Summer’s Gold – Still Life from A Sense of Self
This painting is part of my still life series created for my solo show A Sense of Self. Each object in the series holds memory, emotion, and connection, acting as a physical embodiment of identity. These narratives speak of lives lived in other places and times, reflecting familial ties and the journey of who we were, who we are, and where we have been.
Summer’s Gold was the first painting in the series to feature the original casement windows in our ensuite bathroom. Our 1922 workers’ cottage, relocated from Pinkenba in 2010, was lovingly restored; most windows were replaced, but these were sanded, painted, and fitted with new blue glass by me. I wanted to explore interior structure and light, inspired by the golden French sunlight captured in post-impressionist paintings, and by the intimate, window-framed views of Matisse and Bonnard.
The spider lilies in the jug were a hand-me-down from friends who moved from Brisbane to Canberra. Mangoes signal Queensland summer, while pomegranates recall autumns in the UK, including memories of eating them cautiously as a child. The title Summer’s Gold also nods to Bermuda’s signature cocktail, the Swizzle, made with Somer’s Gold mixer—linking place, memory, and sensory experience.