Vanta Native Australian Panel Triptych – A Tribute to Family & Heritage

The harsh, drought-stricken landscapes of the Australian outback were my first teachers, shaping my understanding of resilience, survival, and adaptability. Growing up in a small rural community, I learned early that life on the land required innovation and perseverance—values that have become central to both my art and my approach to Vanta.

But beyond the land itself, it was my grandmother who shaped my connection to it. She raised me among protected wildlife and native flora, teaching me to respect the environment, to recognise the stories written in the landscape, and to appreciate the beauty in its untamed form. Her home was filled with blue wren ornaments and art, reflecting her deep love for the bird—a love that has become part of my own visual language.

When she passed, I wanted to create something that captured her presence—a tribute not only to her but to the land, the memories, and the generations before me. This triptych was my gift to my parents, a way to honour her legacy and everything she passed down to us.

The Native Panel Triptych: A Story in Steel

Standing three metres tall, these panels now overlook the Murray River, surrounded by gum trees in the backyard of my family home. Laser-cut in black metal, they merge my love of design with the landscapes and creatures that have been constant throughout my life.

Each panel represents a piece of family, history, and connection:

Panel 1: The Black Cockatoo

A symbol of resilience, wisdom, and change, the black cockatoo mirrors the cycles of nature, the unpredictability of the land, and the strength required to endure. My grandmother would always tell me to listen for them—their calls signalling shifts in the seasons, their presence an omen of transformation. Framed by wildflowers, this panel represents the depth of the land and the lessons it continues to teach me.

Panel 2: The Woman with the Protea & Blue Wren

At the centre of the triptych stands a woman, her hair adorned with a blue wren, holding a protea close to her chest.

The blue wren was my grandmother’s favourite bird, and her home was full of paintings and ornaments of them. Delicate yet full of energy, it represents her spirit, her love for the bush, and the constant presence of her memory. Even after her passing, I still see blue wrens, and it always feels like a quiet reminder that she is still with me.

The protea, a flower of strength, resilience, and transformation, symbolises endurance, family, and the lessons passed down through generations. This panel embodies her legacy—the wisdom, grace, and love she shared so effortlessly.

Panel 3: The Kookaburra

The kookaburra’s laughter is the soundtrack of my childhood—the sound of growing up along the Murray River. They would perch in the trees along the water, their calls filling the air at sunrise and sunset. Their presence, always familiar, always grounding, represents home.

This panel captures that sense of place, belonging, and nostalgia, surrounded by the very landscapes that raised me.

A Lasting Tribute to Family & Australia’s Landscape

The Native Panel Triptych is more than an artwork; it’s a reflection of heritage, family, and the Australian land. A gift to my parents, this piece now stands where it belongs—in our family home, overlooking the Murray River, framed by the same gum trees that have watched over us for generations.

This triptych is a love letter to my grandmother, to my upbringing, and to the land that taught me everything I know—now captured permanently in steel.