Six years ago, I spent several days at Birdlings Flat, an area I had not visited for over twenty years.  It was a visit that would influence my painting in many ways.  It added to my lexicon of places beside the sea that I often draw upon when working.

Visually I was inspired by the shape of the hills and the conversations between sea, sky, and land.  I appreciated the austere elemental geology of the place.  Not to get too esoteric about it, but I felt comfortable being uncomfortable there.

Since then, I have visited various parts of Banks Peninsula on a regular basis and each time I have come away with something new to explore via painting.

Unlike earlier paintings these works are not seeking to capture or convey these landscapes.  They are certainly shaped by it, but essentially are by-products of time spent walking, biking, or simply sitting and looking at local places.

Brent Forbes