Living in Lovett Bay on the Western Foreshores of Pittwater has given me an insight into the beauty and harshness of the Australian Bush. Australia's climate does not fit comfortably into the concept of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. I have embarked on a collaborative series of work that my late husband Mike Kitching and I started many years ago. " Nine Seasons - Check Mate " tells something of the subtlety of these seasons in the Aboriginal culture. In some areas of Australia there are six seasons. These seasons are defined by flora and fauna and the natural surrounds. This can be seen in the cycle of colour changes in the bark of the eucalyptus known as Spotted Gum where I live, Corymbia Maculata. For inspiration I also draw on my childhood memories which always evoke immense happiness and a huge sense wonderment for the world around me, which is beguiling. My semi abstract drawings and paintings recall the excitement of exploration of the Australian Bush. I am also Inspired by the poetry of Luke Whitington whose spontaneous free flowing verse of the NSW Southern Tablelands has molten glimpses of our country which echoes in my mind, creating liquid words transforming into a mellifluous use of paint. These images are a suggestive interpretation of the landscape both emotive and sensual capturing the narrative of Spirit and Topography which is also a palette of syllables.
