It is from my studio on Darug land, on the fringe of the Wollemi National Park that I can witness a landscape constantly in flux, studying the constant changes in light, temperature and atmosphere.
From the hot, hazy days of summer that bring unabating downpours of rain to the relentless, bone-chilling winds during the winter. Living surrounded by a landscape of towering gums and flowering gardens allows a sort of hyper-focus. I can acutely watch the season as they shift. This body of work, painted over an entire year acts almost like a journal. Twelve months of memories, from the big and the small, all recorded in paint. From simple everyday moments that often go completely unnoticed, like a fog or a puff of smoke to catastrophic events like flood and drought.
The early morning and the late afternoon are particularly important. There is a short period during the last moments of dusk when the sky lights up brilliantly. The sun falls behind the mountains to the west, shooting out its final rays, creating an otherworldly glow.
Dan Kyle, 2024
Image: Beam 2024, oil and mixed media on board, 66.5 x 63 cm
