Sylvia’s creative process begins with a heightened awareness of her environment. From familiar local trees to more distant landscapes. Working in a representational style that prioritises materiality, she uses oil sticks to render her photographic research into tactile, gestural marks. For this collection, Sylvia explores a more restrained approach, focusing on the distinct colour of the trees in season. Articulating the figure-ground relationship, distilling light and form to capture the energy of a place “in the moment”.

Sylvia’s practice involves close observation, allowing subtle shifts in light and shadow. Her compositions deepen the connections between viewer and landscape. Through careful layering and blending, Sylvia creates a nuanced interplay of hues evoking the seasonal atmosphere. Inviting a contemplative dialogue with the natural world, to serve as a reminder to stay present and curious.

For Sylvia, the goal is to seek to uncover the sublime within our most familiar, everyday surroundings.