Abstract mountain ferns and Cape Snow Everlastings (Rhythm series)

This large-scale abstract painting, measuring 1600 x 1600mm, explores the movement and rhythm of the mountain fynbos. Bold, expressive brushstrokes bring together mountain ferns and the distinctive forms of Cape Snow Everlastings, emerging almost playfully among the many leaf and fern shapes. A striking palette of deep magenta, soft pinks, turquoise and Prussian blue, earthy browns and subtle greens creates a powerful sense of depth and movement. Against the quiet cream background, the plant forms seem to sway and drift as though moved by the mountain wind. The Cape Snow Everlasting is particularly fascinating for its papery white bracts, which retain their shape and colour long after the flower has dried — a beautiful symbol of endurance within the fynbos.

At 1.6 metres square, this is a striking statement piece, with an energy that draws the eye across the entire surface and invites the viewer into the rhythm and movement of the landscape.

This painting is part of my Rhythm series:

There is a rhythm in the fynbos that I have come to recognise through years of walking, observing and painting it. It is found in the repetition of forms, the clustering of flowers and the movement of stems in the wind. Nothing exists in isolation; each element contributes to a greater rhythm.

My Rhythm series grew from this awareness.

I am drawn less to depicting fynbos as a botanical study and more to capturing its energy – the movement, repetition and presence that I experience when I spend time among it. I simplify shapes and colours, allowing the plants to become expressive marks and gestures. Through this process, the paintings begin to develop their own rhythm: layers of colour, recurring forms and textured brushstrokes moving across the surface.

There is also a rhythm in my practice. I walk, I observe, I gather impressions, I paint, and then I step away. I allow the work to settle before returning to it. Sometimes a painting unfolds quickly; other times it asks me to wait. I have learned to trust this process rather than force an outcome.

Fynbos itself follows an ancient rhythm of growth, flowering, drying, fire and renewal. Its resilience is a constant reminder that change and transformation are not interruptions to life, but part of its natural cycle.

In these paintings, I am exploring that sense of rhythm – in nature, in the creative process, and in life itself. A rhythm of movement and stillness, abundance and restraint, letting go and beginning again.

Ultimately, Rhythm is an invitation to pause, observe and become aware of the patterns that surround us – and to trust that, even when we cannot see the whole picture, there is a higher rhythm carrying us forward – bringing restoration and new life.