Hello, we made it,
2025 | The Year That Was
Will it ever slow down?
Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year – and thank you for following along with my art journey this year. What a whirlwind it’s been, from the rice fields of Ubud to the red earth of Western Australia.
My lovely husband, Tim, and I.
The highlights of the year
This year I’ve created more than fifty new works on canvas and paper – seven of them special commissions. One of those was for a family in Shenton Park: my biggest painting so far, a glorious challenge and a joy to see installed in its new home.
I also completed my new Street Dogs range of ceramics for Kevala Ceramics. You can see these pieces in person at Kevala’s beautiful Bali stores, and read more about our collaboration on their website:
My new homewares range has also taken off this year. The designs – Fishy Business, Street Dogs, and Boab Country – are all printed on 100% linen tea towels, and they’re proving wonderfully popular. Small, useful pieces of art for the everyday.
Our gallery and studio in the lush rice fields of Ubud continue to grow, and we’ve loved welcoming so many international visitors into our garden, home and studio.
Inside Zanzibar Art House Gallery Ubud.
Inside our beautiful home and the view into the Ubud jungle.
In May my exhibition Beyond The Unknown opened at Black Stump Gallery in Broome. Enormous thanks to Simon and Emma for representing my work so warmly.
This year I also began exhibiting with Applecross Gallery in Perth – a lovely new home for some of my paintings. Thank you, Peter, it’s been wonderful working with you.
Artwork from the exhibition Beyond The Unknown.
Artwork from the exhibition Beyond The Unknown.
Travels, milestones and daily offerings
It was such a joy to take a little time out in May to visit our son and his beautiful family in the north of Western Australia. Camping in Karijini National Park was both great fun and deeply inspiring – that rugged, ancient country always finds its way into my work.
June brought a big milestone – I turned 70. My god, how did that happen?
To mark the occasion I set myself a challenge I’d been dreaming of for years: to start and finish a painting every day for a month. I called the series Daily Offerings, inspired by the offerings placed in our home and garden each day here in Bali to promote harmony and blessings.
In July I had the privilege of working with Anna Kwiecińska, hosting a fabulous art retreat in Candi Dasa, Bali with a wonderful group of women from around the world. A week of painting, talking, laughing and sharing stories – so much fun.
Hosting the fabulous art retreat in Candi Dasa.
Back in the studio, I turned my attention to the Mundaring Hills Open Studios exhibition in October. It was a delight to be a guest artist at my dear friend Silvana Ferrario’s Siju Glass studio. Silvana and I always find mischief and magic in equal measure when we work together.
What’s on the easel now
As the year rolls into November and December, I’m working on a large Street Dog commission for a family in Esperance, as well as the Little Boab paintings that I’ll be delivering in March 2026.
I’m also deep into a special collaborative painting with Yallingup Galleries and Sydney artist Christophe Domergue. A big thank you to Emma at Yallingup Galleries for inviting me into this project.
None of this would be possible without the people around me. My heartfelt thanks to our wonderful Balinese staff – Ayu, Komang and Putu – who take such good care of us, and to Abby for her brilliant work managing my social media. She is truly invaluable.
And finally, to all of you who follow my art journey, visit my exhibitions, and live with my paintings and ceramics in your homes – you give me the greatest gift of all: the chance to keep creating.
With warmest festive wishes, and here’s to whatever adventures 2026 brings.
Christine