Story of the Piece: A Familiar Current

Sea turtles have long held a special place in Michelle’s heart — gentle travellers of the reef, wise and enduring. A Familiar Current is a celebration of their grace and resilience, inspired by a cherished memory: her first visit to Wangetti Beach, watching a lone turtle ride the waves for hours beside her partner.

Five hand-painted sea turtles drift across a sculpted tide of reclaimed driftwood, their gestures playful, fluid, and free. Each turtle has been uniquely painted and positioned to reflect its own personality: some exploring, others resting, one just beginning to rise. Hints of soft green and warm undertones evoke shallow waters and sunlit seaweed where turtles feed and frolic.

The driftwood is washed in ocean blues and textured layers that mirror the seafloor, while the base is scattered with locally sourced coral, shell, and reef stone. Every element is chosen with care, grounding the work in the coastal world Michelle knows so intimately.

A Familiar Current celebrates the joy of simply being — of drifting, exploring, and basking in the moment. It’s a lighthearted reflection on freedom, curiosity, and the happiness found in familiar waters. These turtles don’t carry burdens; they play, they glide, and they remind us what it means to feel at home in the flow.

It honours the quiet rhythms of the sea and the creatures who trust its flow — a reminder that sometimes, the most beautiful journeys are the ones that bring us back to where we began.

Materials: Reclaimed driftwood, hand-painted manta rays, coral, shell, locally sourced stone, hand-finished base

Dimensions: 49 cm x 21 cm

POA