I love our southern ocean, it has so much power and can come tumbling in from the Antarctic regions with a great deal of force behind it in rough weather. This was a moment of standing on the beach, almost ready to turn and climb up the steep steps and go home on a day at the end of Summer, as the weather changed from hot and calm to cool and windy. The tide came in and covered the reef that can usually be seen from the beach. It is a favourite fishing spot near Beachport in South Australia. It is a section of what has been a treacherous coast line with many shipwrecks scattered all the way along to Queenscliff in Victoria. I took many images, made some sketches and felt it had to be a pastel drawing. I wanted the strength of the pigment and my drawing and the blending of these pigments to allow the ocean to move towards me rather than brushstrokes which seemed distracting to me. Clouds and the changing sky continue to fascinate me and I find myself being more influenced from researching Constable and Turner than I would have expected I would be not that many years ago. The paper is rich apricot to add the warmth of the late Summer change. It has been very hot day with a strong sudden cold front coming. This work is matted and framed in simple white grain board with washed white wooden frame. the most common comments from people viewing it is that there is a real sense of the ocean moving toward them.
I have always used the nickname 'Bald Hill' for this this small mountain, as it has no trees on it until almost ground level, and it stands out to me when I drive back to Penola from Millicent. I am intrigued by the light and shadow play depending on the season and the time of the day and have often stopped to observe. It always seems to be very mysterious to me and I was intrigued but not surprised, to learn of the very ancient stories connected to to it. This pastel drawing came from a very warm afternoon and the shadows were dense. It is an ancient volcano and is connected to the stories of the Boandik people, the first inhabitants and original owners of this region. The story tells is that It was the campsite oven spoken about in their Graitbul creation stories. This work is the beginning of a planned future textile series on this legend and the volcanic history of this region, often overlooked because of the higher profile of Mount Gambier.
It is pastel on apricot pastel paper and is professionally framed with a rustic timber moulding and wide matte board under glass.
