I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia on whose unceded land I live. I recognize their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. I pay my respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to elders past, present and emerging.
Domestic Bliss
Suddenly our lives were turned upside down. Almost overnight we found ourselves in hard lockdown, unable to leave our homes except for essentials. Everyone outside our immediate environment became suspect, as they could potentially make us sick, or even die.
Domestic Bliss is set in Melbourne during the overwhelming global pandemic of 2020. During this time our home became our refuge; but after months of lockdown it began to feel like a gilded cage. Humans are social animals, and being deprived of new and varied experiences left us depleted. Trapped, we began to grow restless and listless by turns.
We view the works as though walking through a house, making our way through each room as the residents go about their business, unaware they are being observed. While the rooms are colourful and inviting, the figures themselves seem washed out, suspended in a strange, dreamy reality.
A cat wanders through the works, the ultimate symbol of both domesticity and freedom. Never truly tamed it quietly bides its time, waiting for night and the opportunity to be out on a marauding 'hunt and kill' expedition.
Welcome to Domestic Bliss.
​
​
This is the floor plan of the house we lived in during lockdown. Each room of the house is represented by a painting, as well as the front and backyard. You are invited to take a walk through!
Front Yard 2021 acrylic & oil on stretched canvas 90x60cm
Front Verandah 2021 ink & acrylic & oil on stretched canvas100x150cm
Bedroom1 2021 ink, acrylic & oil on stretched canvas 60x90cm
Bedroom 2 2021 oil on stretched canvas 30x40cm
Bedroom 3 2021 ink,& acrylic & oil on stretched canvas 60x90cm
Lounge Room 2021 ink,acrylic & oil on stretched canvas 117x117cm
Dining Room 2021 ink,acrylic & oil on stretched canvas 91x122cm
Kitchen oil on stretched canvas 2021 60x90cm
Bathroom 2021 acrylic & oil on stretched canvas 80x60cm
Backyard 2021 acrylic & oil on stretched canvas119x116cm