Labours of the Land
15th Aug - 26th Sep 2025
Opening 15th Aug, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Murdoch Hill, Adelaide
Murdoch Hill is a boutique, family wine producer of premium cool climate wine from the Heart of the Adelaide Hills.
Works Available for purchasing online or email art.en@yahoo.com
Open 11am to 4pm Thursday-Tuesday (Closed Wednesday)
Labours of the Land' brings the unseen, often overlooked moments of rural life to the forefront, reminding us of the dedication it takes to work the land and the profound satisfaction and beauty that comes from it. This exhibition pays tribute to the perseverance and spirit of those whose daily efforts ensure the survival and growth of the land.
On the land, chaos, beauty, and fulfillment live side by side.
A yard of restless calves, dust rising in the sun.
Firewood stacked for the warmth to come.
A storm’s gift of timber — and the fence it breaks.
A pile of “junk” that, with time, turns to gold.
Emma is an emerging artist who lives and paints on a farm in Oakbank. She’s chosen to exhibit her work locally to stay connected with the community and engage directly with Oakbank residents. All paintings feature farms in Oakbank or Woodside
2025, Acrylic on 100% Cotton Canvas
870 × 1120mm
On show at Murdoch Hill.
If purchased, artwork will remain hanging at Murdoch Hill until the exhibition has concluded.
Long before the first frost settles, preparations are underway. Logs are cut, split, and stacked, their neat rows a silent promise of warmth and comfort when winter closes in. Each piece of firewood is the result of steady, deliberate effort — a labor that will pay itself back tenfold in the coldest months. It’s not just about heat for the home, but about the reassurance that comes from knowing you are ready, that the work done today will carry you through tomorrow.
2025, Acrylic on 100% Cotton Canvas
800 × 1100mm
On show at Murdoch Hill.
If purchased, artwork will remain hanging at Murdoch Hill until the exhibition has concluded.
Every farm has one — the pile of materials in the corner of the yard. Rusted gates, lengths of chain, timber with nails still embedded. To the untrained eye, it’s a heap of junk. To those who work the land, it’s a gold mine in waiting. One day, that piece of metal will be the exact hinge you need; that wire will be the fix that saves a day’s work. It is a quiet kind of wealth, built not on spending, but on holding onto the possibility of usefulness. Golden patience is the art of knowing that nothing is truly wasted.
2025
Charcoal and Oil on canvas
1100 x 800mm.
The yard is alive with movement — calves kicking up swirls of dust that catch the afternoon light. Their eyes dart, their ears twitch, every muscle ready to flee from the unfamiliar shape of a person. There’s a raw energy here, unrefined and untamed, the kind that reminds you that working with animals is as much about patience as it is about skill. This is the chaos of beginnings, where trust is slowly built, one step at a time.
2025, Acrylic on 100% Cotton Canvas
870 × 1120mm
On show at Murdoch Hill.
If purchased, artwork will remain hanging at Murdoch Hill until the exhibition has concluded.
When the wind howls and rain lashes the paddocks, you know what morning will bring. The first light reveals the damage — a heavy branch sprawled across a fence, wire slack where it should be taut. The storm has left you firewood, but never without strings attached. Before the animals can find their way out, the fence must be mended, the break closed. It’s a familiar exchange: nature gives, nature takes, and you meet both with the same steady resolve.