Plein Air Paintings
These works are made outdoors through direct observation of the landscape. The immediacy of plein air painting is reflected in the speed and responsiveness of the mark-making, capturing shifting conditions of light, colour, and form as they unfold.
Paintings from the MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia
The Sacred Yes was developed en plein air at Simpsons Gap in the West MacDonnell Ranges. Painted in the early morning, the work responds to the rapid shift of light across the cliff faces, where direct sunlight intensifies the colour of the rocks while casting cool shadows through the gorge.
The composition is structured around the vertical rock formations and the horizontal spread of the riverbed, with ghost gums positioned in the foreground to establish scale and spatial depth. The contrast between illuminated rock surfaces and shadowed passages creates a dynamic interplay of warm and cool tonal relationships.
Executed in oil with swift, responsive brushwork, the painting registers the changing conditions of light and atmosphere over a compressed period of time. The diptych format extends the lateral movement of the gorge, allowing the composition to unfold across two panels.
Medium: Oil on plywood panels, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Simpsons Gap, West MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia
Subject: Gorge formation with ghost gums
Colour palette: Cadmium orange, crimson, burnt umber, ultramarine, cobalt blue, red gold, burnt sienna, magenta
Marks of Time is a dynamic plein air landscape painting created during an autumn morning at Ormiston Gorge in the West MacDonnell Ranges. The painting captures the interplay of light and shadow as the sun illuminates the dramatic cliff faces, accentuating the contours and textures of the rugged terrain.
The work features bold colour contrasts—rich oranges, deep blues, and crimson tones—that reflect the intensity of the outback’s natural palette. The vigorous brushstrokes employed in this painting bring movement and energy to the composition, while the semi-abstract forms evoke both the grandeur and the spirit of the Central Australian landscape.
Executed rapidly to capture the fleeting moments of shifting light, this artwork embodies the essence of plein air painting: the spontaneous, direct connection with the land, and the immediate experience of being in the landscape.
Medium: Oil on plywood panels, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Ormiston Gorge, West MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia
Subject: Rocky outback gorge formation
Colour palette: Cadmium orange, crimson, burnt umber, ultramarine, cobalt blue, red gold, burnt sienna, magenta
Desert Greening, Namatjira Country depicts the striking transformation of the Central Australian landscape after an unusual rainfall, which brought a rare touch of green to the typically dry slopes near Ellery Creek Big Hole. Painted on location in the West MacDonnell Ranges, this dynamic plein air diptych captures the interplay of afternoon light and shadow, where usually red-orange rocks cast cool grey-blue, green, and violet hues across the arid terrain.
With large brushes and expressive strokes, the painting conveys the desert’s transient beauty, inviting the viewer to witness the landscape’s momentary shift as the dry earth comes alive with new life.
Medium: Oil on plywood panels, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: West MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia
Subject: Mountain range in the Australian outback
Colour palette: Green, burnt umber, burnt sienna, ultramarine, cobalt blue, violet
Sleeping Shadow is a plein air painting that captures the desolate, charred slopes of the East MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia. Painted during my residency in April 2024, this artwork reflects the devastating impact of Buffel grass on the region—an invasive species that burns hotter than native grasses and has left this mountainside barren.
The composition evokes both the harshness and beauty of the land. Broad, energetic brushstrokes reflect the heat and intense sunlight of the desert, while the limited colour palette suggests the stark contrast between life and death in this fragile environment.
In this work, I sought to capture the sense of isolation and alienation I felt standing in this scorched landscape, highlighting the quiet, yet profound, struggle for renewal. The painting’s immediacy and energy reflect the connection between the artist and the land, with each brushstroke speaking to the urgency of our environmental challenges.
Medium: Oil on two professional artist-quality plywood panels
Location: East MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia
Subject: Barren, charred mountains in the Australian outback
Colour palette: Ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, burnt umber, yellow ochre, red gold, burnt sienna, magenta
Trephina Gorge, located in the MacDonnell Ranges, 85 km east of Alice Springs, is a site of sacred significance, its rugged beauty glowing intensely under the morning sun. Painted en plein air, Morning Blaze captures the gorge in a rare moment—dry despite recent rainfall, where the riverbed's sands absorbed the water, leaving only the rich, contrasting colours of the landscape.
Working directly in the Central Australian wilderness, I sought to translate the dynamic interplay of light and shadow onto the canvas, using broad, expressive brushstrokes to evoke the heat and vivid hues of the outback. The deep blue-purple shadows contrast starkly with the fiery orange rock faces lit by the sun, embodying the extremes of the desert environment.
