By Ewen McRae
Swapping tradie tools for an artist’s paint brush may not be a conventional career path, but Adam Kirwin is making it work.
The former landscaper has turned his attention to his lifelong passion for art, bringing to life the Australian bush and outback that he remembers from his childhood.
Kirwin now calls Diggers Rest home, but he grew up in the New South Wales town of Yass and other rural parts of the state.
“I think my upbringing has definitely given me the opportunity to see parts of this wonderful country that many do not get to see,” Kirwin said. “You get to see the rawest parts of Australia in regional areas. It’s not until you get older that you realise how different regional Australia is to city areas.
“The land goes for miles and its rich colours and textures are mesmerising.”
Making the switch from landscaping to painting has not been without its challenges, but bringing his visions to life was a passion Kirwin said he could not ignore.
“I’ve always been creative and loved designing things,” he said. “I love landscaping, drawing plans and researching horticultural solutions.
“I created one of my first creative plans when I was eight years old, designing my grandparents’ garden … [I] enjoyed seeing the whole process of plans come to life.
“I’m probably not your typical artist and my works are very different to anything else.
“Whether deliberately or not, I’ve managed to capture the essence of Australia in quite an intriguing way.”
Details: adamkirwanart.com
