Scents of Spring

Winner of the 2024 John Shaw Neilson Art Prize at the Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival.

 

Original illustration

Coloured pencil on 175gsm Arches Aquarelle watercolour paper

460mm x 460mm (unframed dimensions) or 500 x 500mm (framed)

Packaged with a certificate of authenticity to certify this piece is an original illustration along with care cards for your new piece.

Inspired by John Shaw Neilson's 'To A Blue Flower'.

 

In 'To A Blue Flower,' Neilson portrays his appreciation and connection to the pleasures of nature, spring time in particular, depicted mainly through the imagery of a blue flower.

 

The poem to me captures the essence of springtime in Australia, with its references to the "rude heavy scent of the wool", something I also associate Spring time with, as I grew up on a sheep farm. I incorporated a pair of my grandfather’s shears and some wool from our farm to capture the essence of the poem's themes and imagery further. The wool, heavy with the scent of hard work, serves as a reminder of the tangible fruits of labour and the connection to the earth's bounty, as Neilson describes.

 

Amidst the rustic shears and wool, the delicate blue flowers emerge as a striking contrast. Their presence speaks to the poet's longing for authenticity and sincerity, finding solace and companionship in the purity of nature's creations, not material wealth. I chose to incorporate the Australian Native Blue Dampiera, as this flower typically blooms from late winter through spring in South Australia with a vibrant blue flower.

 

My Artwork ‘Scents of Spring’ breathes life into these symbols, creating an image of the enduring beauty found in the simplicity of the natural world.