Travelling to national parks to make close observations in nature is an integral part of my ceramic practice. While making watercolour studies of various plants, like snow gums in the alpine region of Falls Creek, I started thinking about the fine balance of keeping nature in harmony with human endeavour. These works aim to highlight the close connection of birds to their local habitat and the importance of water for the survival of all species.

Each of us carries a duty to care for the unique and fragile biodiversity of this continent that has been significantly affected by drought, fire, land clearing and the effects of colonisation.

Many of my new works depict a water-filled glass, reflecting my sense that this dilemma is a fragile balancing act, at risk of breaking. But it’s a shared responsibility, as role-modelled for thousands of years by our First Nations peoples, to whom I pay my deepest respects.

Fiona Hiscock, 2025