The path to the beach near my home winds through a tea tree reserve. It’s a shadowy trail, lined with gnarled, twisting trees that arch overhead and carve tunnels into the sandy banks. They feel alive—leaning, shifting, sometimes seeming to block your way.

You’d never guess that just a few metres ahead, the forest opens onto a sunlit beach and shimmering water. You have to trust it’s there. No matter how often I walk this path, I’m never indifferent to these trees. They spark my imagination and conjure memories of fairy tales and gothic novels.

Every image in this exhibition comes from that same tea tree reserve, though taken from different paths. It’s nearly impossible to return to the exact spot—wind and time constantly reshape the landscape. The trees are fragile, ever-changing. These photographs are records of fleeting moments, capturing places that may never look the same again.

Biography

Renée Sterling began with small to large format cameras and darkroom processes, eventually switching to digital in 2010. Her images merge traditional aesthetics with contemporary thought to create images reflecting her personal sense of the world.

Website: reneesterling.com.au

Instagram: @reneesterlingstudio