Medium: Oil on two professional artist-quality plywood panels
Location: Trephina Gorge, East MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia
Subject: Rocky cliffs and dry riverbed in the outback of Australia
Colour Palette: Blue (ultramarine, indigo, pthalo, cobalt), Burnt Umber, Red Gold, Burnt Sienna, Australian Leaf Green, Magenta
Created during my artist residency in Central Australia, Sunlit Face, Emily Gap, captures the serene yet striking contrast of a usually dry waterhole in the East MacDonnell Ranges. This plein air painting was executed on-site, where I encountered the waterhole filled with cool, icy-green water, offering a remarkable juxtaposition to the sunlit warmth of the surrounding rocky gorge.
The bold, expressive brushstrokes and dynamic colour palette reflect the shifting light and atmosphere of the desert environment. The interplay of green water, red-orange rocks, and vibrant desert vegetation invites the viewer to immerse themselves in the tranquil pool and explore the rich textures of the outback.
Medium: Oil on plywood panel, framed in Tasmanian Oak, ready to hang
Location: Emily Gap, East MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia
Subject: Waterhole and gorge in the outback of Australia
Colour Palette: Burnt sienna, yellow ochre, burnt umber, Australian leaf green, white, cadmium orange
Passage captures a moment of serene calm at Wiggley’s Waterhole, located just north of Alice Springs in Central Australia. Created en plein air, this oil painting evokes the peaceful stillness of an outback morning, mere days after a powerful flood had swept through the area. Painted under a cloudless sky, the work highlights the contrast between the rugged rock formations and their reflections in the gently moving water.
The composition draws the viewer into the foreground and towards the distant bush, inviting contemplation. The delicate, gestural brushwork and warm, earthy tones reflect the quiet beauty and grandeur of the Australian desert, offering a fresh perspective on this iconic landscape.
Medium: Oil on board, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Wiggley’s Waterhole, Alice Springs, Central Australia
Subject: Waterhole and gorge in the outback
Colour palette: Cobalt, indigo, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, burnt sienna, Australian leaf green
Paintings from the Capertee Valley
Glowing Cliffs captures the escarpments of Glen Davis in the late afternoon light, where shifting shadows and saturated colour transform the sandstone cliffs. Painted en plein air, the work was executed rapidly and directly in response to the changing atmosphere and fleeting qualities of the landscape.
Broad, expressive brushwork and tonal variation evoke the rhythm and structure of the mountains while retaining a sense of immediacy and movement. The painting reflects an engagement with light, place, and the physical experience of painting within the landscape.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Glen Davis, Capertee Valley, NSW
Subject: Sandstone escarpment in evening light
Palette: Pink, Orange, Blue, Grey-Green, Violet
Crown of Light was painted en plein air in Glen Davis in the Capertee Valley during the late afternoon, as sunlight moved across the sandstone escarpments. The work contrasts deep shadow with intense glare, capturing the rugged presence and shifting atmosphere of the landscape.
Executed with broad, gestural brushwork, the painting balances abstraction and observation through tonal contrast and textured surface variation. The composition evokes the heat, stillness, and physical immediacy of painting directly within the landscape.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Glen Davis, Capertee Valley, NSW
Subject: Mountain outcrop in shadow and afternoon light
Palette: Violet, Raw Umber, Yellow, Blue, White
Upper Nile Road was painted en plein air during a painting trip to Glen Alice in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales. The work captures the expansive paddocks and deep blue mountain ranges of the region through broad, expressive brushwork and shifting tonal relationships.
Executed outdoors in changing light and wind conditions, the painting reflects the immediacy and physicality of working directly within the landscape. The composition balances openness and movement, drawing the viewer through the foreground paddocks toward the distant shadowed ranges.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Glen Alice, Central Tablelands, NSW
Subject: Golden paddocks and mountain ranges
Palette: Yellow, Blue, Grey-Green, White
Ancient Valley was painted en plein air in Glen Davis as morning light moved across the Capertee Valley floodplain. Executed rapidly in response to the shifting atmosphere, the work contrasts the vibrant warmth of the paddocks with the cool blue tones of the surrounding mountain ranges.
Broad, gestural brushwork and subtle tonal variation evoke the openness and scale of the valley, while the pale morning sky and distant ranges create a sense of depth and stillness. The painting reflects an immediate engagement with light, weather, and the expansive landscape of the valley.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Glen Davis, Capertee Valley, NSW
Subject: Floodplain and distant mountain ranges
Palette: Yellow, Blue, White, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna
Hazy Afternoon was painted en plein air in the Capertee Valley during the midday heat, when harsh light and minimal shadow softened the landscape into muted tones of pale gold, grey-green, and violet. Departing from the dramatic escarpments often associated with the region, the work focuses on a quieter and more intimate experience of the landscape.
Broad, expressive brushwork and simplified forms evoke the rhythm of rolling paddocks, distant ranges, and scattered trees beneath the intense Australian light. The painting balances observation with abstraction, capturing the atmosphere and stillness of the valley in the heat of the day.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Capertee Valley, NSW
Subject: Rolling paddocks, trees and distant mountain ranges
Palette: Yellow Ochre, Blue, White, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna, Violet
Blustery Afternoon was painted en plein air above Glen Davis in the Capertee Valley during strong winds and rapidly shifting light conditions. Overlooking the expansive valley and surrounding escarpments, the work captures the movement and atmosphere of the landscape through fluid, gestural brushwork and tonal contrast.
