A Portrait of Home
WELCOME TO THE GOLD COAST
A Portrait of Home explores belonging and memory in an everyday light.
In this series I paint people and place in charcoal and oils accented with gold leaf to honour memory.
SNAPPER ROCKS FROM PT. DANGER - LAYERS OF MEMORY
Snapper Rocks is a place layered with many memories & diverse meanings to different tribes of people - I look down from Point Danger to Snapper Rocks and I see the remnants of the old pools where I learned to swim - in a fashion, more keeping myself afloat! Other peoples memories are also layered there - the scattering of a loved ones ashes from the rocks into the ocean, daily walks taking in the salt air and the ocean reviving the senses on a cherished holiday and surfers studying the waves intently, excitement building in tandem with the swell, the memory of countless waves ridden before increasing the anticipation.
Charcoal and Genuine Gold Leaf on 300gsm Arches paper
Framed in tasmanian oak frame with white mat/black core & UV non reflective Artglass
1100mm x 550mm (Art Size)
1250mm x 690mm (Framed)
$3,200 AUD
SNAPPER - IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TIMING
On days when the swell at Snapper Rocks is strong and uncompromising, the rip current sweeps around the rocky point and tears down the sandbank with striking ferocity. Timing becomes everything. In these moments, I find myself captivated by surfers who dare to have a go with this shifting, mercurial force. Watching three of them prepare to take their chances, I feel a familiar mix of awe and nervous anticipation—especially when it’s someone I know. Some will make it cleanly to the takeoff spot; others will be swept far from where they intended to go. Either way, the drama of the attempt is irresistible.
Apart from the fact that I’m not a surfer, I’ve long known that I could never fight my way out to that lineup with my own questionable swimming skills; I’d end up hundreds of metres down the beach before I even got close! Maybe that’s why I admire these surfers —their ability to read the water, to navigate danger with both skill and intuition, and to move with confidence through a place that remains unpredictable and alive.
My work is an attempt to honour that interplay of courage, vulnerability, and the raw power of the ocean that defines this iconic surf spot.
Oil and Gold Leaf on Canvas
600mm x 500mm (Art Size)
$1,700 AUD
CURRUMBIN BEACH - FIRST IMPRESSIONS
This artwork captures my first impressions of Currumbin Beach — a vivid memory from when we first arrived on the Gold Coast 57 years ago. Coming from suburban Victoria on the bay, the tropics felt wild and alive: the thick humidity, the chorus of unseen creatures from the nearby Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, and the endless expanse of blue sky and sea. Each day was an adventure — crossing the road, darting down the concrete steps through the bush to emerge onto the golden sand of Currumbin Beach. We explored rock pools, climbed Elephant Rock, and learned the rhythm of a new ocean. One unforgettable moment — stepping barefoot on a sunbaking snake — perfectly summed up those early days: startling, raw, and full of wonder. Currumbin Beach is a reflection of that time of discovery, awe, and the pristine beauty of our new home.
Charcoal and Genuine Gold Leaf on 300gsm Arches paper
Framed in Tasmanian oak frame with white mat/black core & UV non reflective Artglass
800mm x 400mm (Art Size)
940mm x 540mm (Framed Size)
$2,500 AUD
MORNING CONTEMPLATION, GREENMOUNT
“Morning Contemplation, Greenmount” reflects a lifelong connection to Greenmount Beach — a place woven through my family history and personal growth. This stretch of sand holds memories of morning runs, swims before work, and endless laughter shared with family and friends.
Discovering tiny shells smaller than your little finger nail - miniatures of the seashells that were familiar. Being tossed around with my sister in the backwash of the waves when the ocean was stormy from cyclones. Swimming in calmer waters and seeing a fin and thinking we were history because we were about to be eaten by a shark and it turned out to be a dolphin much to our relief! The beach was always alive with joy, movement, and connection.
In this painting, a young surfer pauses to read the ocean in the soft early light. Her quiet moment of reflection mirrors my own — the calm between waves of memory, where the rhythm of the sea speaks of past adventures, enduring family bonds, and the timeless allure of Greenmount’s shore.
