23.6 x 23.6cm Acrylic and house paint on canvas, framed in raw oak “Not What I Expected (Lemons)” When I was becoming a parent, I knew to expect life-altering changes such as no spare time or sleep. But then there are so many surprising things - like finding yourself rushing a 2-year-old outside in your pjs at 6am to see the rubbish truck on bin day or finding a little person’s treasures in pride of place on the kitchen bench. This painting is an ode to the unexpected, bizarre and oddly fun parts of parenting. Bridget Steer Bridget Steer is an emerging artist and women’s health GP living in Toowoomba (land of the Giabal, Jarowair and Jagera people). Bridget’s artworks are narrative works, using specific composition choices and often children’s toys to convey how ordinary, small moments can capture common human experiences. Working in mostly acrylics and house paints initially acted as a practical strategy to overcome the mental barriers that can come with using “precious” materials - preventing starting, experimenting or the fear of not achieving a perfect result. However it has also become a philosophical choice to elevate the building blocks of the work, to parallel the way women’s crafts have not previously been accepted as art as they haven’t conformed to the traditional materials used by Western artists. In 2025 Bridget was a finalist in the Art to Art Unearthed Art Prize and the Corner Store Gallery’s Inside This Box Art Prize. Bridget’s work is featured in the 2025 Australian Artist Collective x Dangerous Females Collaboration to fundraise for domestic violence charities. Bridget has been invited to exhibit at the 2026 Grammar Art Show at Toowoomba Grammar School. A percentage of profits from each artwork sale is donated to charity.
