19th-century pastoral roots and its history as an old army staging camp. Whilst the warm yellow glow from the windows in the background evoked the cozy, welcoming feeling of the people we met there.

I love how the red dirt complements the endless sky, and on any other night I am sure the children sitting along the rail would capture that classic travel ritual at the station—climbing up to watch the outback sky change colors. This night, however, there was an added bonus as the children were also waiting to watch the fireworks the adults were getting ready to light.  Something a lot of children would not have seen locally in their time or midst.

The essence of a lot of my paintings is capturing scenes of everyday life, giving ordinary people the dignity of honest, genuine labor or life. I feel I have portrayed this in my painting as an accurate, unembellished depiction of the warmth and friendship of the children, waiting in anticipation, chatting and having a genuine great time, in the Australian Outback at Banka Banka Station.

• DATE FINISHED : June 2026
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 91.5cm X Width – 122 cm) each
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Social Realism
• STATUS : For Sale $2000

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HOT JAM DOUGHNUTS ANYONE – AMERICAN DOUGHNUT KITCHEN, QUEEN VIC MARKET

One night, in 2012, one of my sons, Taylor, took a photograph of the American Doughnut Kitchen Van situated at the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne for a Year 12 assignment.

This photo was etched in my mind as I loved the candid “slice of life” moment that the photo captures. Another aspect of my painting that really captured my interest is the way the workers are framed by the windows, which gives my work a cinematic, observational quality.

The essence of a lot of my paintings is capturing scenes of everyday life, giving ordinary people the dignity of honest, genuine labor/life. I feel I have portrayed this in my painting as an accurate, unembellished depiction of the three workers in the doughnut van.

• DATE FINISHED : June 2026
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 122 cm X Width – 78 cm) each
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Social Realism
• STATUS : For Sale $2000

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WALKING PAST PAINT BRUSHES FILLING a WATER JUG, Dinan France

In April 2023, France was I place I travelled through on a Back Roads tour. Dinan, was a special town we stayed in and whilst walking towards the river, I took this photo which caught my eye as an oil painter. The gentleman in the painting is Ken, the driver of our bus whilst on our tour. When I took this photo, I knew I was going to paint it.

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HARMONIOUS CURIOSITY – MONT MARTRE, PARIS

In May 2023, in Montmartre Paris, I walked past an accordionist playing happily to the crowds with his cat on his shoulder. This man was totally content in his special world oblivious to all around.  As I stood there and watched, I immediately saw and focused on a girl in the room behind, walking towards this man and his cat. This girl stood behind the accordionist and cat and curiously watched through the window. This image immediately caught my eye and thus I knew I had to paint this scene from that moment. Harmonious Curiosity was witnessed and thoroughly enjoyed.

• DATE FINISHED :  July 2023
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 1202 cm X Width – 76 cm )
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE :Contemporary Realism
• FOR SALE: $2000

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AN OPEN WINDOW IN VILSHOFEN – GERMANY

On the 27 June 2018 I visited Vilshofen, Germany and whilst walking one of the many colorful, small, cobbled laneways I came across this open window from what was a café at some point, captured my eye and then my camera lens.

One of my artistic passions is to paint colorful interesting painting from photo’s I have taken over the world. This painting of “An open window in Vilshofen, Germany” is one of many paintings I have completed from photo’s I have taken.

This painting is only a small part of the whole photo I took as I wanted to go into the window and see what more I could find. The reflection on the window glass to the left captured my eye as did the old coffee machine and scales. Then when you step back, you see the window wooden closures, the chair sitting in front, the blackboard with words written in chalk and the colors used in the materials to create the building this window sits in.

This photo captured my love for colorful elements on and in buildings, the story of the people that lived in this old café, the people who have visited and the old coffee machine and scales that just simply sit on a table in the window. I hope the open window in my painting draws you to look in inside and see the simplicity of what is in the window as well as the complexity of the material and colors used to create this special building.

• DATE FINISHED : February 2023
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 61 cm X Width – 76.20 cm) each
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Contemporary Realism – Architectural Still Life
• STATUS : FOR SALE $800

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A WINDOWS VIEW OF ST STEPHEN’S CHURCH – VIENNA

On the 24 June 2018 I visited Vienna, Austria, and took several photos of the roof of St Stephen’s Church in Vienna. St Stephen’s Church is Austria’s most prominent national symbol, and the magnificent cathedral is known for its intricately tiled roof, which captured my eye and camera lens this day.

One of my artistic passions is to paint colorful interesting painting from photo’s I have taken over the world.  This painting of St Stephen’s Church is one of many paintings I have completed from photo’s I have taken.

This painting is only a very small piece of the roof of St Stephen’s Church, but this window and surrounding tiles captured my eye and love for colorful elements of buildings, etc. on my visits to interesting places.

I hope the colors in this painting draw you into the painting and make you think how special and wonderful the craftmanship of the artists and creators of St Stephen’s were.

• DATE FINISHED : May 2022
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 122 cm X Width – 91.00 cm)
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Architectural Realism
• STATUS : FOR SALE

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Title: The Deayton Kids with Attitude.

I was commissioned by my friend Megan’s son, Max to paint an old photo of her three children when they were only kids looking at the horizon whist standing in the water at Cape Tribulation. What I loved about painting was the attitude of Taylah, Todd and Max, the beach scene, and the three reflections of the kids in the sand. I loved the colors in this painting and the kid’s attitude just enjoying the moment and knowing that their Mum Megan would love this photo.

