Portraying a stark yet deeply human aspect of life on the streets of Byron Bay, in Australia, a place I have called home for nearly 30 years. Homelessness carries an undeniable weight—a quiet sorrow that is both seen and unseen. We either observe or look away, acknowledging its presence or passing by, desensitized to a reality that has become part of our modern landscape.
Painting this work has been a profound learning curve—not about exact replication, but about capturing a visceral power. Oil paint, with its depth and texture, feels close to skin, allowing me to convey the presence of a body without rendering a portrait. I chose to paint these figures as anonymous sleepers, the identity undisclosed, yet the form deeply human. The shape of a bodies curled beneath fabric, the exposure to the elements—details tell their own stories of vulnerability and endurance.
