I had a clear idea of how I wanted to approach this painting for the 2026 Glover Prize. The lyric from TLC’s song “Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls” reflects the pursuit of unrealistic goals, which resonated with the ambition and risk inherent in this work.

A familiar response to the Glover tradition would be a panoramic depiction of Tasmanian rivers and lakes. Instead, I chose to subvert that expectation by focusing on a tightly cropped, macro view of a waterfall. The painting is conceived at the largest vertical scale permitted, using a portrait-format composition that invites close, physical engagement.

While the work is grounded in observation and site-specific experience, its visual language may be read as abstract. This ambiguity between abstraction and realism is central to the painting.

I spent five consecutive days at Russell Falls in December 2025, immersing myself in the environment and gathering extensive photographic reference. The work was completed in my studio in January 2026.

The process involved building dense, granite-like textures before applying binders and pigments that were then partially erased with water. This method allows gravity, flow, and surface tension to shape the image, mirroring the physical laws that govern falling water itself.