If you happened to catch my recent painting of the Warby Garden, you might find this little twist interesting.

I often let paintings sit for a while before calling them finished –just in case they have more to say. This one was no different. I’d already shared it online when I found myself deep in studies of Alphonse Mucha and the flowing forms of Art Nouveau. And suddenly, I saw this work in a whole new light.

So… I adapted it ;)

What began as a tribute to the lush tangle of the Warburton garden became something more stylised, filtered through a French 1920s lens. I introduced some stencilling, pulled out elements, layered in curves and flourishes – nudging it toward that dreamy, decorative aesthetic.

The result is Un Jardin Verdoyant (French for “lush green garden”). The original spirit is still there, just with a new outfit.

This version has already found a home with a lovely collector, but I wanted to share it with you nonetheless.

‘Warby Garden’ (How it started)

I’m a swimmer, and when I reside and work in Melbourne, I share a lane with a handful of others at the Melbourne City Baths. It’s an indoor heated pool - it’s climate controlled inside and out (which is just as well since Melbourne winters can be a bit bleak). Prior to my arrival in Hawaii, I loved the idea that I would be taking my swimming to the ocean… a more natural experience. However, the reality once here was that it was a big change and I found it frightening. I was used to swimming along a black line, but here I could see very little. It was just big deep space. I could only hear my own stokes in the water rather than a cacophony of reflected slaps and splashes. I was also at the mercy of the weather and currents, and strangely even the taste of the water made me feel uncomfortable.

Now, about the Buoy :) Over a few weeks I grew in courage and came to appreciate this very different experience of swimming. I love that every swim is vastly different, and the solitude, and the sense of being more connected to the planet. One day when I finally got myself out enough to swim between the buoys, I noticed these amazing microcosms of life beneath each of them. There are a number of buoys that run parallel to Ala Moana beach, and they are shelters for different small tropical fish amongst reeds, and seaweeds. Each buoy is unique, and I now stop and marvel at each of them. They breakup such a vast and empty space… like little fish rest stops on a highway, or space stations.

Oh Buoy!

from A$100.00