A nostalgic piece that brings me back to my childhood days at the beach. My brother and I would spend all day playing in the sand and amongst the waves. During the school holidays my parents would always take us somewhere coastal. I remember my first time snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef, where I spotted a school of fish in the water. Ever since I’ve been fascinated with the ocean and the creatures that live in it. 

This piece is made from a recycled canvas print painted over with acrylic paint. Rather than contributing to waste, I decided to reuse the material by giving it a new meaning and frame. The previous print had shades of dark blue, beige, brown, white and black. The first time I saw it, I immediately thought of the contrast between the ocean and the beach. As I started painting my vision became more clear. I wanted  to capture the vibrant energy of the beach with a playful, dreamlike quality, with vibrant colours and subtle markings in the sand. The footprints in the sand represent the many memories my brother and I shared growing up. The wave-like curves evoke the movement of the ocean, with cartoon-like sea creatures lurking in between, resembling my first impression of ocean life as a child.