Jacqueline Balassa - Carol's Garden

Exhibition dates: 28 January - 19 March 2022

Carol’s Garden 

Jacqueline Balassa 

My original intention for this body of work was to travel to the MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs. However, Covid struck and I had to re-think. 

I live on the shores of Sydney’s Middle Harbour in a bushland area. We share the space with wallabies, echidnas, owls, bandicoots and a huge goanna. 

Every day on my walk I pass through my neighbour, Carol’s wild garden of remnant native rainforest and I love observing the way it changes with the seasons, the weather and even the time of day. I decided that I would try drawing this very special place. 

I selected three spots –one beside the natural pond with its little waterfall near Carol’s chicken house, the second one on the other side of the garden looking at the tangle of vines, palms and trees and trying to make sense of them and the third, looking out towards Middle Harbour and Echo Point from a small clearing near Carol’s beehives.