“From the Overflow, Lake Tinaroo”, 2024

James Brown

“From the Overflow, Lake Tinaroo”, 2024

Oil on wood panel

Size: 61 x 61 cm

At the beginning of 2024, my friend David Jarman very kindly took Isabelle and me on a drive around the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland, Australia. One of our stops was to see Lake Tinaroo, officially known as the Tinaroo Falls Dam. My recollection of the exact site of the scene has sadly faded from memory, but it was from the top of the spillway to the river below (see reference photo).

The subject, in terms of an arrangement of trees partially blocking and framing the view of a river bend, has a great appeal. In fact, I have painted numerous landscapes based on this composition. For me, there’s an inherent allure in the way that trees can partially obscure a view. This is possibly linked to anticipation about the future—the moment of pause, curiosity and reflection—what lies “around the corner”, but I’m not sure.

As for my choice of medium, lately I prefer to paint on wood panels rather than traditional canvas. The durability of wood allows for a more expressive and dynamic approach to my work. While I don’t aggressively attack the surface, the resilience of wood grants me the freedom to scrape, scumble, and manipulate the paint without fear of damaging the support. In short, I like painting on wood.