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Q. How did this series 'Into the Blue' first come about?
The whole series began with a lionfish sting. Literally, inspiration struck me in the foot.
It landed me in hospital, and despite the pain, it gave my mind the space to think through everything I'd been working on.
At the time, I was preparing a lecture for the University of Western Sydney on Chinoiserie and the influence it had around the world; primarily blue and white china — Delftware in Holland, Wedgwood in the UK, and adaptations across Japan and Persia.
It's remarkable how many cultures took this porcelain and made it their own.
That expansion of sea trade between Europe and Asia also meant shipwrecks — many of them. Lying in that hospital bed, I found myself wondering: what would happen if, by some strange alchemy, the treasures of the sea merged with the treasures from above?
That question became the series.
Q. Tell us about the crab.
Mazu (the crab) —began as a study titled The Sea Walker. Mazu is the patron goddess of sailors and fishermen in Chinese folklore, and because the crab moves between land and sea, she felt like a natural guardian of harbours and coastlines — roaming the ocean floor, gathering treasures from the wrecks below.
Q. Tell us about the Octopus.
Tamayori (the octopus) — originally Professor Procambus. While painting her, she reminded me of a mother: always working, always multitasking, holding everything together with elegance. Tamayori is a figure from Japanese mythology, born into the realm of the Dragon King beneath the sea. Unlike the warrior heroines of myth, her strength comes from motherhood and spiritual authority — intuition, wisdom, a connection to the sacred.
Octopuses are extraordinary creatures (if you haven't seen My Octopus Teacher on Netflix, it's worth watching) — many species care for their eggs until they hatch, then die shortly after. They spend their whole lives looking after their young. I wanted her new name to carry that same sense of quiet devotion.
Q. Tell us about the Turtle.
Ibn Battuta (the turtle)— originally The Intrepid Explorer. Named for the explorer who travelled further than Marco Polo, centuries before the Age of Discovery. Turtles are known for their longevity and for navigating vast oceans, migrating thousands of miles every year. Over a lifetime, this turtle has gathered treasures and ceramics from different cultures and eras — much like Ibn Battuta himself, who explored not for conquest but simply to see the world and learn from it. It felt like a fitting parallel.
