That year, as the dry season began in Western Australia, I found myself wandering alone through Kings Park, as if stepping into another dimension altogether. My feelings shifted—perhaps stirred by the relentless heat that played tricks upon my senses, or maybe by the lingering fragrance of eucalyptus fruits, which seemed to suspend time itself. It had been so long since I’d been able to rest in a single moment, neither caught in memory nor lost in dreams of what lies ahead.
Every rare plant in Western Australia then stirred my curiosity, deepening my belief that such earthly marvels must be the work of a divine creator. Each leaf, each flower, every stamen and fruit so exquisitely formed, so wonderfully beautiful, it felt as though the Creator had laboured over a masterpiece blueprint. And upon this sunburnt land, that very blueprint unfurled into an endless scroll.
I believe the Western Australian sun does more than simply nurture extraordinary lifeforms; it possesses the power to heal wounded hearts as well. Its heat is a most earnest, unyielding kind—one that demands complete surrender if you are to transcend your limits. Should you merely seek ways to fend off the heat, whether by indulging in ice cream or hiding behind air conditioning, the warmth will only press upon you more insistently, its fervour becoming almost unbearable.
Yet, if you relinquish these attempts to escape the heat, and instead embrace it fully, you find yourself gradually adapting—and, before long, even growing fond of it. Your body feels lighter, more open, and in turn, naturally more alive and well.
This painting truly came into being during a particular time—when I found myself, quite unwillingly, separated from Australia for two long years. It was the cold, bleak winter of Europe, with the continent under strict lockdown. The weight of confinement pressed heavily upon everyone’s spirits, surpassing even the dread of death itself. Sad tidings echoed through the streets and homes, casting a somber veil over each passing day.
Amidst that pervasive gloom, a curious dream visited me—vivid and oddly comforting. In it, I beheld the Banksia cuneata, or as it is quaintly known, the matchstick banksia, a species once teetering on the brink of extinction, nestled quietly within Perth’s Kings Park. The plant held a peculiar charm. Much like other banksias, it bore no conventional flowers, yet when it blossomed, it radiated a fervour far exceeding any floral display. Instead of petals, it flaunted clusters of fiery stamens—resembling bundles of tiny matchsticks. To my eyes, it burned with such intensity that it seemed the sun’s rays, if only a touch stronger, might set it alight. A dazzling cascade of sparks—wild, untamed, and utterly magnificent.
Upon waking, the image clung to me. That fierce, glowing vision brought a quiet solace, a balm to both my mind and spirit.
To commemorate that feeling of hope rekindled beneath the sun’s warm embrace, I created this painting. Every element and scene within it seeks to capture the fierce heat bestowed by the Western Australian sun—a heat that births a world both vast and wondrous in its diversity and mystery. It stands as a symbol of the immense, hidden realms beyond our knowing.
More than that, it is an encouragement to those trapped in despair—not to forget that the divine realm quietly endures. Amidst the turmoil and suffering, perhaps a moment of stillness might open the door to a realm suffused with renewed hope.
The fuller stories behind this painting, the subtle whispers and secrets it holds, are all gathered within the pages of my book《 The Beauty of Australia》.
—— A.G