Aidan Weichard

"Beyond the Hill" colorful, bright, abstracted cow in a green meadow

2025

I am a Gippsland-based artist, whose creative process is ever-evolving, with the constant being my subject matter. Native Australian flora and fauna are commonly depicted in my works and are symbolic of my affection toward the Australian landscape. Growing up in the hills amidst the rainforest and all its inhabitants, my love for wildlife’s incredible energy is something that’s been subconsciously ticking away in my mind since I was young. I’ve always drawn ever since I can remember and somehow my work always came out in the form of animals - a passion that has stuck! With my upbringing surrounded by the Gembrook bushlands and now living amongst the vast rolling hills of Gippsland, I have developed a spiritual connection with the land and its animal inhabitants, both of which have become integral not only to my creative practice, but to my personal identity. As well as the native wildlife, my practice focuses on industrious farm animals, livestock and working dogs – subjects that have consistently stood out to me for their stoic, hardworking and loyal nature. My biggest inspiration, however, are my two Australian Shepherds. It’s their endless affection and loyalty that amazes me everyday, there is never a dull moment around here. But, I really find brilliance in all animals, whether it be our noisy chickens, Jen’s horses or the neighbor’s cows, I have a huge admiration for their unmistakable characteristics and unique markings, no matter the species. Just being in the presence of animals has a dramatic proven positive physiological and psychological effect on us and my art tries to explore this using color and texture. Vitality and vigor are at the center of each of my works. I aim to induce a feel of brightness and levity, with my style heightening the playfulness found in cockatoos, the power of a bull or the vibrancy of fresh gum leaves. High colors are purposefully used to emphasize the character, persona, and emotion of my subject matters. The intentionally dramatic brushstrokes imbue my subject matter with a dynamism that is at once powerful and compelling. Combining bright colors with layered mixed media such as spray paint, enamel, oil paint on varied mediums, my bold technique belies the intentionality of my process. It’s about having fun and retaining a certain flexibility and fluidity in my style, that allows me to dramatize and accentuate elements unique to the subject matter. Evoking memories of the generation of fallen fauna on the forest floor, my subjects emerge from a chaos of shapes and color, morphing into startlingly vivid depictions of familiar Australian characters. Moving between this considered approach and my chaotic application, my paintings hold a drama and depth that masterfully draw audiences in for closer inspection. Keeping the majority of my artwork’s fluid and abstracted, contested against hints of detail in crucial components such as the eyes, forces the imaginative reconstruction to see a piece in its entirety. My message is simple: ‘Mindful reflection of this amazing place, and the incredible things within it’..