Where: Field Trip Gallery

1 Latrobe Tce, Paddington

When: August 22nd - September 3rd

Opening event: Fri 22nd August, 4:00 – 7:00 PM

RSVP to opening event: Here

𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀:

Friday: 10am - 4pm (Preview) + 4pm - 7pm (OPENING)

Saturday: 10am - 4pm

Sunday: 10am - 2pm

Monday: Closed (viewing by apt)

Tuesday: Closed (viewing by apt)

Wednesday: 10am - 1pm

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PRES.

(t)here is still life

Natalie Eslick

This body of work explores the profound beauty of Australian wildlife through three interconnected approaches: powerful standalone portraits that honour these beings in their pure, unadorned majesty; compositions featuring native fauna among lush floral arrangements inspired by Dutch Golden Age masters; and intimate character studies that reveal the extraordinary in species we might otherwise overlook.

The collection's centrepiece, a commanding 76x101cm portrait of a Wedge-tailed Eagle, exemplifies the raw power and dignified presence of Australia's wild inhabitants. Works like the haunting Tasmanian Masked Owl and elegant Peregrine Falcon surrounded by soft roses demonstrate how traditional artistic approaches can serve to elevate our native wildlife, while intimate studies of Tasmanian Devils, Brown Goshawk, and Black Swan invite viewers into close connection with the remarkable diversity of Australian fauna.

Some compositions embrace classical elements - native birds nestled among carefully arranged flowers, creating gentle tension between imported and indigenous beauty. Others present our wildlife as pure portraits, allowing their inherent dignity and character to command the full attention they deserve.

Through masterful use of chiaroscuro and careful composition, each piece draws attention to the extraordinary that often goes unnoticed in our daily lives. The varied scale of works - from intimate 25x30cm studies to the monumental eagle portrait - mirrors how we might encounter these beings: sometimes in fleeting glimpses, sometimes in moments of profound connection.

The title's wordplay speaks to this dual intention: while honouring the artistic tradition of still life painting, we are reminded that there is indeed still so much wild life around us - vibrant, breathing, deserving of our attention and reverence.

This exhibition becomes both sanctuary and quiet revolution - a declaration that Australia's wildlife deserves the same artistic celebration traditionally given to European subjects, and an invitation to see these remarkable beings not as "other," but as our wild kin sharing this ancient land.