Napoleon's Hat

This was painted en plein air during my solo road trip through Central Australia to Northern Territory for 3 months in 2024.

I found this rock formation at Nghala Gorge and the shadow it cast resembled Napoleon's hat. There were some beautiful indigenous rock carvings representing the Caterpillar Dreaming story here so making reference to European culture at this important site of the Arrernte people may not be appropriate?

Not long after I finished the painting, I injured my right eye... a twig hit it when I was unloading the firewood from my car. I decided to return to Alice Springs Hospital Emergency Department to see a doctor instead of camping overnight at the gorge.

Having already lost my glasses along the journey and not being able to wear contact lense in my right eye, I only had my left eye to rely on for a few days. Vision is such a precious gift... too often taken for granted. Luckily the injury was not permanent... I cut short my trip to the Eastern MacDonnell Ranges and stayed put in a hotel room in Alice Spring for a few days to rest before continuing my trip.