The inspiration leading to Natura came about during a residency at Cairns Botanic Gardens in September 2024. The tropical plants and environment of North Queensland is a new area of research in my practice, and I delighted in the opportunity to explore wet tropical rainforest, beach dune ecosystems, mangrove forests of the Daintree and the cool river forests of Mount Bartel Frere. The works capture textures and colours that caught my eye as I tried to make sense of the lush walls of green. I am grateful to Cairns Regional Council for the artist in residency program located in the beautiful botanic gardens to think and draw, the Australian Tropical Herbarium to examine specimens up close, and to financial support from the ACT government through artsACT.