Broad marks and softened forms evoke the passing clouds, changing weather, and vast scale of the valley, while the painting retains the immediacy of direct observation. The work reflects an immersive engagement with the physical conditions and dramatic landscape of the Capertee region.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Glen Davis, Capertee Valley, NSW
Subject: Mountain ranges, valley and windswept sky
Palette: Yellow Ochre, Indigo Blue, Grey-Green, White, Burnt Sienna
Immovable Fortress was painted en plein air during an artist residency in the Capertee Valley, capturing the shifting light and atmosphere of the landscape as afternoon moved toward evening. Deepening cobalt shadows, moving cloud formations, and cooling air informed the work’s tonal structure and expressive surface.
Executed with broad mark-making and gestural brushwork, the painting evokes the scale and movement of the mountain ranges while retaining a sense of immediacy and direct observation. The work reflects an immersive engagement with landscape, weather, and the physical process of painting outdoors.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Glen Davis, Capertee Valley, NSW
Subject: Mountain range beneath a moving sky
Palette: Green, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine, White, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna
Afternoon Breeze was painted en plein air overlooking Pantoneys Crown in the Capertee Valley as evening light moved across the escarpment. The work captures the brief transition between daylight and dusk, where glowing sandstone cliffs contrast with deepening blue shadows beneath a shifting sky.
Executed rapidly in response to the fading light, the painting uses loose, gestural brushwork and tonal contrast to evoke the atmosphere and movement of the landscape. The expressive surface reflects the immediacy of painting outdoors and an engagement with the changing conditions of the valley at sunset.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Pantoneys Crown, Capertee Valley, NSW
Subject: Pantoneys Crown in evening light
Palette: Green, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine, White, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna
Paintings from the Warrumbungles
Warrumbungle Dreaming II was painted en plein air in Warrumbungle National Park following a hike to a rocky escarpment overlooking the surrounding bushland and distant mountain ranges. The work captures the expansive atmosphere and distinctive forms of the Warrumbungles through direct observation and expressive mark-making.
Executed wet-on-wet in a single sitting, the painting retains an immediacy and physical energy in the brushwork and surface texture. Naturalistic colour relationships and broad tonal contrasts evoke the rugged terrain, layered vegetation, and vast spatial depth of the Australian landscape.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in white timber, ready to hang
Location: Warrumbungle National Park, NSW
Subject: Bushland and distant mountain ranges
Palette: Green, Yellow Ochre, Violet, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna, White, Indigo
Warrumbungle Dreaming III was painted en plein air in Warrumbungle National Park during an artist retreat in 2022. Created shortly before dusk, the work captures the shifting light and quiet atmosphere of the landscape as evening settled across the mountain ranges.
Executed rapidly and directly from observation, the painting uses broad brushwork and tonal contrast to evoke the forms of the bush, foreground, and distant escarpments. The immediacy of the mark-making reflects the changing conditions of the landscape and the experience of painting outdoors at the close of day.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in white timber, ready to hang
Location: Warrumbungle National Park, NSW
Subject: Dusk sky and mountain ranges
Palette: Green, Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna, White
Warrumbungle Dreaming I was painted en plein air in Warrumbungle National Park during a painting retreat in 2022. Created as the sun was descending across the landscape, the work captures the quiet atmosphere and expansive spatial depth of the Warrumbungles at dusk.
Executed rapidly and directly from observation, the painting uses soft tonal transitions and expressive brushwork to evoke stillness, distance, and the changing evening light. The composition draws the viewer through the shadowed mountain forms toward the pale sky beyond, reflecting an immersive engagement with landscape and atmosphere.
Medium: Oil on panel, framed in white timber, ready to hang
Location: Warrumbungle National Park, NSW
Subject: Dusk sky above mountain ranges
Palette: Yellow, Magenta, Indigo, Ultramarine, Raw Umber, Violet, White
Plein Air Paintings prior to 2022
Ormiston Gorge captures the raw, untamed beauty of the West MacDonnell Ranges, painted en plein air in the blustery winds that swept across the dry riverbed. This medium-sized diptych portrays the grandeur and spiritual significance of the ancient gorge, where each rock and crevice tells a story of the land’s sacred history.
The work reflects the artist’s direct engagement with the landscape, using gestural, vigorous brushstrokes to evoke the dynamism of the environment. The warm earth tones of yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and cobalt blue create a powerful visual contrast, underscoring the vast, unyielding nature of this iconic outback landscape.
Medium: Oil on plywood panels, framed in Tasmanian Oak
Location: Ormiston Gorge, West MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia
Subject: Mountain valley in the Australian outback
Colour palette: Yellow ochre, burnt umber, burnt sienna, cobalt blue, violet