The Sunny South (2016 to 2017)

The Sunny South depicts an Australian seascape with bather. Its name echoes an 1887 coastal scene by Tom Roberts. In this contemporary homage, the bather’s body dissolves into the seascape with only the head and feet visible amidst the blue waves. The sound of breathing and kicking of feet form a rhythm akin to the crashing waters of the ocean.

This work continues my investigation of contemporary watercolour as a formidable medium for exploring nature and the feminine. This seascape combines traditional watercolour techniques with contemporary digital media. The ‘waves’ are painted using watercolour paint on 180gsm Fabriano Watercolour paper. Each Ipad screen depicts a looped video. The first of feet kicking continuously. In the second the bather’s head dips into the ocean on the out breath and faces the viewer on the in breath.

This work was shown at the inaugural Elaine Birmingham National Watercolour Prize.