That Hazel Light
Kirilee West
- Sitter: Jordache Gage
- Medium: Oil on Board
- Dimensions: 45cm x 61cm
- Representation: This artist represents themselves
About the artwork
In this evocative image Jordache Gage closes his eyes and stands in the sun. Asked by the artist to think about his daughter Hazel, a serene smile appears on his face. We see a father who has a deep love for his daughter.
“I could tell you many things about Jordache. His contemporary abstract art. The way he grew up with spray paint across his clothes and fingers. I could tell you of his kindness. The way he thinks deeply, inviting those around him to do the same, engaging with this beautiful level of openness and lack of judgement.
“But what I will tell you is about his daughter, Hazel. That her name is never far from his lips when we talk about anything. That is who he is, in part, by being her father.”
Jordache Gage is a self-taught artist with over a decades experience. His practice explores the emotional impact of colour, the tension between natural and artificial environments and the intensity of human connection. He is one of the founders of Mayne Line, a studio gallery in Albion, where he first met Kirilee West. The muted tones of the image reinforce the quiet reflection of the work, giving a sense of his other world.
About the artist
Kirilee West is a critical care nurse with 15 years experience. And she is an artist. She captures the often hidden, quiet and moving moments of care, helping staff and patients feel seen and valued. She recently did a Masters involving a series of intimate portraits of critical care moments at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. This work is featured in Intima, A Journal of Narrative Medicine, 2024.
