The Terminator by Lilian Reynolds

Water erupts when it encounters the Terminator – the nickname earned by Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus. She has a seemingly superhuman ability to eliminate competitors in her relentless pursuit of gold medals and world records. To family, friends, and fans, this humble champion is simply known as Arnie.

We are connected in a small way, having both grown up in Launceston, Tasmania, before moving to Brisbane at the age of 14 to chase our dreams. Arnie is helping to fulfil mine in art, breaking into her intense training schedule for the Paris Olympics to pose for a poolside photo.

I wanted to create a realistic representation of an ordinary person who performs the extraordinary, while introducing an abstract element. Acrylic paint was used to capture Arnie’s friendly nature and fierce determination, with her tattoo and faint goggle tan hinting at her identity. Bursts of water surround her, paying homage to a famous scene in the Terminator 2 movie where actor Arnold (Arnie) Schwarzenegger rides a motorcycle through flames.

This portrait is my tribute to a proud and inspirational Australia