As a husband and father, now living in my childhood hometown of Canberra after years in a small hinterland rainforest town in the northern rivers of NSW, I’m finding new meaning in the contrasts between where I’ve been and where I am now.

After surviving a near fatal electric shock at 19 years old as well as uncovering suppressed memories of a traumatic childhood, painting became my way of navigating these contrasts—of reconciling the challenges of my past with the gratitude and peace I’ve found in my present.

Through abstraction, I spent my time exploring the suppressed trauma that had long been buried—grief, fear, and unresolved pain, whilst observing the gradual manifestation of resilience, growth and patience into the beauty that emerged when I allowed myself to truly reflect.

During this process, I intentionally limited my exposure to outside influence, focusing instead on allowing the natural unfolding of emotions and physicality to meet on the canvas. Each piece I create is deeply personal, shaped by the landscapes of my life—both the arid, raw spaces of hardship and the delicate, blooming moments of connection and hope.