A Place to Return

After the borders reopened and normality returned, A Place to Return captures the return to our home in Umbria in Italy after 3 years, the adventures to arid Fowlers Gap, wind swept King Island and more recently, to the East Macdonnell Ranges.

Returning to Italy for me means sunshine, poppies, sunflowers, castles, rolling fields and hilltop villages…Not to forget the food, wine and the best patisseries. The sunlight and colours are so different to that in Australia. The vibrancy and vividness seem amplified, as captured in my work.

Fowlers Gap, the only research station in the arid zone of NSW, 112 km north of Broken Hill, presented a most impressive and colourful landscape. it was just after heavy rain when we were there, so the river beds were flooded and very green. Red sunsets were spectacular as were the many river gums and ridges. Conditions were challenging, climbing ridges and walking the rivers as seen in these paintings.

King Island is totally windswept, rugged and wild! The fury of the sea at Seal Rocks, battered trees, jagged shorelines and breathtaking views are fond memories now captured in this body of work.

A recent trip to the stunning Central Australia to paint with Jo Bertini and a bunch of talented artists rekindled my love for the ancient land and outback of Australia. Inspired by the dramatic ridges, spectacular landscapes of Trepina Gorge and N’Dhala Gorge, the kaleidoscope of colours and fond memories are forever captured here. I let the land speak to me, to be free in form, colour, shape or what I see before me. I hope you enjoy the breathtaking landscapes and the rich history of our land as much as me.

Most of my works are painted en plein air, the fast and furious nature of my strokes and colourful palette reflect the fast, changing surrounding light and landscapes.

I hope you enjoy the journey with me as we return to faraway home and new adventures.