“Hyland’s Flat Deconstructed”.

60 x 80 cms

Luminance & Museum Aquarelle pencils on Canson pastel board. Own reference.

Artist’s Statement: Situated just south of Conara, Hyland’s Flat is a tiny, barren plateau, often devoid of grass and the victim of harsh, extreme weather that this part of the Midlands experiences. Its only saving grace (visually) are 8 conifers that were planted last century and still survive despite their harsh surroundings. When viewed, this landscape has little to offer, but when analysed, assessed and re-arranged, it becomes a tapestry of greater visual appeal and has a character of its own. This ‘deconstruction’ has given me a new insight regarding the plateau, especially in recognizing the colours, patterns and shapes that exist on a small scale despite being diminished by the scale of barrenness that is evident. First impressions are not always the ‘real picture’.

It was an honour to be a finalist (for the third time) in the $20,000 Bay of Fires Art Prize in Tasmania, Australia. My coloured pencil drawing is one in a series that I’ve been working on for 4 years that’s focused on a small plateau in Tasmania’s Midlands region known as Hyland’s Flat. It’s a barren, bleak place, eroded, scarred and except for 8 defiant conifers, it has nothing really to offer. Why then, am I interested in such a place? I’m fascinated how such places survive. This area of land is stoic, defiant (along with the conifers), tough and enduring. In a way it’s inspirational. It takes everything  Mother Nature throws at it. Wow!

Richard