Deep Fish, graphite and pastel on rag, 76 x 57cm

SOLD AT AUCTION

The excitement of the forbbidden--swimming off the jetty at the Grand Hotel during a big thunder storm. The blurry recall of the dark faces of parents pulling us up, being chided for swimming new the stormwater outlet into the broadwater. "Where the gummy sharks could lurk in the dark water". Actually that added to appeal, it didn't add to our fear. But we dutifully didn't try it again.
 
The highway (still lined with Moreton Bay Fig trees that met in the middle of the road) to where the picture theater pier launched itself out into the broadwater. Its piers tracing a long dotted black line onto either a silver brown sand or sometimes a yellow brown water. Watching the tied trace and draw with this device, as our Mum read the "Hunting of the Snark" and we imagined how large the walrus if it was on our beach.
 
I remember going on a primary school nature excursion, my classmates from the Guardian Angles, we walked across the highway. Walked along the water's edge with the feared Mrs Wilson pointing out different bits and pieces of driftwood, soldier crabs, hermit crabs and mud flats mangroves. The smell and the hush of sadness when we came across a small grey nurse shark washed up....lying at the edge, being lapped by a rippling tide, the smell of that is more evocative of that moment, a image is not really enough to give expression of that beautiful scene.

We came back to the classroom, drew pictures of the animals our view of that talked environment, the birds including a whole world of cycles. I can't really image what it all looks now. It has been pumped and engineered now into a broadwater that allows people to park their gleaming white boats that go nowhere.....a backdrop to pursue a life that doesn't engage with life, death and any visible cycle. This is the reason why I delight in being able to present some paintings to help raise funds for those dear sharks of my childhood."

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