Nancybird founder Emily Wright reminisces about time spent exploring Tasmania’s abundant and diverse colourscapes with our latest collection Colourscape. Painting in a mix of inks and acrylics, Emily was inspired by Mount Field National Park, where the land is rich with the most magnificent grass trees and the seasonal glow of dry grasses contrasting against the aquamarine seas of Bay of Fires.
Emily joins us to share her love for Tassie with field notes on places she's adventured and the inspiration behind her inspiring artwork.
What keeps calling you back to Tasmania?
I’m so drawn to the wild landscapes of Tasmania, and it’s diversity. The East coast is so beautiful with it’s orange lichen rocks and incredibly blue water, the mossy, dramatic rainforests of the Franklin River area and craggy alpine landscapes of Mt Field and Cradle Mountain. And so much I haven’t seen yet!
FIELD NOTES
Mount Field: We visited Mt Field back in 2011 and revisited it in late 2021. The short walk around Lake Dobson goes through thousand year old Pencil Pines and giant 4 or 5 metre high pandanus trees. We recently went while the Waratahs were flowering, so the whole landscape was dotted with bright red. The alpine terrain has so much drama, and the plants feel otherworldy – it truly is one of the most beautiful short walks in the world.
Bay of Fires: The colour contrast at the Bay of Fires is so intense that everything feels heightened with white sand, blue water, and orange rocks! It’s such a stunning place. I hope I’ve captured a little bit of this feeling in the painting. We spent a few days at the height of summer a few years ago and swam and snorkelled around the rocks at The Gardens.
What other areas of Tassie have you visited and where would you like to explore next?
We’ve travelled the East coast of Tassie a few times – Bruny Island, down to Southport, visiting friends in Triabunna, around Freycinet and up around the Bay of Fires. The last time we visited, we travelled through the middle over to the West coast - Strahan and Zeehan. It was too quick, and it rained almost constantly, so I’d love to go back and see more! I’d also love to do some walks in National Parks like the Three Capes or Overland trail.
How will you be wearing this season’s prints?
I’ve been trying out the Sandy Tee with the Bay of Fires landscape and can report that it goes with everything! I’ve been really loving seeing these prints of all the models we’ve used this season – the Pepper T-Shirt Dress has looked incredible on every single person I’ve seen it on!
Bring Tassie into your wardrobe, explore Colourscape.
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