Through my 2021 Nebula network I have had the pleasure of undertaking studies into the concept of ‘place’ with SA artist and academic Dr Sue Michael. The Nebula group (consisting of eight regional SA female artists) were successful in receiving a grant from Country Arts SA to undertake the studies with Sue, working together towards a group exhibition at Burra Regional Art Gallery this August.

As a landscape painter the opportunity to further delve into concept of place has been extremely valuable. We have been encouraged by Sue to get curious and explore a chosen place through the framework of the interactions between its people; physicality (geography, landmarks etc); and genius loci (spirit of place). My place of residence, the family farm Invermay has been a source of inspiration in recent years, thus was an obvious choice for my ‘place’. Located on Ngadjuri country 8km north of Kapunda, Invermay is a broadacre cereal cropping and sheep farm dating back to the mid 1800s.

Showing from the 30th May to 25th June at Kapunda cafe 2B Nourished, the Finding Place collection is a selection of landscape paintings resulting from my place studies observing the people, environs and essence of my immediate rural and agricultural landscape at Invermay. This landscape is not only the back-drop to my family’s daily life, it is at the core of our lifestyle and livelihoods as farmers and land custodians. Keenly in-tune and attentive, I am seeking to represent the seemingly ordinary and typically overlooked places and moments in this landscape.

The final outcome of the place studies is the earlier mentioned group exhibition titled ‘Places of Eight’ showing at Burra Regional Gallery from 4 August to 18 September. I have been working on a large scale triptych which will be joining the diverse works of the talented Nebula artist’s: Janelle Amos, Jenny Bourne, Emma Fuss, April Hague, Julie Lloyd, Ruth Maggie Morris and Sally O’Connor. Can’t wait!