July 09, 2021

LUMINOUS SCAPES

BEHIND THE COLLECTION

ROAD TRIPPING AROUND TASMANIA

I had always wanted to travel to Tasmania.

After living in Australia for 11 years, we decided during the height of the pandemic that if we booked a trip six months in advance, surely the borders would open up and we would be able to spread our wings. Well thats what we did, we booked a camper van for nine days and got ready for our Tasmanian adventure, and as luck would have it, the borders were open and what an inspiring adventure it was!

Every day in Tasmania held new and exciting experiences as we moved around the state in our camper van, stopping off at a brand new place every afternoon. We meandered our way from Hobart up North to Stanley and then made our way down the east coast and back to Hobart.

The thing that struck me the most was probably the colours, the purity of the air and the way that the mountains stood so much higher than what I was used to in the Illawarra. It reminded me of my country of birth, and Cape Town where we holidayed when I was young.

The people of Tasmania had an honest earthiness to them, we were greeted with smiles and warm welcomes everywhere we went. The people we met had a sense of deep love and respect for their land and communities, seen in the way in which the vineyards, the whisky distilleries and the small farms honoured the pristine lands that birthed their crops and maintained their livelihoods.

We had a mix of weather, from wild rainy days to electric blue skies, which allowed me to document the landscape in so many ways. I was particularly drawn to photographing the coast on very cloudy days. There was something captivating about how the moody sky lit up the sky along the Bay of Fires.

My colour palette for most of the collection was influenced by the way the weather altered the colours of the coastline. The contrast between grey skies, glowing ochres and burnt oranges scattered across the rocks amongst patchwork green algae fascinated me. The moody skies, crystal oceans and dark mountains captivated my senses and directed me in my choice of palette for the new series.

Standing amongst the kaleidoscope of colours, there were times I wish I had a test tube so I could scrape up pieces of the fungi and bring it back to the studio and recreate its luminosity.

Wineglass Bay - Freycinet National Park on the East coast of Tasmania

There were so many fantastic artisan cafes, beautiful vineyards and whisky distilleries that we visited.

I really hope that you are able to get a small insight into how much I loved exploring Tasmania, the way in which it touched my heart and has touched the heart of so many Australians who visit and are inspired by our Island state. It is the wonder and magic of Tasmania and the way it has caught the attention of so many others before me that I have tried to portray within this collection of paintings.

Stay tuned by following my Instagram page @jaquelineburgess for updates as we countdown to the 16th July when the collection of works will become available on my online gallery.

ROAD TRIPPING AROUND TASMANIA

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