There is an immense old sheep station in Wilcannia (north-western NSW) where I go to paint from time to time. In the homestead’s front-yard is a grand old cactus garden. All attempts at its upkeep were abandoned years ago and it is being reclaimed by its harsh surrounding landscape. It is somehow unsettling and represents an extraordinarily slow dance between man and nature. It gives me a sense of the persistent march of time, of our often-futile attempts at controlling our environment. It also inspired this painting – the first I have ever made from memory.
Guy Maestri, 2020