Painting as Breath, Presence, and Touch
After moving to Australia a year and a half ago, I was deeply moved by the richness and diversity of Queensland’s native flora. The vibrant beauty of this landscape became both a daily source of wonder and a quiet teacher. The plants I paint are shaped by this new environment— eucalyptus leaves, blooming jacarandas, native grasses, and flowers. They act as both material and spiritual codes, perceptible on many levels.
In the Botanical Meditation series, I explore the subtle boundary between seeing and feeling. Botanical forms emerge from layers of translucent blue—a symbol of inner silence and meditative space—not as decorative motifs, but as quiet invitations to pause.
This series draws inspiration from Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of “forest bathing”—a contemplative immersion in nature. It is not about observing from afar, but about listening with the whole body. My paintings follow the same principle: each work is a slow breath, a moment of sensory presence, a space for resonance.
These are not botanical illustrations; they are visual meditations—layered gestures of stillness, texture, and light. Each painting unfolds like a quiet exhalation, inviting the viewer to delve into thought and reconnect with a deeper rhythm of life.
With these works, I offer a return—to the body, to the natural world, to the unconscious. These are not simply paintings of plants; they are mindfulness practices in visual form.
After moving to Australia a year and a half ago, I was deeply moved by the richness and diversity of Queensland’s native flora. The vibrant beauty of this landscape became both a daily source of wonder and a quiet teacher. The plants I paint are shaped by this new environment— eucalyptus leaves, blooming jacarandas, native grasses, and flowers. They act as both material and spiritual codes, perceptible on many levels.
In the Botanical Meditation series, I explore the subtle boundary between seeing and feeling. Botanical forms emerge from layers of translucent blue—a symbol of inner silence and meditative space—not as decorative motifs, but as quiet invitations to pause.
This series draws inspiration from Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of “forest bathing”—a contemplative immersion in nature. It is not about observing from afar, but about listening with the whole body. My paintings follow the same principle: each work is a slow breath, a moment of sensory presence, a space for resonance.
These are not botanical illustrations; they are visual meditations—layered gestures of stillness, texture, and light. Each painting unfolds like a quiet exhalation, inviting the viewer to delve into thought and reconnect with a deeper rhythm of life.
With these works, I offer a return—to the body, to the natural world, to the unconscious. These are not simply paintings of plants; they are mindfulness practices in visual form.
Works in this series
Winter Frangipani
A$2,000.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
91.5 x 122 cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Guava
A$1,600.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
101.6 x 76.2cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Calliandra (Red Pom Pom)
A$2,000.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
91.5 x 122 cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Moreton Bay Fig Tree
A$1,600.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
101.6 x 76.2cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Cycad Palm
A$2,000.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
91.5 x 122 cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Fig Tree
A$2,000.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
91.5 x 122 cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile)
A$1,600.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
101.6 x 76.2cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Jacaranda
A$2,000.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
91.5 x 122 cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Flame Tree
A$2,000.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
91.5 x 122 cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Black Penda
A$1,600.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
76.2 x 101.6 cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Silky Oak (Buckinghamia)
A$1,600.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
101.6 x 76.2cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.
Golden Dewdrops
A$1,600.00
by Oxana Arefin
Acrylic on canvas
76.2 x 101.6 cm
2025
This artwork is part of the Botanical Meditation series, exploring states of presence through layered colour, texture, and botanical forms.