As an artist, my experience at Wilpena Pound—Ikara—was deeply inspiring. I spent time photographing the landscape, captivated by the way the colours shifted throughout the day
These photographs became the foundation for my series of encaustic paintings.. I work with encaustic techniques, layering molten beeswax mixed with pigments to build up texture and luminosity. For this series iron filings was incorporated in the wax.spraying the surface with a vinegar solution, I could trigger a reaction that produced a range of rust colours. This unpredictable transformation echoed the natural processes of erosion and change that shape Ikara itself.
Each painting became a kind of collaboration with the landscape and the materials. The iron filings and rust effects added an earthy, organic quality, while the wax allowed me to capture the glow and depth of the oranges and purples I saw during my visit.
