When people see a finished painting…

They rarely see everything that came before it.

Weeks of planning.
Moments of uncertainty.
Ideas that were abandoned.
Sections that were completely repainted.

Dreamer’s Haven was one of the most ambitious paintings I’ve created, and I thought it would be fun to share some of the journey behind it.

It all began with a simple sketch on my iPad before gradually evolving into my largest landscape painting yet. Along the way there were compositional changes, sections that were completely repainted, and plenty of unexpected challenges, including figuring out how to support a giant 120 × 150 cm canvas in my studio.

I filmed parts of that journey as it unfolded and have finally put together a behind-the-scenes video. Rather than explaining every brushstroke, I wanted to share the thoughts, decisions and unexpected moments that helped shape the finished painting.

Watch the video journey below:

The moment it all felt real

Seeing Dreamer’s Haven hanging in the Bundaberg Art Prize exhibition was a special moment.

I was excited to see it surrounded by so many beautiful works from local, regional and Australian artists, but what surprised me most was that my eye kept returning to it. The luminous colours and sense of light drew me in, and for a moment I was able to appreciate it almost as a viewer rather than the person who had painted every brushstroke.

It was also hard to believe I’d managed to pull it off. Creating a painting of this size, and stepping into landscape painting in such a significant way, was so outside my comfort zone. Looking back now, I’m grateful I took the leap.

More than anything, I’m grateful to be able to share this journey with you.

Looking back, I’m glad I documented at least part of the journey. Paintings often look effortless once they’re finished, but each one is really a collection of hundreds of small decisions made one brushstroke at a time.

Do you enjoy seeing the behind-the-scenes process, or do you prefer to experience a finished painting without knowing how it was created? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below 😊

x mimi