If you had told me years ago that I would be an artist, painting leaves, gumnuts, and tiny details most people walk past, I would have laughed. Art was always there in my life, but in the background—something I did when I had time, squeezed between a career and family.
Then, life changed.
Family loss in 2019 followed by a cancer diagnosis in 2022 made me re evaluate and rethink some things. Becoming a full-time carer for my daughter in 2023 forced me to act on that rethinking! I went from corporate life to one where I didn’t feel like I was making much progress on anything. I also felt like I had very little that was mine.
A good friend at the time had told me – “Do something that can’t be undone”. What she meant was that so much of what I was doing – drop offs and pick ups, cleaning up, washing clothes – would all need to be done over and over and over again. I wasn’t doing anything that was somewhat permanent or that would stay and grow. So I picked up my paints again.
I have always loved art but never felt like I was able to pursue it as more than a hobby. Every few years I would pick up my paints and dabble in things. I could never quite figure out the style I liked though so tried everything. In 2023 I came across Anna Mason’s style and was immediately drawn to it. She does delicate realistic watercolour painting and from then I knew what I wanted to do. I practiced and finally started painting my own things. Every quiet moment I had, I would sneak into the office and paint – even if it was only for 5 minutes. In those quiet moments, art became more than a hobby. It became a way to process everything and to see the world differently.
I started painting the things my kids brought home—fallen leaves, broken twigs, and seed pods they found in the playground. Their wonder at these small treasures made me stop and look closer. I began to notice the tiny imperfections, the way light touched a gum leaf, the beauty in things others might step over without a second thought. I also enjoyed watching the joy that small leaves and flowers brought to my children. On a whim, I entered one of my paintings into the Northern Beaches Art Competition and to my shock, I got in! It felt surreal having a painting hanging in a gallery, and the whole time I kept thinking it must have been some mistake, as my art was up next to well established and famous Australian artists.
At first, I painted in the back of the car in the small pockets of time I would get between carer duties. It was cramped and tricky but I could make it work. I enjoyed how it engaged all the kids at school – they’d stop by and want updates on my paintings, and they’d bring me pretty things they’d found in the playground.
Now, I share my work as a way to capture those unnoticed moments, hoping it will help other people slow down and enjoy the ordinary. If my art reminds someone to pause and see the world a little differently, then I’ve done what I set out to do.
Art by Rehana Nathwani 