Fieldwork is a series of new paintings extending Anthea’s interest in conservation efforts for bush and native animals in Victoria and finding visuals withing these places.

Fieldwork deepens Anthea’s exploration of visuals inspired by nature, reflecting her ongoing ambition of learning about and engaging with conservation efforts for bushland and native wildlife. Anthea’s learning of bush conservation alongside her current understanding funnels motif, gesture and form allowing her to resolve these paintings through studies and exploration in oil paint. The process she follows balancing composition, allows decisions to emerge between mark and gesture, colour and form. Through these decisions and explorations, the boundaries shift between representation and abstraction.

This new body of work emerges from a series of exploratory studies by Anthea, created during her collaboration with writer Hugh Leitwell. Through a shared passion for the conservation of bushland and native wildlife, their creative dialogue saw each responding to the other's work—Hugh through poetry and Anthea through painting. Together, they drew inspiration from the insights and efforts surrounding conservation, channelling them into their respective art forms.

Hugh and Anthea have been introduced to diverse conservation efforts operating at various levels. Anthea has witnessed her parents’ dedicated work to regenerate bushland in Northeast Victoria, land previously used for farming after colonization. This restoration has allowed native species, such as the Diuris corymbosa (donkey orchid) and Caladenia, to return once more, becoming recurring motifs in her paintings. Hugh’s poetry reflects his experiences with different conservation projects, including efforts to protect the Golden-rayed Blue Butterfly. This species has inspired Anthea to incorporate its form and delicate linework into her latest series, weaving their shared environmental focus into her art.

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