Belinda Street

Says Belinda Street of her work: “In 2023 I took part in an artist residency at the Nobby’s Whibayganba Lighthouse in Newcastle, NSW. From this vantage point, I watched the daily activity of one of the busiest ports in the country and experienced all the elements. In my painting, I wanted to give a sense of this experience, evoking a sense of movement and embodying the visual spectacle. With the use of bold and gestural brushstrokes, combined with exaggerated local colours, I wanted to create a visual experience that transcends the representational and evokes a state of contemplation and wonder of this beautiful harbour.

“A bold, dark background in Phthalo Green was a brave new choice to begin this work. Whilst I often start with coloured backgrounds, I’ve never started with a very dark tone such as this—I didn’t know whether it would work or not. Ultimately, it captured the feeling of the harbour at night well, so my darling paid off!”