Jo Darbyshire’s paintings represent both seen and sensed landscapes in that she seeks to captures the sights and feelings of swimming underwater, amongst the reefs of coastal Western Australia.

In this particular work, she references Matthew Flinders’ 1802 exploration of the North Barrier Reef.
He wrote "And the water being very clear round the edges, a new creation, as it was to us...equaling in beauty and excelling in grandeur the most favourite "parterre" of the curious florist...but whilst contemplating the richness of the scene, we could not long forget with what destruction it was pregnant."
-Matthew Flinders, 9 October 1802.