For The Devil Down South. Tasmania Residency Exhibition.

In May 2016, I drove from Newcastle New South Wales, to Taranna, Tasmania, over 4 weeks exploring and documenting the natural and cultural environment along the east Tasmanian coastline. Basing myself in Taranna, each day spent driving, hiking, drawing and painting natural forms and patterns found in various environments.

This being my first Sydney solo exhibition at Good Space Gallery, I showcased a series of new abstract works which merge natural forms with lettering discovered near to the natural Tasmanian landscape. All works use traditional gold leaf application on glass with enamels hand-painted in reverse to reveal an elegant mirror-like finish.

The exhibition ‘For The Devil Down South’ hosted two unique references. The first acknowledges my struggle to break away from a design aesthetic and move towards a more abstract approach. Overcoming the Devil inside that would always draw me back to a design practice.

The second is in aid of the Tasmanian Devil. Devil Ark is the largest conservation breeding program for the Tasmanian devil on mainland Australia in the Barrington Tops. The iconic Tasmanian marsupial is at serious risk of extinction from the highly contagious devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). A small percentage of sales went towards 160 devils they care for and assisted in helping save the Tasmanian devil from extinction.