ExtraOrdinary is a collection of paintings depicting subjects found in everyday life. For Josephine Andrews, painting is a mindful practice that allows her to see the familiar afresh and provides a reprieve from the pressures that come with caring for a child with a rare condition and its associated issues.

About the Artist

Josephine Andrews is a painter from Gadigal Land, Sydney, whose life-long engagement with art took on a deeper significance after her child was born with a rare condition and complex disabilities. Painting, for Andrews, is an act of mindfulness, compelling her to be fully present and offering a distraction from stress and worry. Long periods of studying the mundane allow her to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, a perspective shift that enhances the vibrancy of reality and brings her a profound sense of peace and connection.

This effect of art extends to her experiences at Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick, where the artwork along the corridors has provided Andrews with comfort amid the stress, anxiety, and sorrow of her child's many hospital stays. Art, in this way, has offered her a valuable perspective. The subjects of Andrews' paintings are drawn from daily life: familiar scenes, household objects, and childhood paraphernalia, all portrayed with a sense of joy, colour, and playfulness. These works acknowledge the innocence of childhood against a backdrop of societal consumerism. By celebrating the everyday in a colourful and exuberant manner, Andrews hopes that her paintings will give those in the hospital a moment of relief and joy, much like the art she has encountered has done for her.

For sales, please contact the Art Program: 1800 244 537 or art@schf.org.au
A portion of each sale contributes to the fundraising efforts of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.