Where It All Began ~ the Story of Petrichor

Where it all began

The name came to me in one of those perfect moments – you know the smell of rain on earth after a hot day? That intoxicating, earthy fragrance that makes you stop and breathe deeply. I've always been captivated by it, so I decided to look up what it was called. Petrichor. The word itself felt like poetry. But here's where it gets even better – when I dug deeper, I discovered that this beautiful word was actually coined by two CSIRO professors right here in Australia. That moment of discovery ignited something in me. Suddenly, my vision became crystal clear: I wanted to weave Australia and her extraordinary beauty into everything I would create.

Two Paths Converging

 For thirty years, I've been a chef – my hands have always been creative, just in a different medium. But as a child, art was my first language. I drew, I sketched, painted and designed. Life took me down the culinary path, and I loved every moment of chef life, creating experiences through food. Then, five years ago, an acquaintance handed me some oil pastels and charcoal and simply said, "Draw something." What happened next amazed even me. The art that flowed from those simple tools felt like coming home to a part of myself I'd forgotten. But with the demands of my culinary career, I tucked that revelation away, waiting for the right moment.

The River Awakening

That moment came when I moved into a new home right next to the river here in Tasmania. There's something about living beside flowing water that awakens the soul. My creative juices didn't just flow – they overflowed. Suddenly, I was painting with an urgency and passion that surprised me. The Yallaroo Collection was born from those magical riverside moments, each piece capturing the raw beauty of Australian landscapes that had been living inside me, waiting to emerge.

The Journey Expands

As I painted, I also began revisiting all the nature and scenic photographs I had captured over the years across Australia. Each image told a story of our magnificent continent – from rugged coastlines to ancient forests, from desert sunrises to mountain vistas. The Bimbadeen Collection began evolving from these visual love letters to Australia. Teaching myself the basics of ecommerce was like learning a new language, but my passion drove me forward. Slowly, carefully, I built Petrichor piece by piece. The art wasn't enough –I wanted others to be able to feel the spirit of Australia and bring those moments not just into their homes but enjoy each and everyday in or out of their homes. The Evolving Garden being my first venture into printing my art onto luxurious silk shawls and the result was captivatingly beautiful

The Vision Continues

 Petrichor is very much a work in progress, built entirely on my love for Australia and all her beauty, character, and grandeur. Every day brings new inspiration as I discover something fresh about our beautiful land. Each piece I create is infused with the hope that it will bring a little piece of Australia into homes and lives everywhere – that same sense of wonder I felt when I first learned about petrichor. I have big plans ahead, including a blog to keep customers connected to this journey. Because this isn't just about selling art – it's about sharing the Australia that lives in my heart, one piece at a time.

From Chef to Artist to Entrepreneur

From chef's hands to artist's brushes to entrepreneur's dreams – this journey has taught me that creativity finds a way. Whether I'm layering flavours in a dish or colours on canvas, whether I'm capturing light in a photograph or building an online store from scratch, it's all about bringing beauty into the world. That's the essence of Petrichor – the beauty that emerges when different elements come together, just like rain meeting earth after a hot day. It's the perfect metaphor for where art meets commerce, where passion meets purpose, and where Australia's timeless ancient beauty blends seamlessly into our sanctuary of home and brings joy to everyday living

 Thank you for being part of this journey.

Love, Jenn

Founder of  Petrichor  & Artist