Why Country Life Keeps Finding Its Way Into My Paintings

There's something about driving along a country road, seeing the afternoon light fall across a paddock, or spotting sheep grazing beneath a big open sky that makes me feel very much at home.

I don't think I'll ever get tired of it.

Perhaps that's because country life has always been part of who I am. I grew up on a farm in Central Queensland, and I think those early years left a mark on me that I've carried through my whole life. The open spaces, the animals, the changing seasons and the feeling of being surrounded by nature have always meant something to me.

And now, living in Lancefield, I find myself surrounded by the very things that make my heart happy.

It's probably no surprise that they keep finding their way into my paintings!

A little piece of country is always with me

Growing up on a farm gives you a different relationship with the landscape. You become familiar with its rhythms, the weather, the animals and the way the land changes throughout the year.

You learn to notice things.

The colour of the paddocks after rain. The way the light changes as the day draws to a close. The first signs of a new season. The quiet beauty of a familiar view that you've seen a hundred times before.

I think those things stay with you, even when life takes you in other directions.

When I eventually found my way back to country living, it felt like reconnecting with something I'd always known. There was a sense of peace and belonging in being surrounded by open spaces again, and I found myself noticing the landscape in a way that I hadn't for a long time.

It also brought me back to painting.

These days, I often think that the country has been quietly waiting for me to pick up a paintbrush.

 

The everyday beauty of Lancefield

One of the things I love most about living in Lancefield is that I don't have to go looking for inspiration. It's all around me.

I love seeing the round hay bales scattered across the paddocks, especially when the light catches them late in the afternoon. There's something about those big golden circles sitting in a green or earthy landscape that I find endlessly appealing.

Then there are the sheep, cattle and horses. Sometimes they're gathered together in a paddock, sometimes they're scattered across the hills, and sometimes one little detail catches my eye and makes me smile.

It's not always a spectacular mountain view or a dramatic sunset that inspires me. Often, it's something quite ordinary.

A few sheep beneath a big sky.

A line of trees along a fence.

A quiet country road disappearing into the distance.

These are the sorts of things that can make me want to stop, take a closer look and remember the feeling of that moment.

And I think that's what I love about painting the country. It reminds me that there is beauty in the everyday, if we take the time to notice it.

The granite boulders of Nulla Vale and Pyalong

Not far from Lancefield, the landscape begins to change again.

The areas around Nulla Vale and Pyalong have these magnificent granite boulder formations that I find absolutely fascinating. They're big, bold and full of character, with shapes and textures that have been formed over such a long time.

I love looking at the way the light falls across the rocks, revealing all those different colours and surfaces. What might look like grey stone from a distance can hold so many beautiful variations when you look more closely.

Warm earthy tones, soft greys, pinks, purples and little flashes of colour all seem to appear.

And the contrast between those enormous boulders and the surrounding country is wonderful. You might see sheep grazing quietly at their feet, or grasses moving in the breeze, or a big open sky stretching out behind them.

There's something very grounding about that combination of ruggedness and quiet country life.

It's also a lovely challenge as an artist. How do you capture the character of something so solid and complex on a flat surface?

For me, the answer often involves layers, texture and colour. I love building up the surface of my paintings and allowing different marks and colours to work together to suggest the character of the landscape.

It's my way of interpreting these places, rather than simply trying to copy what I see.

Hanging Rock, mountain ranges and those big skies

Then there's Newham, with beautiful Hanging Rock nearby, and the sweeping mountain ranges that make this part of Victoria so special.

I never seem to tire of those views.

The way the hills roll into one another, the changes in colour across the landscape, the distant ridgelines and the feeling of space beneath a wide-open sky — there's so much to take in.

Sometimes the mountains feel soft and hazy, almost disappearing into the distance. At other times, the light brings out every contour and makes the whole landscape feel wonderfully alive.

And the skies! I could spend an awful lot of time watching the sky.

There's something about an open country sky that makes you take a deeper breath. It gives you a sense of space and freedom, and a little reminder that the world is bigger than whatever might be occupying your mind that day.

