In Our Nature – Hannah van der Wal and David Wickens

In the north October/November announces itself with an immersive experience, it almost  feels like there is no space between you and the atmosphere, the season know as  the ‘build up’ has a certain way of bringing us together,  of sharing  a saturated view of our surrounding  environment. We accept when we hug a friend that it’s ok they are a little sweaty, we meet at the coast  where the breeze lessens the soupy feeling in the air… a little, we seek the best position to sit under a cool flowing waterfall, we meet at the local to share a cold drink and dance up a storm then ride our bikes home with a perfect view of another once in a lifetime sunset.

Roughly 10 years ago the build up wrapped its arms around Hannah and David whom shared their love of art and nature. Both spent their youth in the bush or the country, both with a pencil or a brush in hand, quickly a common thread was found and many build up’s have been passed exploring and capturing their surrounding as it is in their nature to do so.

Now in their second duo exhibition ‘In our Nature’ the pair explore their fantastic reality living in some of the Northern Territory’s most beautiful environments, Hannah capturing the vivid and saturated landscape, the tranquil  and sacred waterholes with figures whom immerse themselves in their cool waters, then David whom illuminates the ordinary, swept with deep shadows and bright light or a camp kitchen invaded by a local feathered friend and the long distant and dusty roads we must travel to find these places of magic.

It is in our nature to remember these places, to capture them, to paint and share them and it is in nature that both Hannah and David celebrate their life together and the beauty that surrounds them.