Page 117 - Port Douglas Magazine 47

the arts.

“Unlike urban art centres, where trends can shift rapidly,
Port Douglas offers something slower, more grounded. Artists
here are shaped by seasonality, by isolation, by the rhythms of
weather and landscape”

“Outback Pop Up” Jacquline Joosen

recently Gabrielle Cooney’s Fish Eye, her sell out show which opened the
2026 program. Her work explores through a collection of ceramic Fish Eyes,
adding another dimension to how the tropics are interpreted by artists in the
region.
Tim Ellis’ work, first exhibited at the Cairns Art Gallery, presents a cinematic
perspective shaped by his background in film and television. His paintings
capture fleeting, everyday moments from life in Far North Queensland,
combining hyper-real detail with elements of staging and narrative.
Extending beyond painting, his practice incorporates video and digital
projection, adding a temporal dimension to these scenes. Following its Cairns
presentation, Glimpses has toured to Atherton and Townsville, highlighting
the strength and diversity of artists emerging from the region.
This May, the Affordable Art Fair in Brisbane will showcase the work of
several Port Douglas artists, including Jacquline Joosen, Perrin Clarke, Donna
Ward, and Chrissie McLaughlin. Clarke is recognised for his highly resolved
acrylic prints, capturing both the sweeping landscapes of North Queensland
and meticulously composed still-life scenes with technical precision and a
strong sense of place. Joosen brings an intuitive approach to the landscape,
developing abstract compositions through layered mark-making and colour
that balance spontaneity with structure. Ward and McLaughlin contribute
further depth, reflecting the diversity and creativity of the Port Douglas arts

PORT DOUGLAS MAGAZINE 117