The Native Flora that Inspired our Coastal Art Collection

You may have noticed that our latest collection consists solely of coastal art. As beach lovers we have a strong connection with this part of the Australian landscape and wanted to focus on creating art for coastal interiors that is inspired by our experiences of the coastline. The original collection, ‘Coastal Path’ draws from not only our travels but also our years spent living beach-side and of how the beach plays a day-to-day role in our and many others lives, providing a space to reset, ground ourselves and reconnect with the natural landscape.

We not only wanted to create art for coastal interiors but also for Australian interiors broadly and were able to do that through our selection of specific coastal natives. The plants that we choose – or rather the plants that chose us – are iconic species that dapple the coastlines of Australia and have set the scene for many a beachside holiday or coastal wander. These plants have forms that connect to our subconscious with familiar lines and shapes, reminding us of some of our most treasured times spent connecting with the land and ocean.

One coastal plant that really stands out for us in relation to coastal landscapes is the iconic Coastal Banksia. This tree is just incredible in that it spans the largest geographical area of all the banksias and can be found from the Whitsundays in Queensland through to Geelong in Victoria. It can also withstand the greatest climatic change of all the banksia varieties facing relentless coastal battering, tropical cyclones, bushfires, freezing temperatures and sweltering tropical heat. This tree is an icon for a reason. You will find the Coastal Banksia reference in a few different works from the ‘Coastal Path’ collection including ‘Coastal Banksia Form’ works I, II and III. Also in the petite works, ‘Banksia Muse I’ and ‘Banksia Muse II’ which work as a flowing story across the two compositions.

Another native plant that really stood out as an iconic Australian beachside tree is the Pandanus or ‘screw’ palm. We realised that this architectural species had to be included when we simultaneously sent each other photos of the Pandanus despite being on holidays in different parts of the east coast of Australia. The meandering lines of the Pandanus branches contrast against the rigid, angled leaf structures in such a way that it creates the sense of a man-made structure in the natural landscape. Its pacific charm is complete with golden fruits that are held by each elongated arm. You can find this wonderful coastal native in the works, ‘Pandanus Moment I’ and ‘Pandanus Moment II’. 

We wanted to really use plants that not only come out and over us at the beach but ones that trail along paths and dunes beneath our feet. While we still have more plants we are investigating in this part of the seascape there was one particular native succulent that carries a blissful and uplifting feel that we just had to delve into. This species is the native Pigface. The blooms alone can explain visually why we chose this delightful plant but there is so more we love about it. Its succulent nature makes it capable of withstanding all of the environmental extremes that Australia has to offer. It is also an indigenous food source having both edible leaves and fruit that can be eaten when prepared correctly. Pigface trails in beautiful lines across the sand with its leaf edges accentuated by rich magenta tones. This wonderful plant is featured in our works, ‘Pigface Moment I’ and ‘Pigface Moment II’. 

Exploring the coastal landscape has allowed us to really focus on our much loved favourites but also start to observe and consider lesser known species. As we move in to examine the foreshore with a greater sense of purpose we now know that we have plenty of work ahead of us. We have only just touched on the coastal hibiscus in ‘Coastal Hibiscus Song’ and this is an area we know we can expand on. Then there are other trees that caught our eye like the tuckeroo and the casuarinas. And then there are the smaller dune groundcovers and grasses that we are yet to identify correctly. While we have started with the most iconic beach plants to create our latest collection of art for coastal interiors there is so much more to investigate with other integral species that occur in the coastal landscape. These coastal art pieces are just the beginning of what will surely be a very long love letter to the Australian coast.