“I’m not in your face on social media telling people what they can do for conservation,” Elliot said. 

Instead, she lets the art work do the talking.

“It’s mainly through people seeing the beauty in the art and becoming aware to keep it that way and maintain it,” she said. 

The works of the Lake Munmorah artist are currently featured in an exhibition titled Low Tide at Finite Gallery, Caves Beach. 

The exhibition feature 17 miniature paintings featuring shells and pebbles on the beach. She describes her style as “realistic”. 

Her early works focused on the landscape of seaside villages, the beach, water and sky. However, he current works focus on “fleeting moments” painted in great detail at a macro level. 

“They are things on the beach the majority of people would walk straight past,” she said.

“I’ve zoomed in on the little things.”

Her love of the ocean came from spending 34 years living at Caves Beach where she spent much time “fossicking” with her two children. 

However, she did not begin to paint until five years ago. Prior to that she drew and worked in pastels. 

She said living so close to the beach had given her a strong appreciation for it. 

Elliott is particularly interested in turtles. She gives 50 per cent of the money earned from each turtle painting to two Australian-based turtle sanctuaries – one in Gladstone and the other in Bowen. 

“I just love the ocean, and we travel with our caravan each year up to Queensland,” Elliott said. 

“One year we visited the turtle hospital at Townsville and they take you behind the scenes and show you the turtles and the problems they face with  eating plastic bags and damage from boat propellers. 

“It’s all caused by man … I just felt, ‘what can I do to help’ and I decided to use my art.” 

Low Tide is on at Finite Gallery, 60 Caves Beach Road, Caves Beach, until November 26.