Artist Statement.

For as long as I can remember, I have been deeply moved by the Mornington Peninsula’s natural surroundings. From the calm, clear waters of Port Phillip Bay, to the rugged ocean-facing coastline of the “back beaches”, there is something truly special about this place. I have spent over a decade photographing the area, in pursuit of rare natural light, weather and atmospheric effects. In recent years, I have been experimenting with a handful of forms of art including acrylic landscape/seascape painting, digital drawing and poetry. I would have to say that the peninsula has served as the core of my inspiration behind my visual work, as well as the philosophical contemplation (which often happens while I am out on the coastline) that drives me to write poetry.

 Photography: At the age of eighteen, I rediscovered just how beautiful the peninsula is and became obsessed with capturing special light out on the coastline. While there was a steep learning curve to my photography, and am still learning to this day, nothing quite compares to the feeling of capturing a new image and adding it to my portfolio. Photography above all, has taught me how light behaves, what creates a pleasing composition, and to remain patient and persistent in my artistic pursuits.

 Acrylic Paintings: In recent years, I have been particularly drawn to seascape painting using acrylics. In a mostly impressionistic style, I attempt to create paintings that reflect my love for this place. Sometimes, the pieces may lean towards realism, and other times they are much more abstract. I use my own photography as reference for the paintings but will often push and pull the composition and colour scheme to hopefully create a more pleasing piece. Some of the areas of the paintings are created using a wet-into-wet technique, and other areas are creating in layers, sometimes using multiple layers of glazes. While the subjects are essentially seascapes, the main thing I try to recreate is the light and atmosphere that I saw in the moment.

 Digital Drawing/Illustration: These pieces are created using a graphics tablet and a stylus, directly into Adobe Photoshop. No generative AI (artificial intelligence) is used to create them. These pieces too, are inspired by the peninsula, including flora and fauna native to the area. The compositions are essentially imagined, starting with a rough sketch, and then refined while observing photographic references of plants and animals.

 Poetry: While I am out there on the coastline, I am often in deep thought. I reflect on personal experiences, morality, existence, divinity and other philosophical ideas. I don’t read much poetry, but I am absolutely inspired by alternative music genres with an emphasis on complex lyricism. I often write these pieces while listening to instrumental music, where I create a flow or rhythm using the music’s beat as a tempo. I try to include multisyllabic rhymes schemes as much as I can and I sincerely enjoy the challenge of it.

I enjoy the artistic process in general, and every piece, whether visual or written, I see as an opportunity to experiment and grow as an artist. I look forward to what the future holds and feel truly blessed when a piece of my work resonates with someone else.

Gregorio Inguanti - 2026