I think that feeling is something I try to bring into my paintings.

I want the person looking at one of my landscapes to feel a little of that openness, that peace, that sense of being connected to a place.

Not just to see a landscape, but to feel something when they look at it.

The changing seasons keep things interesting

One of the wonderful things about living in the country is that the landscape is never quite the same.

The seasons bring their own colours, moods and little surprises.

There are fresh greens, soft new growth and the feeling of everything waking up again. Then come the warmer tones, the dry grasses, the golden paddocks and those beautiful earthy colours that I love so much.

The light changes, too. Some days it feels bright and crisp, while others are soft and hazy. The same view can feel completely different depending on the weather, the time of day or the season.

I find that endlessly inspiring.

Even when I'm painting a familiar place, there's always something new to notice. A different colour, a different mood, a different way the light falls across the land.

And that means I can return to the same landscape again and again without feeling that I've run out of things to say about it.

I suppose that's a little like visiting a place you love. You might know it well, but there's always another reason to fall in love with it all over again.

And then there are the birds

The birdlife is another little joy of country living.

There's always something moving, calling or flitting about if you stop long enough to notice. Birds in the trees, birds crossing the paddocks, birds perched on fences or appearing unexpectedly in the corner of your eye.

I love those little moments because they remind me that the landscape isn't just a view. It's a living, breathing place, full of activity and life.

Sometimes the birds find their way into my paintings, and sometimes they're simply part of the experience of being out in the country.

Either way, they add another layer to the feeling I have for this place.

How all of this finds its way onto my canvas

When I paint a landscape, I'm not trying to create a perfect photographic record of a particular view.

I'm interested in the feeling of being there.

The warmth of the afternoon sun. The texture of the granite. The movement of the grasses. The colours of the hills beneath a changing sky. The familiar sight of sheep grazing in a paddock.

All those little things that make me feel connected to the country.

That's why I love working with layers and texture in my oil paintings. I can build up the surface, let colours sit alongside one another, and use different marks to bring out the character of a place.

Sometimes I might use a bright underpainting, allowing unexpected colours to peek through the layers above. Sometimes I'll use modelling paste to create texture that gives the landscape a more physical presence.

It's a process of building, changing and discovering as I go.

And somewhere along the way, the painting begins to feel like more than a collection of shapes and colours. It starts to hold something of the place that inspired it, and something of my own connection to that place, too.

I think that's why the country keeps finding its way into my work.

It's not a subject I've chosen simply because I live here. It's part of my story.  I think these beautiful faces will be featured in a painting very soon........

A place to belong

When I think about what country life means to me, I come back to a few simple things.

Space to breathe. Familiar landscapes. The changing seasons. Animals grazing quietly in the paddocks. The mountains on the horizon. The feeling of being somewhere that makes you slow down and notice what's around you.

Growing up on a farm in Central Queensland gave me that connection early in life. Living in Lancefield has given me the opportunity to rediscover it, and painting has become one of the ways I express just how much it means to me.

I feel very lucky to live in a place that continues to inspire me, and even luckier that I get to share a little of that feeling through my art.

Perhaps that's what I hope my paintings bring into someone else's home, too.

A little reminder of a place they love. A feeling of peace when they walk into a room. A connection to the landscape, even if they're living in a busy Melbourne suburb or somewhere far away from the country.

Because you don't have to live on a farm to feel drawn to the country.

Sometimes all it takes is a painting that reminds you to pause for a moment, take a breath and enjoy the view.

And if one of my paintings can do that for someone, then I'm very happy.

Shay x

Bring a little country into your home

If you love the open skies, rolling hills, granite landscapes and familiar sights of rural Australia, I'd love you to explore my original oil paintings.

Each one begins with a place, a feeling or a moment that has caught my attention, and I hope you'll find something in the collection that speaks to you, too.

You can explore the paintings online, or if you're near Lancefield in the Macedon Ranges, you're welcome to get in touch about visiting my home studio and gallery by appointment.