This piece came from a photo I stumbled across that instantly stopped me. The sky was alive with deep reds and burnt oranges, and I felt this pull to recreate that feeling on canvas in my own way.
I knew I wanted to make it feel unmistakably Australian, so I brought in the Sydney Opera House. It wasn’t the easiest element to paint, but I genuinely loved the challenge. There was something really satisfying about working it into the scene and letting it belong there naturally.
The colours ended up becoming the heart of the piece. Those earthy reds and warm sunset tones remind me of our rugged landscape and the way light feels here at the end of the day. I worked the paint with a palette knife to build up rough, expressive texture, which mirrors the energy, love, and emotion I poured into it while painting.
Original - 60x90cm acrylic on canvas.
