Behind The Scenes; the journey of an artwork.

First blog of the year, and I thought I’d start off with a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into creating a new body of work or suite of paintings.

I’ve written before about the journey of discovering a new place to paint. Sometimes, kind people suggest a location, or a commission leads me to explore unfamiliar terrain. Other times, I might simply be driving along, stop by the side of the road to paint or take a photo, and make a mental note to return someday to capture what I’ve seen. Most often, I sit in my back paddock, witnessing the shifting landscape as the seasons change.

Looking towards Lambs Valley, Hunter Valley NSW. I pulled over to paint this view.

When a place finds me—and often, it does—I don’t feel as though I have chosen it. Instead, it feels like the place has called me to paint its portrait. I sit down, spread out my supplies, take a deep breath, and draw what I see. I take in the sounds, smells, textures, and colors—it’s all-encompassing. I need this information to translate later in the studio. All my senses are activated. To transform a three-dimensional scene into a two-dimensional painting or drawing, I must consciously engage with everything around me. If only taste could be included too!

These works are often studies for larger pieces, though at times, they become artworks in their own right. I rarely sell the studies, as I reference them sometimes years later. They are snapshots—mementos of a moment captured in time. It’s nostalgic.

In the studio, I collate these reference studies, pin them to the wall, and gaze at them, allowing them to evoke memories and reignite my senses. It’s a beautiful experience. Some people write about their experiences in verse or prose—for me, it’s a tactile, visual effigy.

The resulting series or suite of works reflects the experience I’ve captured. Whether depicting the sweeping plains of my Hunter Valley or the intimate portrayal of vegetation along the Broken Back Mountains, each canvas varies.

Painting outdoors challenges me to embrace nature’s unpredictability, translating fleeting moments into layered, textured compositions. I’m drawn to geological formations, expansive horizons, and shifting weather—elements that continually refine my approach to mark-making, composition, and color.

My work conveys both the physical presence and emotional resonance of place. Each painting responds to the ever-changing natural world, inviting the viewer to engage with the landscape on a sensory level.

For the forthcoming exhibition Found at Maitland Regional Art Gallery, a small suite of works will feature these panoramic portraits of my Hunter Valley—vast, sweeping fields of warm olive greens and horizons tinged with cool lemon yellow. See photos below.

If cyclone Alfred doesn’t hold me back, I’ll be venturing out again soon to find more locations in my Hunter Valley. Stopping by the roadside, pochade box in hand, brush ready.

If you see me, please say hello!

Yours in art,
Rebecca

“Found”
Maitland Regional Art Gallery
June 7 – October 19, 2025
https://mrag.org.au/exhibition/found/