2021

In my practice as a medical illustrator specialising in heart surgery illustration, I see hearts broken by disease or malformation. As a mother of two teenagers in the time of COVID, I see hearts broken by missed opportunity, displaced dreams and isolation. Despite all the loss and destruction, I’m also witness to a resilience and renewal in both the literal and figurative heart that blows me away.

The native Australian acacia tree is a tough customer, not easily thwarted by drought and fire. In fact, while setbacks on the short term, these may actually be key to its long-term strength and future success triggering processes that do not occur in the absence of such challenges.

This work is an ode to the Acacia Heart, the resiliency that will enable our younger generation to thrive in whatever future lies ahead.