
Feelings of connectedness…
Stepping outside into the sunshine and luxuriating in such a simple pleasure can be seen as an act of defiance and hope. Tuning into the many gifts we have in Australia and feeling this pleasure and gratitude, is what I believe we need to do to feel good each day....

And the River flows on…
The silvery moonlight was sparkling so brightly on the river this morning, shining through the foliage of the River Oaks. It’s my favourite time, very early morning and often between 4:00 AM to 5:00AM, before noisy humans wake up. As I look out onto the garden, I see...

Celebrating ten years of the many gifts from the River and Trees
It's been about ten years living here at Seelands, about 30 kms upstream SW Grafton. This exhibition 'On the River's edge we meet' is a celebration and acknowledgement of my deep heartfelt connection to the Rivers and streams where I live. It is about my love of the...

Confluence: Blog part 3 – The installation
This is part 3 of a three-blog series taking you through my processes of creating my monumental sized tree drawings. The trees are found along the Clarence River in the Bundjalung, Gumbaynggirr and Yaegl First Nations Country, within the Clarence Valley Council border...

My Collaborators: River, Trees and Artists
The materials and processes I use while creating my pieces are vital in ensuring that I can truly capture a moment- a feeling, a living soul from nature. If the paper is not strong enough, the river current will simply swallow it and take it with the tide. How would I proceed if the paper is not absorbing enough water, so the river and mud cannot freely move and imprint the paper with swirls, roots, and ripples? The piece could not create the desired effect for the viewer, which is the goal behind all my creations.

My River Journey
My art practice encompasses many different angles of these landscapes, which I show through my drawing, mixed media, and installation pieces. I have developed such a personal insight into kinship, especially regarding these trees and will be showing casing this in a three part blog series.

On the river’s edge we meet
I skim low across the river’s surface and come upon a remnant stand of grand old trees. They are twisted and gnarled, shaped by powerful surges of the river in flood. I edge closer, manoeuvring around splayed, overhanging limbs to feel their living presence. I sit...

On the road again
ON THE ROAD AGAIN Travel is being inspired, seeing different landscapes, and having new experiences. As an artist, travel experiences are a fun way to create new ideas for the studio. When my youngest son, Chris gifted me his kitted-out van for three weeks, it made...

The art of choosing art: the touch that transforms a freshly renovated house into your special home
Image © Ladies Renovating Collective Congratulations, you’ve finished renovating! You’ve made it through the whirlwind of joys and struggles and finally, everything looks stylish including your lovely painted walls. Now what? With all that blank space, I believe...

DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM NATURE
My name is Rochelle Summerfield and I am a passionate visual artist. I moved to the Clarence Valley 9 years ago for the love of a bloke called Richard, we currently live at Seelands SW of Grafton. What I love the most about our home, is its proximity to the Clarence...