Karara Seed Pods Original Painting by Helen Ansell

Karara Seed Pods 61 x 61cm, original acrylic on canvas.

Karara Seed Pods is a bold and graphic celebration of Australia’s native desert flora, inspired by my firsthand experience working with native plants in some of the harshest conditions in the country. Drawn to the sculptural beauty and quiet strength of seed pods, I wanted to capture their natural rhythm and resilience — the way each form holds both structure and possibility. The composition reflects my love of pattern, colour, and the ordered chaos found in the Australian landscape.

This artwork is deeply connected to my time spent seed picking alongside my dad, whose native seed collecting work for land rehabilitation meant long days in extreme desert heat, learning which plants grow where and why. That intimate, practical knowledge of country shaped how I see and paint native flora. Karara Seed Pods is not just an observation of nature, but a reflection of lived experience, respect for the land, and the enduring strength of Australia’s desert plants.