Moving Under Skies 2017

Zoe Hawk made this painting, Moving Under Skies, with what looks like thin washes of oil, which gives it this dreamy, hazy kind of feeling. It reminds me of making art as a kid, how you layer colours and the way you approach it, without overthinking. The painting’s got a very smooth surface, almost like a fresco, which makes the figures stand out. See how the one girl is leaning against that peachy wall? The flat colour makes her dress pop, like it's a collage. And the way the green bush spills over the wall, all rough and textured, it’s like a different world crashing into this calm scene. There’s something really beautiful in the way it balances stillness with hidden stories. It’s like a Edward Hopper painting, but maybe if he had a soft spot for children and magical realism.