A new collection of original watercolours, inspired by the wild and wonderful Kimberley region.

I've been a long way from home lately. Quite literally.

As you might know, I've been travelling around Australia with my family this year, swapping the familiarity of my studio for life on the road. It's been a pretty extraordinary adventure so far, and somewhere along the way, a new collection of paintings started to take shape.

It took a little longer than anticipated, if I'm going to be completely honest. Living in a caravan full-time comes with a whole new set of... shall we say, 'considerations'. Gone are the long, dreamy days spent solo in the studio. More on that below.

But despite the challenges, I'm very excited to introduce you to A Long Way From Home, a collection of small, original works on paper inspired by my time travelling through the Kimberley in Western Australia's north west.

And before I release them into the world, I thought I'd give you a little peek behind the scenes.

A Little Bit of Kimberley Magic

The Kimberley is unlike anywhere I've ever been.

It's vast, rugged, vibrant and completely captivating. The scale of the landscape is almost impossible to comprehend, and there's this extraordinary energy about the place. It's wild and free, and has a way of making you feel very small in the best possible way.

The colours alone are enough to send a watercolour artist into a bit of a spin. Deep rusty reds, brilliant turquoise water, golden grasses, dusty pinks and those incredible shifting shadows.

And the light! Oh, the light.

It's the sort of place that gets under your skin. I knew pretty quickly that I wanted to make some work in response to it.

Painting on the Road

Without the comforts (and distractions!) of my studio, I've had to work a little differently. Limited supplies, makeshift painting spaces, and fitting in creative time wherever I can.

It's been surprisingly liberating in some ways and a big ol' challenge in others.

I even ended up renting some studio space at Kimberley Arts Network in Broome so I could get properly stuck in without having to contend with the heat, wind and insects. Turns out the great outdoors isn't always the most cooperative painting companion!

Rather than trying to create carefully considered, polished pieces, I've been working more instinctively. Responding to the colours, shapes and feelings of a place while they're still fresh in my mind.

I worked from very rough, one or two-minute sketches I'd made in the car as we travelled through the landscape. Just quick little scribbles to capture something that caught my eye before we'd moved on to the next extraordinary view.

These little paintings are quick snapshots of an experience. Not necessarily what a place looks like, but what it feels like to be there.

I've been playing with bold, expressive colour, loose brushwork and the beautiful unpredictability of watercolour. Letting the paint do its thing and seeing where it takes me.

Small Paintings, Big Feelings

I was absolutely craving the opportunity to make some really big works while we were in the Kimberley. But as it turns out, painting on a grand scale isn't particularly compatible with caravan living!

What surprised me was how much I enjoyed working smaller. It drew something different out of me. There was less room to overthink things, and I found I could keep the paintings a little more raw and instinctive.

These paintings aren't grand, sweeping landscapes. They're little moments. Fleeting impressions of colour, movement, light and the extraordinary natural world around me.

Some are energetic and bold. Others are quieter. Each one holds a little piece of my experience travelling through this remarkable part of Australia.

I've called the collection A Long Way From Home because, well, that's exactly where I was when I made them. But there's something more to it than the distance travelled.

It's about stepping outside the familiar, discovering new places and finding inspiration in the unexpected. That wonderful feeling of being somewhere completely new and letting it change the way you see things.

Made in the place, of the place, to celebrate its special kind of magic.

A Little Sneak Peek...

I've been keeping these paintings under wraps while I put the finishing touches on the collection, but I couldn't resist sharing a few little glimpses.

Each artwork is an original watercolour on paper, and each is one of a kind.

I hope that when you see them, you'll feel a little of the joy, freedom and wonder I experienced while making them.

They might be small paintings, but there's an awful lot of adventure tucked into each one.

Coming Soon!

A Long Way From Home will be making its way into my online shop very soon.

I'll be sharing the full collection and release details shortly, so keep your eyes peeled.

In the meantime, I hope you've enjoyed this little look behind the scenes. It's been such a special collection to create, even if it did take a little longer (and require a little more juggling!) than I'd originally imagined.

I can't wait to show you the rest!