Scarlet Bennett

I am an Australian metal artist inspired by the textures and organic forms of the land. I grew up on a working farm in a remote area and this early connection with the natural world shapes my work. My awareness is always drawn to the changing environment around me, the seasons, the weather, the animals, the movements of clouds, birds and insects. The landscape and its inhabitants speak to me, and it is this conversation that inspires what I make.

'Hunted' explores the relationship between predator and prey. Who is the hunter and who is being hunted? The emotional undertone speaks to the attempt to flee what cannot be escaped, expressed in the shark as it penetrates the human body, while the sea anemone candlestick shines the light of hope on the path ahead.

'Rewilding' celebrates a return to deep authenticity with an earthy wooden mask that changes during the passage of the four seasons. There is a grounded stability in the constancy of the mask as the seasons – and embellishments – change in response to the evolving seasonal environment.