“We moved to the Northern Rivers 5 years ago from Sydney and I’m originally from Albury Wadonga. I have 2 adult kids and I’ve always had dogs and always loved dogs. We have a 40 acre Macadamia farm now in Alstonvale with Platypus and Koala which is fantastic. How did I get into art? Well there is a bit of a story to that.
My daughter married an American and moved to the States. She had a baby girl, Chloe in November 2016. When Chloe was 3 weeks old my daughter’s husband assaulted her and took off drunk in their car with their baby. We didn’t know where he was and the baby was breastfed. I was still here in Australia and this was a phone call so you can imagine how terrified we were. I had been there for her birth and had come home not long before this happened. They found them 6 hours later, he hadn’t changed her nappy, she was so over due for a feed. It was the longest night of our lives especially being helpless over here. He was arrested and almost immediately released.
My husband went over there to try and get them home and we discovered that wasn’t going to happen. In the end I moved over there and it took us two years before we had the court case heard. During that time we were living in a small apartment afraid for our lives because he kept breaching the restraining orders. Nothing happened! He was manipulating the court systems by delaying again and again. He started a massive smear campaign on social media blaming my daughter to say that she was lying even though we had so much evidence. In the end they found he had a very long history of assault and domestic violence.
In retrospect there were a hell of a lot of red flags but we were ignorant of red flags and he was a clever manipulator. The violence didn’t begin until they were married.
During that time in a small apartment with a baby we tried to make some friends and get involved in the community. A lovely lady asked me to a paint party which I wasn’t sure if we’d be painting a house or a portrait. She said, ‘With an easel and canvas’ and I said ‘Well I don’t do art, I don’t have any arty ability.’ Anyway I went along with my baby granddaughter who was asleep and had a go and I didn’t do so badly. Six months later I was bored and stressed so I went to a craft store and bought a beginners painting kit and that was the end. It was the best therapy and the most amazing gift.
My daughter and my now 2 1/2 year old granddaughter are now safe here on the farm. Nearly 2 years from the day. He is in jail. He was found guilty on both counts. Right up to the time we flew out we weren’t even sure we would make it. So many hassles and the legal system is a real eye opener.
I didn’t start out doing pet portraits. I watched Youtube videos and read books. I started using acrylics in America because I had a balcony space but then it got too cold so I started to try something I could pack away easily and do inside and that’s how I got into pastels. It was convenience at first but I fell in love with it.
I’ve only been doing it for 2 years but out of a really difficult, traumatic time to find art was the best thing ever. I’m crap at meditating but mowing with a ride on or doing this is my switch off. I go into a relaxed, lovely space and still to this day I look at my work and say I can’t believe I did that! I have a real sense of wonder about it. I was telling a lady today who I sold a commission to that when I did my first dog portrait I got to a certain point where all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. It happens in every one. There is a point where I feel as though I have captured the essence of the dog. If it doesn’t happen it gets chucked in the bin because I haven’t connected. It sounds hippy, trippy but I think that’s why I love doing animals.”
‘You can find Nush at Lismore Carboot Market.’
https://www.facebook.com/nushartistry/