Nicola Dickson

About the work

Paradise Interrupted was inspired by the Jerrabomberra wetlands located in the ACT. The wetlands came into being when the Molonglo River was dammed in 1964 to create Lake Burley Griffin- a lake designed to ornament a city. The resultant, unplanned wetlands now exist as literal and metaphoric oasis surrounded by urban development. They provide refuge for many species of birds, including migratory species such as Latham’s snipe which arrives each year in February after flying nonstop from Japan.  The paintings depict some of the bird species readily seen by visitors to this tranquil landscape, while also showing some of the threats to their survival that bound this precious sanctuary.

Individual panel sizes:

76 x 91; 76 x 122; 76 x 153; 76 x 76; 76 x 122; 76 x 122 cm

Images supplied: Paradise interrupted; Paradise Interrupted, Panel 4

 

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Sat, 08|10|2022 2.30pm

Photography by Brenton McGeachie

About the artist

Nicola Dickson is a Canberra-based artist who works with a range of media and processes including painting, drawing, installation, printmaking and ceramics. Her practice focuses on communicating the sense of wonder she experiences in response to aspects of the natural world. Nicola frequently uses historical imagery of Australian flora and fauna made by 18th century European naturalists as a starting point for her artwork. She re-presents these archival images of people, plants and animals, incorporating imaginary idealised landscapes and decorative forms to enhance the feeling of “other worldliness” that stemmed from these encounters. Her intricate paintings and drawings evoke not only a sense of beauty but also offer an opportunity to find historical resonances in the present.

Nicola graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the School of Art at the Australian National University in 2003 before undertaking a PhD which she completed in 2010. 

Represented by

Beaver Galleries, Canberra