rollin' rollin' rollin'

'The Thistle' 2010 oil on linen


Yesterday I started a medium-sized work on linen, a giant thistle in a paddock full of wheat and Patterson's curse. I liked the idea that the plant's entire structure is built to repel. The plant being coloured a lackluster, washed-out green, with sharp, nasty little barbs that tear at my jeans as I walk around the propery, made me think them quite the nuisance. As I got closer however, I noticed the lovely, bright purple sex-organ on top of the thistle and decided to make a composition. As I painted, bees and butterflies landed on top and fed, and I thought about how this plant has truly evolved to survive.





'wild foxglove' 2010 oil on panel


This morning I finished the painting of the thistle and then Koolie and I headed down to the dam for a poke around. I found this little guy standing tall under stormy skies and sat down to paint. I wasn't sure what kind of plant is was, so I showed it to Zuza and she said it reminded her of a foxglove, so 'wild foxglove' it is. I'm enjoying focussing in on the wild flora around the place, and I hope to learn a bit about the names and charachteristics of all these wonderful plants.