Alive in the Landscape

'My oil paintings and works on paper show the mystery of landscapes that feature birds or animals, sometimes prominent, but at other times their fleeting beauty almost hidden.

Using multiple layers of thin pigment, I slowly build the texture and colour of the landscapes by allowing the paint to run across the canvas in different directions. I often paint the canvases flat, drip pigment from different heights, then lift and turn the works as the liquid paint forms random patterns and colour combinations.

My experimental process can be quite random but often produces unexpected results.

Some paintings can take months, with many glazes of thin pigment overlaying to produce unusual colours and textures. Although this technique is prone to mistakes and involves a strong element of chance, it can also produce highly distinctive works that are almost impossible to replicate.'

Artist bio

'A graduate of Sydney's National Art School with a major in painting, I’ve been a practising artist for more than 35 years and held exhibitions on subject matter including inner-city bar scenes, chookyard landscapes, river scrub and mangroves.

I paint with sticks, knives and brushes, using a combination of methods including oil glazes and washes, drips and spatter to achieve unusual and distinctive effects. For watercolour and ink studies, I collect ochre pigments from different soils to add to works on paper and canvas.'

Image: Geoffrey Adams, Alizarin Herons (detail), 2025, oil on canvas