No Water, No Life. No Blue, No Green.
Sylvia Earle
NINA CHRISTESEN
Nina Christesen - Studio Stories
Selected stories from the studio trace how observations of the Australian landscape develop into paintings—from the initial inspiration through experimentation, composition and the finished work.
PINDAN FORMATIONS
Pindan Formations was inspired by the dramatic transformation of the landscape during the long dry season in the Kimberley region of north-western Australia.
Under the intense sun, vegetation recedes and the distinctive red Pindan soil dries, contracts and peels back, revealing intricate patterns across the surface.
The painting developed from these observations rather than as a literal representation of place. Layered colour, flowing forms and changing boundaries suggest the effects of heat, water and erosion on the landscape over time.
BARRIER REEF
Inspired by aerial views of the Great Barrier Reef, this work explores the patterns created as water, currents and changing depths interact with reef structures.
Seen from above, boundaries between reef, sand and water become less distinct, creating shifting forms that move between landscape and abstraction.
The painting developed from these observations, using layered colour, movement and detail to suggest the complexity and continual change within this underwater landscape.