My collection of works showing at The Lazy Lizard for the month of April is a tribute to the mountain, Gulaga, the magical relationship between her, the light and the water beneath. I have been living in her realm for nearly twenty years, and I am still in constant awe of the ever-changing, otherworldly waterscapes and the life that inhabits them.

The inspiration for this collection of works came from sitting on the shore of Wallaga Lake and watching the very last light of day interact with the water, creating an afterglow effect that really can’t be captured with even the most brilliant camera let alone a paintbrush. Still, I see it and think ‘I need to paint that’ and I take dozens of photos with my phone!

Primarily, I use acrylic paint. I have an embarrassing collection of various colours I bought years ago when I first got into painting, so I am trying to use them up and steer towards more sustainable media. I am also very fond of soft pastels, the pigments in them are very reflective and the drawing ends up glowing on the paper, which is excellent for capturing skies and landscapes. I am tentative about watercolours – ironically, I find I end up combining them with gouache (a cross between acrylic and watercolour) to gain more control of the paint.

Evening Dance by Isabella Craig

After all, water is fluid, it invites us to let go of control, surrender to its flow, delve into the depths and come back up for air. Water is an element I am totally drawn to but also quite fearful of. It’s something that I have been reflecting on not only with regard to my work but to situations that arise in my life. In the last couple of years, I have realised the importance of creative expression to alchemise what’s happening within.

Isabella Craig