Oil and Gold Leaf on Canvas
1200mm x 800mm
$3,900 AUD
GREENMOUNT SUNSET
This stretch of sand lives in my memory as it does for many people, illuminated by a particular time of day. I return to the past, the rhythm of jogging along the shoreline after work, when there is finally some relief from the heat of the day and the bay becomes a cradle of calm, crystal-clear water. These moments—quiet, cooling, and restorative—anchor my connection to this place.
My work draws from these impressions: the serenity, the community, and the intimate relationship between land, water, and the people who move through them.
Charcoal and Genuine Gold Leaf on 300gsm Arches paper
850mm x 650mm (Framed)
$2,500AUD
SOLD
One of the most beloved stretches of sand on the Gold Coast, Greenmount Coolangatta beach. Swimming in the protected bay revives and rejuvenates your spirit.
Charcoal on Paper with Genuine Gold Leaf Highlights
850mm x 650mm (Framed)
$2,500 AUD
SOLD
BILINGA BEACH - MORNING WALK AT SUNRISE
“Sunrise at Bilinga” is a reflection of memory, place, and belonging. This painting revisits the golden mornings of my childhood on Bilinga Beach — a stretch of sand that shaped who I am. It’s where my family settled after Mum and Dad bought a house near the water, surrounded by the comforting closeness of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. The beach was our playground, our meeting place, and our classroom.
Every day was filled with laughter and the thrill of discovery — waves tumbling us into fits of giggles, surf mats and old tyres our passports to adventure. Our golden retriever, Prince, was always part of the fun, bounding through the shallows with the pack of cousins. It was idyllic, though not without its lessons - on the Gold Coast when the northerlies blow, we know bluebottles are a strong possibility. Even with dodgy vision, I could spot them from 20 feet away – a few stings will train your eyes fast! One beautiful Nor-east day, we were enjoying the beach when those dreaded flashes of blue appeared in the surf. Cue dramatic (and maybe slightly over-the-top) screaming and flailing.
Prince, our loyal dog, rushed to defend us from these mysterious attackers, barking and snapping at the waves. Before we could stop him, he’d swallowed one! He was pawing at his mouth, clearly in pain, and we were terrified, knowing how much it hurt. Our solution? Ice cream – a soothing treat for his poor stung mouth. It helped a little, but he remained miserable and blanket-bound for days.
In this painting, a woman walking her two dogs along the shoreline at sunrise becomes a bridge between past and present. The light on the water carries the same quiet reminder of family, innocence, and the rhythms of coastal life. It’s a reflection on those formative days at Bilinga, to the sense of freedom and connection that still anchors me, and to the enduring beauty of the simple moments that make a life.
Oil and Gold Leaf on Canvas
1200mm x 800mm
$3,900 AUD
LATE AFTERNOON FISHING ON THE HARBOUR
This painting is a reflection of memory and place — a quiet homage to the Tweed River and the life that moves along its banks. In the soft light of late afternoon, people gather at the harbour’s edge: some casting lines into the water, others simply pausing to breathe, to share a meal of fish and chips, or to watch the trawlers heading out across the Tweed Bar in search of their catch.
For me, the Tweed has always been a place of stories — a mix of calm, connection, and the unexpected. My own attempt at fishing here was short-lived; I still remember the day a pelican took my bait as an invitation rather than an offering. Wings flapping, beak snapping, it chased me off the riverbank and cured me of any romantic ideas about fishing from that day on.
Though I’m not a fisherman, the harbour remains an enduring part of my personal landscape. This painting captures both the serenity and vitality of the Tweed — a place where the rhythm of the tides meets the rhythm of everyday life, and where memory and community continue to flow together like the river itself.
Oil and Gold Leaf on Canvas
Framed in Tasmanian Oak Floating Frame
630mm x 530mm (Framed)
$1,900 AUD
SITTING ON KIRRA PIPE 1968
A quick photo of seven cousins on the way to school became a precious memory for us all of a magical time growing up on the beaches of the southern Gold Coast.
Charcoal on Paper
NFS