L.Ed Lithographic (600) 280 x 455 mm

Of all my paintings, this is the people’s choice. It was painted after a visit to Rokeby National Park, Cape York, North Queensland. The painting had caught my attention, and I had taken a quick photograph of it but did not register why it had spoken to me.

On my return home, I accidentally passed a magnifying glass over the snap, and to my amazement, the faces in the tree jumped out at me. I grabbed a blank canvas, mixed some paint, and painted the tree trunk in about fifteen minutes. The faces literally dripped off my brush. Then I paused, to consider how to complete the composition. This is not how I usually create my paintings.

My son was watching as I completed the painting.

“You must make the road powdery, Mum, for it is the symbol of civilisation, cutting the young one from the world of his parents. The young one is returning to the spirit of his ancestors, and the parents are afraid for him.”

Thus do people sometimes see meanings in my work that I myself was not aware of. This painting also improves eyesight. How, I do not know, but I once observed that it did.
I hope it may speak to you, as it has spoken to so many. Below is my poem to honour it.