The ‘South Deck’ series were the result of observations from two viewing platforms I built on my property in Western Victoria. One facing north, one facing south. I built these decks specifically to study the heavens and to record the creatures of the night.

These stylised wooden sculptures represent a broad, non-specific genus and are made from prunings of trees from the Wimmera in western Victoria. Each piece is shaped by hand from locally sourced timber, giving the wooden sculptures an inherent connection to the landscape from which their raw material was gathered. Their construction methods have a minimal environmental impact and include simple, hand-tooled assembly and natural finishing techniques.

Living in remote rural Victoria, I engage with the Wimmera district’s unique fauna through close observation and the recording of their activities. Specifically, my interest has been roused by the ability of nocturnal species to survive and thrive — due largely to their after-hours behaviours and inconspicuous habits. It is a quiet resilience that I find both humbling and urgent.

Consequently, it is this commitment to ecological activism which drives my current mindset and object making. Species of all kinds are under increasing pressure from poor land management practices, including chemical insect control and crop stubble burn-off. These wooden sculptures are, in part, a response to that pressure — small, handmade gestures of attention in a landscape that deserves far more of it.