Ten Thousand Points of Light is an exploration of landscape through an immersive 360-
degree perspective. These works look directly upward to the sky at times, and at others,
down at the drying, dying earth below. Centred around primarily circular compositions,
the paintings reflect on the tenuous balance between the natural world—both in harmony
with, and in conflict with, human presence.
The circle—an ancient symbol of oneness, continuity, and the eternal—forms both the
visual and conceptual foundation of the series. All but one of the paintings adopt this
shape, offering a non-linear, encompassing, and perhaps renewed vision of the landscape
(inspired in part by my video work in VR). At times, these circular works speak to the “still
point,” and at others, to the “eternal dance”—to quote T.S. Eliot.
Through varied styles and processes, I am exploring the idea of hypostasis, which for me
refers to the underlying reality or essential presence found within forests. This is not
nature as mere scenery, but as a living, breathing intelligence—a presence that exists
beyond surface appearances. My particular reverence for takayna / the Tarkine Rainforest
positions this world as a site of deep metaphysical significance: a kind of radiating light
formed at the intersection of the quantum realm and the spirit.
Four of the works incorporate actual light through embedded LED elements. These
illuminated paintings function not only as aesthetic pieces but as symbolic interventions
— radiating vitality, consciousness, and the revelation. Two of these works (2 of 30) were
recently commissioned by the agriCultured Festival under the title Elemental Shift, and
were exhibited across Launceston’s CBD.
Dave’s Country is a collaboration with artist, friend, and First Nations cultural practitioner
Dave mangenner Gough. While resonating with the broader themes of the show, this
painting is centred on Dave’s actual handprint—a powerful and enduring statement that
speaks to the presence of the palawa people and Country, which underlies and animates
all. It is both a marking and a remembering: a grounding of the work in the sovereign,
living story of Lutruwita / Tasmania, and a quiet assertion of cultural continuity, resilience,
and belonging.
The textured relief paintings in the show reinforce the themes of loss and decay. And
then further as a kind of sculptural realism, bringing cracked ground quite literally into the
gallery. In this way, they not only portray nature and its essence, but also participate in a
dialogue with it—one that is urgent, reverent, and unresolved.