Luke Deacon

Local Contemporary Art Prize 2025 – Finalist

Image courtesy of the artist

Luke Deacon | Weathered poem of the Coolum Bays | 2025 | acrylic and mixed media on canvas | 92 x 154cm (15 panel work) 

I paint the ever-shifting threshold between land and sea, capturing the rocky outcrops and sandy bays of Coolum. These coastal rhythms intertwine with my own - guided by the tides, the currents, and the unseen forces that shape both nature and life. The land forgets itself when the tide rolls in, just as I lose myself in painting and walking this rugged, beauty-filled coastline.

My process is deeply personal, each panel a meditation through brush and mark making, echoing the patterns left by nature. Colours emerge in my mind as a response to these fleeting impressions - each experience translating into a palette of texture, emotion, and movement. In abstraction, my thoughts, and the landscape merge into a singular tapestry - a weathered poem of the Coolum bays.