Fiona Verdouw - Weathered - Wild Island Tasmania

Weathered by Fiona Verdouw
A Solo Exhibition @ Wild Island Tasmania, 03-30 November 2025
Artist's Statement - Fiona Verdouw

This exhibition is part of my ongoing interest and exploration of how life alters us. I see similarities between the lives of eucalyptus trees and people.

Each tree is unique - not only in their patterning, colours and textures, but in the way they have been shaped by their surrounding environment. Like us, each tree bears the impact of a lifetime’s experiences - from growth and aging, to accidents and trauma. Whenever I encounter these tangible alterations in eucalyptus trees I am reminded of the ways in which life choices and circumstances have impacted me. As I paint these trees and their leafy offerings, I contemplate seasons of new growth; amputated dreams; physical ageing; scars from difficult relationships and the temporary nature of life on this earth.

Observing and painting a tree’s bark with its peels and twists feels like a reflection of those messy, personal moments we all go through - and how, over time, they shape who we become. Fallen leaves remind me of the many ways we contribute in life and what we leave behind: Those things we create, do and say over the years. Not a lot lasts, but in the moment, they count for something and their impact on those around us - however brief - is undeniable.

My painting process is careful and considered but also fairly immediate. Once paint is laid down, it is not often covered or reworked. I enjoy watching a painting unfurl in sections of colours and tone. Sometimes it is not until the final blocks of colour go in that I can be sure of a painting’s success. I hold an artwork’s final outcome in my mind’s eye, but exactly how they will turn out is dependent on the choices I make during each painting session. In this way, it could be said that even my paintings are also marked and influenced by the circumstances they encounter as they grow.