Description
Floating on the surface I felt the sway and movement of this tidal River, the Clarence in northern NSW. I came across a stand of precious, old trees- the Water Gum, (Tristaniopsis laurina). One Tree in particular I came to know quite well, as I floated beneath her limbs drawing and photographing her on many visits. Her roots intrigued me, bulbous and thickly gnarled they formed such unusual shapes. The roots dive down deep into the soil and across the riverbank, supporting and stabilising the bank from erosion.
This painting has been imbued with the waters and sediments of the River where this Tree lives. As I trudge down the long, steep slope to the Riverbank and cautiously slurp through the thick squelchy river mud that grips my feet and ankles, I unroll the paper across the River’s surface and eagerly await what the River brings. Each time the offering is distinctive.
I see this experimentation with the River, and each stroke I make on the paper as a conduit of moments of connection between the River, the Tree and me.
