Youth

Youth
2026
Acrylic
45.7 x 91.4 cm

Youth is a painting of a part of Slacks Creek that is a short walk
from my house. I have many fond memories of heading down to
the creek to play for hours. My favourite times were when I’d go
with my cousin, down a small track through the bush onto the
creek bed when it was low tide and semi-dry. We would borrow
our uncle’s small prawn pot to chuck in and see what fish we
could find. It felt like my first sense of freedom being down there
and I was always drawn back to that area of the creek. Through
my eyes as a kid, this forest felt like a calming, green space in
this busy world. Playing in this creek is my first memory of feeling
connected to the land, my first thoughts of wondering who
lived here first. It felt like a truly soothing spot in this now, very
suburban area. I learnt to give the land the respect it gave me by
providing me with these special moments years ago. The bright
green seen throughout the background speaks on the way it was
seen by myself as a child – a lush, small green space compared to
the infrastructure it was surrounded by. The drips shown on top
of the clouds are a representation of the enhanced imagination
and childlike lens I once saw many things through.