The subject of this painting is a huge protea bush that had naturalised in an abandoned rural garden near Mount Royal National Park in the Hunter Valley. With no one caring for it, the leaves and flowers show signs of weather and insect damage, but it's still glorious. I wanted to share the joy of those colours, but more than that, the beauty of the imperfections and the way the light catches them and creates interesting shadows. The flaws make these damaged flowers more beautiful.