Full Bush by EINAR

The truth is, even brief amounts of greenery and natural surroundings are beneficial for the spirit.

How many of us have relished our green spaces during recent times? Reconnected with our environment with an added intensity, as our worlds have shrunk to more immediate surrounds?

full bush is my ode to nature and my local green spaces; their escape from the madness of humanity. It’s a postcard; a series of mental escapes; an impression of nature’s calming abilities; its architectural magnificence.

The mixed media elements are my personal escape; a regression to the blissful ignorance of my childhood, echoing the practical crafts and skills of my family. Back to Dad’s latch-hook rugs and hand-built outdoor settings. Back to Mum’s embroideries and knitted Norwegian jumpers, along with her lemon meringue pies, and that time she got my entire school year to make lamingtons for a fundraiser. Whilst we’re under the threat of an invisible enemy, I have been drawn to the tangible; the “real”.

The cheeky title aims to broaden the appeal of our natural environment. It’s my attempt at creating a more Australian term for the Japanese concept of “forest bathing”, when being immersed in nature is said to benefit us in a myriad of physical and psychological ways. I think the largely unadulterated wildness and adventurous threat of the Australian bushland, however, deserves a wilder term, so what better than the thought of total submersion? Like leaping into a crashing wave at the beach, you go “full bush” in the Aussie bush.

I wish to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation as the Traditional Custodians of Surry Hills, the location where the full bush art exhibition is being held. As well as the Eora Nation, I would like to further acknowledge the Nations of the Tharawal, Wiradjuri, Gundungurra, Ngarigo, and Ngunawal, from whence I’ve drawn inspiration for this collection of work. I respect the Traditional Custodians’ deep, enduring connections to these lands, and honour their elders: past, present, and emerging.