Elena Parashko looks through the porthole of 'John Oxley'

            The coastal steam ship, John Oxley (1927), is on the floating Heritage Dock 

undergoing major restoration. Donning a hard hat, climbing up the scaffolding to board 

this vessel and walking through the deteriorating compartments of the John Oxley 

gave me an insight into how magnificent this steamer once was and will eventually be again. Small details instantly caught my eye and imagination. In my artistic practice, much of 

my work is aimed at highlighting the beauty all around us that often goes unnoticed 

in the busyness of our lives. I found much fuel for inspiration here.

During this pause in construction, painting there and then on board John Oxley 

was not an option, so I relied on taking quick photographs to record

 the images that made a visual and emotional impression on me. 

I worked from these reference photos and my personal experience back home in the studio.

 An open porthole with cracked glass transported me to a different time and place. 

I empathised with all sailors who travel far from home and miss their loved ones 

and imagined them being on the open sea and thinking of 

their wives and children who were waiting for their return. 

That inspired me to paint “Thinking of You”. Looking through the porthole, 

I painted a view of the open ocean instead of the current reality of the shipyard setting.

Thinking of You

Artists-in-Residence workspace on the 'Kanangra'

On our first day at the Heritage Dock, I walked on board the old ferry 'Kanangra'.  How different from the days when I rode in her to work each day!

The top deck is our workspace - an art studio and a Mens Shed.

Freshly red-painted windows were laid out to dry on a bench - the golden afternoon light flooded the interior - here was a painting subject and I started work with pencil and watercolour .......

Warm afternoon light through an orange tarpaulin, cool blue interior.

Back at home, I could take my time and develop the subject.  Because the only available canvas was not a matching rectangle, I had to adapt the original sketch and bring the window frames more to the foreground; after all, that beautiful new red paint deserved pride of place.

The finished oil painting next to the sketch.
(I still want to keep the sketch, so made sure it was safe in a plastic pouch from oily splashes .)