eloise daintree — longing

At the tender age of 24, Eloise Daintree has been earmarked as a young Tasmanian artist with a big future. And, this becomes abundantly clear in her first exhibition, Longing.

A proud palawa woman, Eloise draws on a powerful mix of indigenous heritage and minutae of daily life in her distinctive paintings. “I like to be adventurous and I am still exploring my creativity. This exhibition is playful and experimental.”  In fact, the new works in Longing range from joyful abstract landscapes to more serious still life, but all with one unifying theme: “My paintings always tell a story and are built around my sense of place in lutruwita.”

In Summer Orange Eloise employs aboriginal symbols and markings to express her joyful belonging in Richmond, the small village she calls home. As she heads out on a beautiful summer walk with her beloved dog Roo, we marvel at yellow splashes of wattle trees, and pink sunset hues. “Four different pathways leading out from my home depict the different emotional roads that I could have chosen that day.”

By contrast, Beneath the Trees also tells the story of place, but in a very different way. During another walk, she stumbles upon an oyster shell and animal skull as she walks along her street. This time her emotions are expressed in darker tones and still life. “I like trying new things all the time, and this collection really is a bit of everything.”

 The Emerging Artist Exhibition featuring Eloise Daintree runs until July 17.