Susan Baird Online Exhibition: Hydra
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Susan BairdWalled Garden, 2025oil on Belgian linen30 x 35 cmSold -
Susan BairdFrom The Terrace, Lemon Tree House, 2025oil on canvas18 x 24 cm
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Susan BairdSirocco, 2025oil on Belgian linen50 x 50 cm
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Susan BairdCyprus Garden, Hydra, 2024oil on canvas18 x 24 cmSold
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Susan BairdChurch on the Hill, Avlaki, 2025oil on canvas panel13 x 17 cm
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Susan BairdSitting Room Window at Lemon Tree House, 2025oil on Belgian linen30 x 30 cm
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Susan BairdChurch on Hydra, 2024oil on canvas18 x 24 cm
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Susan BairdPine and Banksia, 2025oil on canvas panel13 x 17 cm
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Susan BairdHydra Landscape, Minerva Red, 2025oil on Belgian linen50 x 50 cm
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Susan BairdSecret Garden, Kamini View, 2024oil on canvas18 x 24 cm
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Susan BairdHydra Night, 2025oil on Belgian linen23 x 30 cmSold
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Susan BairdElemental Landscape, 2025oil on Belgian linen30 x 35 cm
Hydra Series (2023–2025) - Notes from the Artist
This suite of paintings is inspired by my travels to the island of Hydra during 2023 and 2024 and was further developed in my studio in 2025.
On my first visit, I was completely captivated by the island’s luminous light and dramatic landscape. Hydra’s Venetian stone villas, tall cypress trees and vast rocky escarpments, encircled by the Aegean Sea, offered a unique harmony of architecture and nature that compelled me to paint.
I returned in April 2024 with the intention of painting en plein air, making Lemon Tree House, a traditional Hydriot home my base for four weeks. From its small balcony overlooking the inland area known as Avlaki, I was able to observe the quiet rhythms of everyday life. The rocky hills and nearby ancient ruins formed a constant backdrop to my work, while from the rooftop terrace, glimpses of the sparkling blue sea and the fishing village of Kamini unfolded in the distance.
During this time, I was lucky to witness the rare Sirocco dust storm from the Sahara, transforming the light into a dusty pink-orange haze. Late spring brought a delicate bloom of wildflowers, simple moments of beauty within a landscape of rugged decay.
On Hydra, time feels suspended. Donkeys and footpaths remain the island’s primary modes of transport, and life begins with the first sounds of daybreak.
While there, I also made a pilgrimage to the Australian House, once home to writers Charmian Clift and George Johnston, passing Leonard Cohen’s old house each day on the steep walk to the port. I often reflected on Sidney Nolan’s time on Hydra and his evocative paintings of churches set against the cliffs. I felt the creative spirit of these artists, their isolation, reflection and connection to the place - it accompanied and inspired my own work.
