How Travel and Memory Shape My Abstract Landscapes
There are certain places that stay with us long after we’ve left them. For me, these places are not just remembered—they are felt. A quiet ridge in the Yarra Ranges, the ochre plains stretching under the Australian sun, or the shifting blues of the ocean at dusk—these impressions don’t fade. They resurface when I’m in my studio, guiding my hand and shaping my paintings.
My art is not about recreating a scene as it looks but expressing the emotions, textures, and memories it leaves behind. Through abstract landscapes, I explore the subtle ways travel and memory can transform into colour, form, and movement on canvas.
Travel as a Source of Inspiration
Every journey gifts me a palette. The warm, earthy tones of the Australian bush, the cool blues and greys of coastal walks, or the golden glow of farmlands at sunset—all of these moments stay stored within me.
For example, my painting Tracks Through the Ochre Plains draws directly from memories of walking through dry, sunlit country where the ground itself feels alive with history and heat. Its layered ochre and earthy reds are less about place and more about the emotion of standing still in such vastness.
Another piece, Take Me There captures the longing and pull of travel itself—how certain places call to us, inviting us to step away from the everyday and into something expansive.
Memory Meets Imagination
Memory is never exact; it shifts and blends with imagination. That’s why my landscapes often feel dreamlike—because they are not about exact locations but about how those places live within me.
Yoga Under the Tree With Friends reflects this blend of memory and imagination. It is not a literal scene, but a feeling of connection, grounding, and joy drawn from shared experiences outdoors.
When I stand before a blank canvas, I don’t follow a pre-drawn plan. Instead, I work intuitively, letting memories surface and guide me. My brushstrokes and marks carry energy, spontaneity, and emotion.
Layering Emotion Through Medium
I use acrylics, oil sticks, and pastels to build depth and texture. Each layer is a dialogue between past and present—between what I saw, what I felt, and what I want to express now.
In works like Hope and Happiness colour and texture combine to convey optimism even in the face of challenge. Here, layering becomes not just a technique but a metaphor—mirroring how our own lives and memories are built, piece by piece.
Why It Matters to Viewers
Abstract landscapes allow each person to connect in a deeply personal way. A horizon line might remind someone of their childhood home; a splash of colour may echo a holiday memory. Viewers don’t just see the landscape—I hope they feel it.
This is why many collectors tell me that my works bring them back to special places in their own journeys. Whether it’s the golden light of Tracks Through the Ochre Plains or the soothing calm of Take Me There, each painting holds space for new stories.
Bringing Stories Home
Each artwork I create is an invitation—to pause, to remember, and to reconnect with the landscapes that shape us.
If you’d like to explore more, you can browse my full collection here I also welcome commissions—if there’s a place or memory close to your heart, I’d love to transform it into a unique artwork for you.
What memory or place would you like to see come alive on canvas? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear your stories.