James Drinkwater Encrusting the marvellous heart
oil and collage on hardboard
180 x 244 cm
Late one night, whilst sleeping in the desert, I dreamed that a woman and child surrounded my swag. They then pried my chest open allowing the contents of the sky to fall in, encrusting my heart like a jewel. That is where the title Encrusting the marvellous heart came from. This star-encrusted heart became a metaphor for the centre of this country. The painting seeks to express the enormity of this experience.
- James Drinkwater, 2015