ABOUT
Hoo
Hello! I'm Dharshi, and I welcome you to discover my world of contemporary eco-print paintings. Working from my self-designed garden sanctuary on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula—just 45 minutes from Melbourne—I create art that bridges the ancient dialogue between nature and canvas, having spent the last 15 years cultivating both my artistic practice and the living laboratory that inspires it.
I create my art from a place of inner stillness, embracing a philosophy and lifestyle of slow living. Ironically, this approach leads to prolific creativity, a strong work ethic, and a creative process filled with meaning, narratives, symbolism, mystical elements, and whimsical joy rooted in a deep commitment to wisdom.
To read more about my art process in creating eco-print paintings, please subscribe to my newsletter on my blog here.
I welcome anyone interested in viewing my art to contact me directly here.
The Garden Studio Practice
What sets my work apart is its profound connection to place and the lush garden at Hoo that not only fuels my imagination but also provides valuable resources for my eco-print paintings. Every botanical element in my work—from the twisting forms of rambling ivy to the delicate petals of homegrown dahlias—originates from this sanctuary I've personally designed, planted, and tended. Over fifteen years, I have personally designed, planted, and tended this sanctuary, adding nearly 30 trees and over 1,000 plants to create a diverse ecosystem that feeds my artistic vision. You'll discover that many of my works are truly one of a kind, as this garden provides the unique botanical materials that make each piece irreplaceable.
This is more than a garden; it's a carefully curated palette of living materials. I grow flowers from seed, nurture trees to maturity, and harvest their leaves, bark, and blooms to create the eco-dyes and botanical impressions that form the foundation of my work. Each painting carries the DNA of this specific place—the soil, the seasons, the years of patient cultivation that transform seed into art.
Philosophy and Vision
With a background in education and award-winning fashion design, I believe that I bring a unique perspective to botanical art. The works carry symbolic depth and whimsical joy, emerging from a philosophy of slow living and mindful creation. Many pieces feature the quiet inscription "All is Well"—an invitation to find peace in the present moment, to seek light and beauty even in challenging times.
My work explores themes of identity, family values, connection to nature, and both ancestral and imaginative narratives surrounding relationships. In all that I create, I strive to respect and honour all of creation. My paintings are not simply botanical studies but profound explorations of life, death, renewal, and our deep connection to the natural world.
Interested in hearing more about my process, philosophy and place? Subscribe to my blog here!
The Eco-Printing Process
My innovative approach elevates eco-printing from traditional craft to contemporary fine art. I press fresh botanical materials directly onto canvas before stretching, creating unrepeatable impressions that become the foundation for larger works. These ghostly plant imprints are then developed using soft pastels, earth pigments, and locally sourced natural dyes—including colors extracted from avocado pits—to create atmospheric, contemplative paintings.
My technique draws inspiration from the delicate balance of Japanese screen paintings and the bold, graphic sensibility of Toulouse-Lautrec posters, resulting in works that are both contemporary and timeless. Each piece is a modern vanitas painting—a meditation on beauty, impermanence, and the profound wisdom found in nature's cycles.
Locations
I exhibit my work across multiple intimate settings that honour the domestic nature of my art:
Hoo Gallery, Mount Eliza Village - My permanent gallery space in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula, where visitors can experience my latest works as it becomes available as well as my full collection of retrospective works in a welcoming, community-centered environment. This location is open to the public with hours Monday to Wednesday from 9 am-4pm or by appointment. Call me here to make a time and I will personally meet you there, if I am available.
Mornington Peninsula Studio - Located within my garden sanctuary, offering visitors the rare opportunity to see art in the very space where it's created, surrounded by the living materials that inspire each piece. I have had visitors from all over Australia visit this space, it all just starts with a simple email requesting a meetup! Write to me here and I will get back to you asap.
Richmond Apartment Shows - Periodically, I open my Melbourne apartment for intimate viewings, creating unique opportunities to experience my work in true domestic settings where art lives alongside daily life. These are generally closed door events, please sign up to my nesletter to be first to be invited to my next event.
This multi-location approach reflects my belief that art belongs not just on gallery walls, but in the spaces where we live, breathe, and find daily inspiration.
Dharshi is a mother of four, an artist and a designer. She was a fully qualified primary school teacher, as well as an award winning fashion designer in her past. Dharshi founded the Hoo Gallery in 2019 as an online gallery. The brick and mortar gallery was opened in 2021 at her home but now it is situated in the heart of Mt Eliza Village in Mornington Peninsula. Read more about Dharshini's background here.