The Other Art Fair - Sydney 2025

My first exhibition

In May 2025 I opened the gates of my Secret Garden to the public for the first time. For years, this work lived quietly in the studio, Japanese paper mounted to board with starch, pigments ground into velvety gouache, a warm blush ground laid by hand, and a gilded eslimi spiral set at the centre like a heartbeat. From there, I built each composition in widening circles: layered sapphire blooms, gentle leafwork, and soft gold illumination where the light wished to rest.

The booth became a small sanctuary. People stepped in and instinctively slowed down. Some traced the curve of the eslimi with their eyes before noticing the movement of the blooms; others spoke about the calm weight of blue and the way gold felt like a kept prayer. Children found tiny details first; elders shared memories of patterns from home. A designer asked about materials; a student asked how long it takes to know when a blue is “right.” I realised how much of this practice is shared, how a steady line or a quiet colour can belong to many stories at once.

What I carried away from those days was not just the joy of showing the work, but the rhythm of listening: letting silence do some of the speaking, allowing the paintings to hold the room, and trusting that tenderness and strength can live together in the same breath. I’m grateful for every slow look, every conversation, and every moment the fair gave back in return. Thank you for stepping into this garden with me.

Moments from the Fair

The fair had its own soft tempo, quiet mornings, bright afternoons, and evenings where the blues deepened, and the gold turned to embers. This short video gathers those moments: setting up the booth, the glow of the eslimi at the centre, layered petals catching light, and the hush that visitors brought with them. I hope it carries a little of the steadiness that lived there: a reminder that patient work, made by hand, can invite a room to breathe.