A Few Weeks On — What Happens After an Exhibition

It’s now been a few weeks since our exhibition Stronger Together closed, and in many ways it feels like the experience is still unfolding.

When the doors closed at the Val Anne Community Space overlooking Koombana Bay, I remember feeling a mixture of elation and exhaustion. Exhibitions take so much energy to bring together, and for a little while afterwards I allowed myself to simply enjoy the afterglow.

But what has become clear in the weeks since is that exhibitions don’t really end when the doors close. In many ways, they are just the beginning.

Installation day at Boranup Gallery

Our collaborative piece Stronger Together was invited to move to the beautiful Boranup Gallery, plus  additional works by each of us. Having work represented in such a respected gallery in the Margaret River region feels like a wonderful next step and an exciting opportunity that has grown directly out of the exhibition.

For me, this is one of the most rewarding parts of showing work publicly. You never quite know what doors might open, what conversations might begin, or where a connection might lead.

While that chapter has been settling into place, my attention has been slowly turning back toward the studio.

Open Studio 2025

Preparations are now underway for my studio to open again as part of the Dardanup Art Spectacular and Trail. I always love this event because it offers something very different from a gallery exhibition. Instead of seeing finished work on white walls, visitors get to experience the place where the work actually happens — the paints, the brushes, the works in progress, and the view out over the dam that so often finds its way into my paintings.

This year I’ll also be joined again by my daughter Shae of Shae’s Clay, whose beautiful pottery adds another layer to the studio experience. If you are in the region, I would absolutely love you to drop by for a chat and a wander through the studio.

In between all of this, I’ve also set myself a creative challenge.

I’m participating in The 100 Day Project, where you commit to making something every day for one hundred days. My choice was to draw or paint a portrait each day.

It sounded like a great idea at the time.

Pencil portrait in my sketchbook for the 100 Days Project

The rule I set myself was that each portrait should take around twenty minutes — long enough to explore, but short enough to keep the commitment manageable.

What I didn’t fully anticipate was how challenging it can be to share something publicly every day that you’re not completely happy with.

Some days the portrait flows easily. On other days the twenty minutes feels like a race against the clock and the result can be… well… less than ideal.

As artists, we are often our own toughest critics. Posting work that feels unresolved or imperfect is surprisingly uncomfortable.

But perhaps that’s also the point of the exercise. It’s about showing up, loosening expectations, and allowing practice to be just that — practice.

I’m curious to see how things evolve over the hundred days. If nothing else, it’s certainly teaching me persistence.

Meanwhile, the studio is calling again, new paintings are beginning to take shape, and preparations for the open studio weekend are gathering momentum.

Visit My Studio During the Dardanup Art Spectacular

If you’re planning to explore the Ferguson Valley during the

Dardanup Art Spectacular and Trail, May 2-3,

I warmly invite you to visit my studio. It’s a chance to see where the work is created, view new paintings, browse smaller works and cards, and enjoy the peaceful setting overlooking the dam.

I’ll be joined by my daughter Shae of Shae’s Clay, whose beautiful handmade pottery will also be available.

Whether you’ve followed my work for years or are discovering it for the first time, I’d love to welcome you for a relaxed visit and a chat about art.

And of course, Honey the dog will be there to greet you.