Artists-in-Residence Program

Art on the edge of the ocean

Much like the celebrated artists’ program at sister lodge Longitude 131°, the Kangaroo Island initiative welcomes one artist at a time to stay, create and share their practice in situ. Between coastal walks and signature lodge adventures, guests might find an artist sketching in the Great Room, pressing leaves gathered from the mallee, or refining a sculpture inspired by the offshore reefs. Easy conversations, studio-style viewings and the occasional opportunity to acquire a work create lasting connections with the island’s vibrant creative community.

Janine Mackintosh – leaf mandalas and memory

Assemblage artist and long-time Southern Ocean Lodge collaborator Janine Mackintosh has transformed the luxury lodge into a living gallery. Using hand-gathered native flora, herbarium techniques and carefully selected found objects, Janine creates intricate mandalas that reflect both her custodianship of the island’s wild landscapes and her deep affection for Kangaroo Island’s ecosystems. Guests will discover Janine’s commissioned works throughout Southern Ocean Lodge, from contemplative installations in the guest suites to statement pieces in the restaurant and Southern Spa, each offering a window into the island’s botanical richness, natural heritage and quiet rhythms.

Janine will be in residence across three dedicated periods: 1-7 December 2025, 9-14 February 2026, and 23-28 March 2026, inviting guests to engage with her practice during each stay.

Linda Irwin – the quiet, celestial lens

Photographer and storyteller Linda Irwin brings the subtle, often unseen details of Kangaroo Island into focus. With a background in science and years spent interpreting the island’s geology and ecology for visitors, her macro, landscape, bird and night photography is grounded in patient observation and technical expertise. Linda has documented more than 80 native orchid species and captured incredible natural phenomena including bioluminescence and the Aurora Australis, putting together a collection of works at the lodge that invites guests to slow down and notice the island’s quiet magic.

Linda will be in residence between 24-27 December 2025 and 1-13 March 2026.

Patti Blucher – small treasures, salvaged stories

Jeweller and painter Patti Blucher translates Kangaroo Island’s wild edges into finely crafted pieces under her By Blu label. Working in sterling silver cast from organic forms and reclaimed copper, Patti’s earrings, bangles, pendants and artworks echo the textures of coastal scrub, rock pools and wind-scoured dunes. Her ‘Salvaged’ collection speaks to transformation and renewal, while her work at Southern Ocean Lodge offers guests the chance to take home a small, beautifully considered piece of the island’s story.

Guests are invited to meet Patti during her two residency periods: 18-23 December 2025 and 10-16 January 2026.

Maggie Welz – silk, ink and a changing island

For more than four decades, artist and botanist Maggie Welz has traced the evolving story of Kangaroo Island’s natural environment, from its delicate wildflowers to the challenges of climate change. Trained in botany and initially working as a botanical illustrator, Maggie now works across silk, watercolour, acrylics and inks, with her luminous pieces celebrating the island’s beauty. At the lodge, Maggie’s textiles and works on paper become both homage and a gentle call to care for ‘our precious island’.

Maggie will be in residence from 1-7 February and 15-22 March, 2026.

Jane Louise Evans – pressing the wild

Printmaker and mixed-media artist Jane Louise Evans lives and works from a remote studio overlooking Nepean Bay, drawing daily inspiration from the island’s light, weather, and wildlife. Her practice spans soft, painterly intaglio, bold relief printmaking, collagraphs, collage and drawing, capturing Echidnas, Kangaroos and Wallabies alongside endangered beach-nesting birds such as Hooded Plovers, Pied Oystercatchers and White-bellied Sea Eagles. Jane’s commitment to sustainable materials and processes align naturally with the lodge’s own light-touch ethos on the landscape.

Jane will be in residence across the festive season and early new year – 14-16 and 28-31 December 2025, and 1-8 January 2026 – offering guests the opportunity to connect with her creative process.

Dave Clarke – ocean life in bronze

Sculptor Dave Clarke brings a different perspective offshore, working primarily in bronze and copper to magnify South Australia’s quietly magnificent marine creatures. Originally trained in three-dimensional design, Dave is known for enlarging the tiniest ocean forms – from invertebrates to delicate reef dwellers – and giving them a presence that invites closer contemplation. His work has been recognised in the prestigious Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize and is displayed at Southern Ocean Lodge in dialogue with the coastal views that inspire it.

Dave will be in residence from 17-31 January 2026, offering guests the opportunity to connect with his work during this time.

Peter Hastwell – layered views of place

Multidisciplinary artist Peter Hastwell channels a strong environmental ethic through photography, printmaking, painting and works using recycled materials. Often beginning with an image captured through the lens, Peter layers paint, pattern and texture to move beyond straightforward representation, creating pieces that feel both grounded in the island’s remoteness and subtly dreamlike or ethereal. Recognised with awards across multiple mediums, Peter’s distinctive fusion of technique and environmental storytelling offers guests a unique lens through which to engage with the island during his residency.

Peter will be in residence from 15-28 February 2026.

Jennifer Macauley – light over sea and scrub

Landscape and portrait artist Jennifer (Jenni) Macauley brings a lifetime of drawing, design and painting experience to her depictions of Kangaroo Island. Influenced by early training in Sydney, a career in graphic design and years spent exploring rugged coastlines from Bass Strait to ‘KI’, Jenni now works in watercolour, gouache, acrylic and oils to express the shifting interplay of sea, sky and landforms. Her internationally exhibited paintings distil the moods of the island’s light and weather into contemporary works that feel both familiar and refreshingly new to guests.

Guests are invited to view Jenni’s work during her residency from 23-31 March 2026.