Doodie Herman

Doodie Herman, Sydney, New South Wales
@doodieherman

I went to Art School at Seaforth TAFE some years ago, pursued a career as a garden designer, then returned to art practice in 2015.

 My inspiration comes from a deep love of and connection to nature that began in childhood exploring the swathe of untouched bush behind our house, and coming home to a vast view of sky and river.  These memories and those of my travels in the Kimberleys and the Pilbara, the Blue Mountains, driving across the Nullarbor many times, the rainforests of far North Queensland, the Tarkine, the Flinders Ranges, central NSW, the NT, the wheat country of WA: they’re all in there and inform my practice.

My process is instinctive. Each canvas begins with chaos – a palette of colours, broad brushwork and a variety of tools, a feeling, an image just out of reach. Then a dialogue begins and some kind of order ensues. It involves a certain amount of trust in myself, that I may be able to resolve an image from such a beginning.

 I have had four successful exhibitions in Sydney, three with photographer Milena Bennett. I have been a finalist in the 2017 ANL Maritime Art Award, Foot Square Competition 2019, the John Villiers Outback Art Prize 2020 and Petite Pieces Competition in 2020.