• DATE FINISHED : December 2021
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 61.00 cm X Width – 92 cm)
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Contemporary Realism/Portraiture
• STATUS : COMMISSIONED

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THESE BOOTS …..

“These Boots” have been painted from a photo I took in Rothenberg ob der tauber, Germany, when I visited there in September 2018.  I decided to brighten up the old cobble stones that I was walking on and created this interesting painting.

• DATE FINISHED : November 2020
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 76.00 cm X Width – 61.00 cm )
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Stylized Realism
• STATUS : FOR SALE

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MARCUCCI FAMILY LINKS FAMILY AND THEIR HOME

I was commissioned in July 2020 by Debbie Marcucci to paint this scene of the backs of her family, daughter Alysha, husband Tony, herself, then daughter Karina and son Aiden, all holding hands on their farmland in Yarragon, country Victoria.

Debbie wanted this scene painted in black and white, and obviously many shades of grey. This is the first painting I have completed in black and white and I personally found it challenging but a really cleansing experience.

The original photo Debbie gave me was the family and black and white dog, Bobbie, in a different back drop and so I had to superimpose them into the backdrop that Debbie wanted, which was their farmland and the surrounding mountains that they see every day, and their second dog, Abbie. I had to include the bit of snow on one of the mountains as well.

I have thoroughly enjoyed painting this for Debbie and her family as I have known them since 1991 and know them all very well as well and some of their special characteristics of their personalities that make them, who they truly are.

This is one of my best paintings and I have loved the challenge of painting in black and white and painting my friends.  I hope that the Marcucci Family love this painting as much as I do.

• DATE FINISHED : September 2020
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 76.20 cm X Width – 121.90 cm)
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Narrative Realism/Portraiture
• STATUS :COMMISSIONED

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THE BOND BETWEEN A DAD AND HIS SONS

I was commissioned in May 2020 by Kim Jarrett-Blanck to paint this beach scene of her husband, Jeff and their two sons, Jake, and James. The beach is a remote beach on the New South Wales Coast which the family visited on a caravan holiday.  Kim loves this photo and asked me to paint it for her husband, Jeff for his birthday in July. Kim loves this photo of her three special men specially the way Jeff is pointing to something and the boys are looking in that direction with the same interest and passion that Jeff has. I loved the photo too, as it portrays the bond between the three, a father and his two sons.  The way Jeff has his arm around Jake and how James obviously is hanging on to every word Jeff is saying and is looking in the distance to see what his dad is pointing at.

• DATE FINISHED : July 2020
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 91.00 cm X Width – 61.00 cm)
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Contemporary Realism/Family Portraiture
• STATUS :COMMISSIONED

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INNOCENCE WATCHING THE SUNSET

I was commissioned by my friend Louise to paint an old photo of her three children when they were only kids watching the sunset whist standing in the water at Wilson’s Promontory. What I loved about painting this scene was the sunset, the three reflections of Matt, Tim and Ellamae in the water and the sand. I loved the colors in this painting and the kid’s innocence just enjoying the moment.

• DATE FINISHED : MARCH 2020
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 92.00 cm X Width – 61.00 cm)
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Narrative Realism/Portraiture
• STATUS : Commissioned/Sold

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SKATE PARK SIBLING HAPPINESS

My friend Sian commissioned me to paint her two children Leith and Isla being natural and cheeky in their local skate park. I loved the photo when I first saw it and I couldn’t wait to start painting it on this 1meter by 1 meter canvas. I love the colors in the ramp, the obscure items on either side of the ramp, the backdrop of trees, the signature graffiti and the two little critters sitting on the top simply makes the painting very interesting and attractive to the eye. Leith you are so cheeky.

• DATE FINISHED : November 2016
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 100.00 cm X Width – 100.00 cm)
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Contemporary Realism
• STATUS :Commissioned

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THE RADIANCE OF VIETNAMESE LANTERNS

Whilst visiting Vietnam in early 2015, I took a photo of lanterns at night in Hoi An. This photo bought back the color and the radiance of the lanterns that was depicted on this wet, rainy night.

• DATE FINISHED : September 2015
• DIMENSIONS : (Height – 61.00 cm X Width – 51.00 cm )
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Contemporary Realism
• STATUS : Gifted to my sister

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CAITLAN AND DECLAN WOODS WALKING TO SCHOOL 

After a friend saw my painting of My Boys Walking to school, Sean wanted me to paint his two children walking to school as a christmas present for his wife. This Painting of Caitlan and Declan Woods walking to school is the finished product.

• DATE FINISHED : December 2014
• DIMENSIONS :
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Contemporary Realism/Portraiture
• STATUS : COMMISSIONED

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MY BOYS WALKING TO THE BUS

This special painting is of my three oldest sons walking to catch the bus across from our home in Warrandyte South. This day was my oldest son’s first day of Year 12, my second son was starting Year 9 and my third son was starting year 7. My youngest son was still in Grade 5.

• DATE FINISHED : November 2014
• DIMENSIONS :
• MEDIUM : Oil on Canvas
• GENRE : Contemporary Realism/Portraiture
• STATUS : NOT FOR SALE