Art of the Rottnest Channel Swim

The Adventure Of The Rottnest Channel Swim. 1.2m x 1.2m oil on linen painting by Ken Rasmussen.

The iconic Rottnest Channel swim is coming up.

It is an extraordinary spectacle. In the early morning light, over a thousand swimmers gather on Cottesloe beach. They set off in groups, crossing nearly 20 kilometres of open water to reach Rottnest.

They swim through a corridor made by the support flotilla, the guardians of the race. It’s hard to believe how many people there are that join the event this way. You see them all bobbing about in the waves. Paddlers, motorboats and sailing boats. They move with the swimmers as they make their way over to the island.

I’ve painted the Rotto Swim a few times. It’s deeply moving to stand on the beach and feel the bravery of these swimmers. The Rotto Swim is a festival of youth and fitness, a celebration of how people strive to meet great challenges. Most of all, it is about the human spirit and its strength.

Sacred Summer. Fine art print range

The Rotto swim is especially important this year. For many of us, the sand we stand on and the tides we swim in have changed greatly. It feels like a significant time to reflect on the courage and resilience hard-wired into the human spirit.

I wish you the best if you are competing or supporting the swim. If you are finding your way in the choppy waters of 2025, I think of you, too.

If you’d like to see the Rotto Swim artworks or my other new works, we have a studio open on Sat 15 and Sun 16 Feb, and you’re welcome to visit.