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Christopher Vidal
Into the Light
Oil on Gessoed Aluminium Panel
This oil painting captures the tranquil beauty of Lake Placid in Tropical North Queensland during the golden glow of sunset. A lone kayaker drifts gently yet purposefully upstream, heading into the fading light. The still waters reflect the warm hues of the sky, flowing around sunlit boulders, framed by eucalypts and dense tropical foliage.
I painted this piece using the indirect method, building it in layers from a plein air sketch, photographs and memory. More than a depiction of a place, this painting holds symbolic weight: the kayaker, moving against the current and towards the light, mirrors each one of us in life. As we face and overcome difficulties—like pushing upstream—we grow stronger, more resilient, and, we hope, better.
“Into the light” becomes both a literal direction and a metaphorical one, capturing the universal journey through struggle toward clarity, purpose, and peace.
Size: 31 × 61 cm
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About Christopher Vidal
Chris Vidal is a contemporary realist artist based in Sydney, Australia. Trained in classical drawing in Malta, he later pursued a career in science before returning to his lifelong passion for art. A self-taught oil painter, he now works full-time from his Sydney studio, creating landscapes, still life, and commissioned works inspired by travel and nature. Influenced by realist and impressionist masters, his art is held in private and corporate collections worldwide. Chris also teaches drawing and painting, focusing on both technique and the reasoning behind it, empowering students to paint with confidence and independence.
