Straddie Rockpool's

Jen Jay Art, Jeanette Smith

Each year I return to North Stradbroke Island, drawn by the rhythm of tide, memory, and island life. Painted from an aerial perspective, this work captures the moment the ocean retreats to reveal the brilliant turquoise rockpools hidden within the dark coastal rocks. From above, the pools appear like scattered jewels, exposed only briefly before the tide returns.

Swimmers move across the scene — resting on the rocks, gathering on the sand, and floating within the clear pools — becoming part of the rhythm and pattern of the coastline itself.

Returning to Straddie each year is a ritual of reconnection. The island’s relaxed culture, sea air, and slower pace continue to draw me back. This work reflects those fleeting moments when nature reveals something extraordinary and people come together within it.

Acrylic on canvas set in timber oak frame

90 x 90cm