Behind the Work

Recent Residency at Ignite Studios (2025 / 2026) 

In Feb 2026, Ildiko undertook a further residency, continuing her return to sustained studio practice. While less documented visually, this period deepened her focus on painting and reflection, building on the momentum established during her earlier Ignite Studios residency.

During this residency, Ildiko worked on a large salvaged canvas (150 × 120 cm) recovered from her flood-affected home (see Behind the Work). This work continues the imagery of her self-portrait behind doors of that house. The canvas survived the flood and became the final work in this series. Working on this painting marked a moment of moving towards closure, both for the body of work and for the memories held within those doors in her previous home, bringing together the experience of loss, recovery, and return to practice. 

Embracing Renewal: Artist Residency at Ignite Studios

13–27 May 2024

In May 2024, Ildiko completed a two-week residency at Ignite Studios, marking an important step in reconnecting with her painting practice. Following the 2022 Lismore flood, which resulted in the loss of her studio, materials, and much of her work, this residency offered dedicated time and space to fully immerse herself in creative exploration.

During the residency, she focused on painting exercises, portrait studies, and experimenting with new approaches — a chance to rediscover her process after a four-year hiatus.

She is grateful for the support of Ella Millard and Imbi Davidson from the Northern Rivers Community Gallery, whose encouragement helped make the residency a meaningful and restorative experience.

This period was about more than producing new work; it became a moment of renewal, reflection, and rebuilding momentum in her practice. It also reaffirmed the value of dedicating uninterrupted time to the creative process.

These images show Ildiko’s home and studio during the flood and in the immediate aftermath of the February 2022 floods in Lismore. The waters rose through their two-storey house, reaching the upper living areas and submerging her studio. Ildiko and her family evacuated in the early hours, moving through floodwaters in darkness.

Floodwaters remained underneath their house for the following day, keeping the studio submerged and delaying access for cleanup. Floodwater carries far more than rain- it contains sewage, oil and petrol (which could be smelled), chemicals, rubbish, branches, syringes, animal remains, and other debris. The movement of this heavy, contaminated water shifts furniture and household contents, smashing, breaking, and dislodging everything in its path.

The photographs capture the extent of the damage and the impact on her creative space. At the time, the flood resulted in the loss of her studio and much of her artistic practice. These images stand as a record of that challenging period and the resilience it took to begin rebuilding her stability for her family and her arts practise.

The image showing the front of their house shows floodwater in the upper living areas of the home, extending across the road in front. Their home sat lower than the road, and the road is shown to be a metre under the floodwater. The studio was submerged to the ceiling in that photo. Ildiko and her family were fortunate that the flood did not rise higher, up to the ceilings of their living area, as many homes in Lismore experienced that and far greater levels of inundation and destruction.