Youth2026Acrylic45.7 x 91.4 cm Youth is a painting of a part of Slacks Creek that is a short walkfrom my house. I have many fond memories of heading down tothe creek to play for hours. My favourite times were when I’d gowith my cousin, down a small track through the bush onto thecreek bed when it was low tide and semi-dry. We would borrowour uncle’s small prawn pot to chuck in and see what fish wecould find. It felt like my first sense of freedom being down thereand I was always drawn back to that area of the creek. Throughmy eyes as a kid, this forest felt like a calming, green space inthis busy world. Playing in this creek is my first memory of feelingconnected to the land, my first thoughts of wondering wholived here first. It felt like a truly soothing spot in this now, verysuburban area. I learnt to give the land the respect it gave me byproviding me with these special moments years ago. The brightgreen seen throughout the background speaks on the way it wasseen by myself as a child – a lush, small green space compared tothe infrastructure it was surrounded by. The drips shown on topof the clouds are a representation of the enhanced imaginationand childlike lens I once saw many things through.
