Lisa Iselin
My work portrays North Stradbroke Island and the elements that make this unique environment such a stimulating and exciting place to be living. I walk every day looking out at the same view and its exceptional beauty never fails to take my breath away. The ever-present wind speaks to the mind and heart; the rhythm of the ocean moves my humble soul. I watch the sand sweep over the beaches; the dune grass and the Casuarinas swaying in the breeze. The sea eagles, hawks and kites circle overhead, dolphins leap from the waves with heavenly grace and you can't help but hoot and cheer.
I walk the same paths repeatedly, checking in with various species of trees along the way, noting over time the way the elements shape the growth of individual plants causing them to adapt in a dramatic fashion. The phenomenon of constant change moving towards balance and stability is ever-present in nature. This is my island home.
When walking, I often take photographs, sketch and mentally absorb the surroundings I find most inspiring for my work. In my studio, I attempt to replicate these images by capturing the energy of the elements in the marks on paper. With the larger works, it is intended that the viewer feel they might actually be able to walk into it, become part of the scenery and feel its presence.
I find living on North Stradbroke Island to be quite a religious experience, a focus for meditation. Trees and rocks, sky and sea, aspects of the environment become sacred objects, subjects of spiritual worship represented and revered through art practice. My art serves to cement my relationship with the island in this way.