“Ross River Floods”, 2023

James Brown

“Ross River Floods”, 2023

Oil on canvas

Size: 45.5 x 35.5 cm

The trees that have fallen into our local Ross River in Townsville, Australia, serve as poignant reminders of the flooding and fierce winds that characterize the cyclone and monsoon season from November to March each year. Remarkably, many of these trees do not succumb to the torrential rain and gale-force winds; instead, they tell a story of resilience and survival. Some, like the one depicted in this painting, manage to endure and continue to thrive, stretching their branches horizontally across the water. Their uniquely collapsed formations of sprawling limbs and stunted foliage provide refuge and resting spots for a variety of wildlife, including turtles, cormorants, and even pelicans.

This painting has undergone almost a decade of gradual evolution before its completion. Initially, the distant riverbank featured strong tones and reasonably fine details. However, after years of contemplation on how to progress, I decided to embrace a new narrative: the arrival of the monsoon rains. Intentionally, I sought to suggest the wet season by using vertically stroked washes of white paint, which dissolve the far edge of the river as if it were drenched in rain. In diminishing the background, I aimed to shift focus to the foreground, where the resilient tree remains anchored.