Resilience & Revival

This series of artworks reflects themes of resistance, resilience and renewal within the landscape of Australian native flora and fauna.

After 150 acres of land were lost in the Blue Mountains bushfires, the landscape revealed both devastation and recovery. Through her paintings, Mary captures the scorched terrain alongside the gradual return of native vegetation, highlighting the enduring strength and persistence of the natural world.

Together, these works offer an intimate window into Mary's creative response to the environment. They become a way of listening to nature’s regenerative power – its resilience, quiet beauty and enduring spirit. This body of work is both a reflection on loss and a celebration of renewal.

About the artist 

Mary is a Vietnamese Australian visual artist based in Sydney, holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts from UNSW Art & Design (formerly COFA). Working across a diverse range of media and styles, she has received numerous creative awards and artist residencies, with her work held in both private and public collections throughout Australia and internationally.

Her artistic practice is informed by personal experience and shaped by the intersection of Australian culture, the natural environment and memories of her homeland, Vietnam. Through her work, Mary explores themes of identity, belonging and connection to place.

Image: Mary T Nguyen, From Ashes to Bloom, 2025, oil on canvas