If you’ve ever visited the Murray River or walked along Merri Creek, you’ll recognise the tranquil locations in Jessie Rose Ford’s landscape paintings.

The Melbourne-based artist has a true talent for capturing these familiar bushland spots, perhaps because she’s returned to the same destinations time and time again as part of her latest exhibition.

On show at Brunswick Street Gallery from Thursday October 23, Re-visiting features 20 expressive oil paintings of places Jessie has been visiting over the past two years.

In these reflective visits, Jessie painted the scenery en plein air (in the outdoors) with gestural brush strokes.

‘These places are often a tucked away quiet place next to water sources, such as the Merri Creek, and Yarra River as well as places outside of Melbourne like the Dandenong Ranges and Murray River,’ Jessie says.

‘Rather than depicting exactly what I see, I select parts I like or speak to me that day. Some are painted in one afternoon, others are finished later, but I try not to edit too much of the immediate impressions, only adding highlights or accentuating colours.’

This process leaves the paintings feeling more evocative, influenced by factors like the weather, mood, time of day, people and even the sounds she heard on the day.

‘In revisiting, I get to create multiple descriptions of a place; that accumulate in my memory, my body and my connection to the place.’

Join Jessie for the opening night of her immersive exhibition on Friday October 24, from 6-8pm!

See Re-visiting at Brunswick Street Gallery from October 23 – November 9. View the catalogue here for pre-sales.