Totem

Totem
2025
acrylic on canvas
40 x 121cm

Totem is a tribute to Macleay Island — a landscape that became both sanctuary and symbol of transformation for the artist and their family. Anchored in shades of blue and green, the image captures the serene beauty of the island, interrupted only by a series of poles rising from the water. These forms, wrapped in traditional patterns, evoke totems — markers of identity, ancestry, and spiritual grounding.

The work speaks to the idea of new beginnings. When the artist’s family relocated to Macleay Island, they sought quiet, comfort, and reconnection. In this piece, land and water merge into a space of calm reflection, while the totemic poles honour the personal and cultural significance the location holds. Totem becomes not just a landscape, but a visual anchor — a place where history, belonging, and renewal converge.