Island Dreamin’ - A Love Letter to the South Pacific

It all started one morning on a cold beach walk.

Winter is not my favourite month. It's July in Forster, the studio is cold, and I have been thinking a lot about warmer places — slow island afternoons, sun on skin, maybe a little dip in the ocean.

That daydream became my new collection, Island Dreamin’

I always love incorporating patterns into my work and the earthly tones of tapa cloth have inspired the repetitive patterns found in this collection. Tapa is barkcloth made across the islands of the Pacific, primarily in Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, known locally as ngatu, siapo and masi. I love how the patterns sit in simple grids with repeated motifs like fish and leaves. I am not making tapa, I am borrowing that rhythm, to give a feeling of a place. Earthy and warm just like the people of Polynesia.

The whole thing started by accident. I painted over an old work that was not going anywhere, and it turned into Malia, the first piece in the collection. Malia is about those slow islands days, hanging out on the beach, maybe grabbing a juice or some fresh fruit and watching the waves.

Malia opened the door and the rest followed. Island Dreamin' is my way of travelling while winter hangs around. I hope it gives you a little warmth too.

— Sue