Artist in Residence - Loam Australia
“Denmark 1” Loam showroom in Claremont WA
Loam: In its most common use, loam refers to a type of soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively balanced proportions. It is known for being fertile, well-draining, and ideal for plant growth.
I couldn’t think of a better partnership than with Loam Australia. A destination store for all things design, specialising in contemporary Australian and modern European furniture and homewares. Loamis a curated space for the emotive and tactile relationship between design and the individual.
Loam is the love project of one of the State’s leading architects, David Hillam, who is well known in the industry for his award winning residential architecture. Loam aims to elevate Australian design – both nationally and internationally, Loam contributes to the ever evolving design conversation through a considered collection of authentic brands.
On a recent trip back to Australia, I stumbled into the Loam showroom in Claremont, WA. An area not too far from where I grew up.
I had heard great things about Loam and had been engaging with them on social media for quite some time.
Upon entering the showroom and connecting with the wonderful staff - plans to take over the showroom and become the new artist in residence began.
I traveled to my stepdad’s property in Denmark, W.A., about five hours southwest of Perth. His 30-acre land borders a stunning national park and is graced with ancient Balga trees, towering Karri trees, and fragrant Eucalyptus.
While exploring for pigments, I uncovered coffee rock, sandstone, limestone deposits, and even some loam, revealed by the roots of an uprooted Karri tree.
What amazed me most was the vibrancy of the colors hidden beneath the surface. At first glance, the landscape seemed subdued, with its muted greens, browns, and greys. But beneath the surface lay a bold, striking palette. That’s the magic of earth pigments—you never know what treasures you’ll uncover or where they’ll be found.
Denmark 1 - 150 cm x 150 cm | 60 × 60 inches
Denmark 2 - 90 cm x 121cm | 36 × 48 inches
I returned to Perth to continue developing my series for Loam, this time focusing on Cottesloe, W.A.—a coastal area where I spent much of my youth at the beach.
The Cottesloe coastline is characterized by its beige and brown limestone, a pigment I incorporated to add rich texture to the piece below. I also collected driftwood and branches from the shrubs along the surrounding cliffs. By burning the wood, I created my own charcoal, which was used to produce the deep grey tones featured in the artwork.
Cottesloe 1 - 150 cm x 100 cm | 59 × 39 inches
Finally, while exploring my archive of pigments, I came across a range of browns and oranges sourced from the Pilbara region—an area renowned for its ancient landscapes, abundant resource deposits, both onshore and offshore, and one of the world’s largest collections of Aboriginal rock engravings. The region’s highly concentrated iron oxide deposits are what give the pigments their vibrant red and earthy brown tones, beautifully showcased in the artwork below.
Pilbara 1 - 76.2cm x 76.2cm | 30 × 30 inches
All artworks can be purchased through Loam Australia and are currently on view at their Claremont showroom at 280 Stirling Hwy, Claremont WA 6010, Australia.