Painter and illustrator Kirsten Sims is a master of gentle parody, using idiosyncratic characters, gestural brushstrokes, enticing colour combinations and irresistible humour to draw in the viewer to consider subjects that hide – however subtly – beneath the surface. Portraying narrative scenes both fanciful and familiar, her work explores the literal and psychosocial dimensions of place, whether crowded sartorial scene or serene landscape, recognisable vista or exotic escape. It’s a theme informed by a very personal approach; each artwork indicative of her current interior landscape, of her place within a place. With her canny observations and impulsive aesthetic style, Sims strives to create connection with viewers by validating the shared human experience in all its bizarre theatrics, varied colour and seemingly trivial moments.