Story of the Piece: Where the River Flows

There is a quiet strength in the land — in the fields tilled, the rivers followed, the animals raised and trusted. Where the River Flows is Michelle’s tribute to the people of the land — those who live close to the soil, whose days are shaped by weather, work, and quiet endurance.

This piece is built from memory and deep respect — a blending of places lived, travelled through, and loved. At its center, reclaimed glass plates and vintage paperweights open into scenes of rural life: horses at rest in open fields, crops stitched in rows, mountains rising like old hands at the edge of vision. The horses stand for resilience — for lives lived through drought and harvest, loss and hope

Glass pebbles form the patchwork of paddocks, while natural stone and subtle elevation add depth — echoing the vast scale of working farms. Nestled into the scene are rusted miniatures: a bicycle, a birdcage. These aren’t decorations — they are traces of presence. Weathered with time, they suggest a home lived in for generations — where people stayed, and stories settled in the soil.

The mountains and paddocks may shape the land, but it’s the people who give it meaning. Tucked quietly beneath the trees, small figurines — a man, a woman, and two children. They don’t call attention to themselves, but their presence lingers. They’re not just part of the scene; they are the story — a family held by place, shaped by seasons, and remembered in stillness.

Materials: Reclaimed glass plates and paperweights, glass pebbles, natural rocks, resin, diorama miniatures (figurines, trees, bike, birdcage)

Dimensions: 1200mm x 680mm

POA