David Brooker’s sea turtle on show at Luminance
It won the People’s Choice award at the Bonny Hills Art Prize; now David Brooker’s luminous painting of a sea turtle is at Luminance Gallery Port Macquarie.
At 102cm x 76cm, Sanctum, is a very distinctive addition to our Summer 2026 exhibition of realist, fabulist and botanical paintings by Mid North Coast artists David Brooker, Norma Flint, Kay Thurston and Melanie Hickling.
David describes his work in this exhibition as part of an ongoing exploration of clarity, presence, and connection.
‘Sanctum holds a particularly personal meaning for me. The turtle represents safety, endurance, and quiet resilience — the idea of carrying one’s shelter within. For me, this painting is about finding refuge and stillness in a noisy world, and the comfort of retreat without withdrawal. The turtle moves steadily forward, protected but not hidden, embodying a calm persistence that I find deeply reassuring.’
Other new additions to the ALCHEMY exhibition include Kay Thurston’s painting, Blushing; and Melanie Hickling’s Emergence.
David Brooker, Sanctum, oil on canvas, 102cm x 76cm, framed. $1,700.00
Kay Thurston, Blushing, acrylic on canvas, 74cm x 54cm, oak frame, $750
Melanie Hickling, Emergence, acrylic on canvas, 110cm x 110cm, $500