Moonrise over Rainbow Beach

Oil on rat trap (new, the trap has been dismantled).

8.4 x 17.5cm

I went north to Rainbow Beach for a full moon horse ride, alas that
was cancelled, but I did have plenty of time to paint at Carlo Sand
Blow. The sandblow is an incredible accumulation of windblown sand that
resembles a moonscape or a scene out of a sci-fi movie. Its view over
the ocean, double island point, and the rainbow sands makes it heaven
for a painter. It was breathtaking watching the moon rise over the ocean
and K'gari and being able to turn back and see the sun setting over
the land and bay. There is magic in a place like this, it felt like an
honour to be able to try to capture some of it.

This is painted on a brand new rat trap. I forgot to get new panels,
and the local stores didn't have any canvas or wood, so I found myself
having to improvise. I disassembled the "trap" part of the trap so there
is no danger, and added some GAC100 to seal the surface. They were
actually fantastic to paint on, and very portable.

Painting en plein air is one of my favourite things to do when the
weather is beautiful! It's wonderful to get out there in winter, when we
have dry, cooler weather, and try capture some of the beauty of the
land.