How it started: I never know what to get my dad for Christmas, he’s a terribly practical farmer and generally victim to a ‘socks and board shorts’ themed Christmas stocking. In 2024 I was fed up, inspired to do better for my famously selfless and inconsequentially content father, so I painted our family property for him. I spent about a month pestering him, sitting and editing our existing (but dated) farm map. I had him convinced I was completely invested in his new fencing systems, ramp vs. gate strategy and nonsensical paddock naming practises. On Christmas morning he opened his painted map, stared at it for a long time, checking and double checking, baffled that for once in my little life I’d pulled the wool over his eyes. He framed it and he hung it in his office. Whenever friends come over, he shows them his map. He is very proud of it. It really is the thought that counts.  

How it’s going: I figured I wasn’t the only one who struggled to give thoughtful presents to loved ones, or to someone who has everything. I also figured I wasn’t the only one who needed a reference map when ‘helping-out’ on farm. There had been a few too many close calls with opening the wrong gate on a muster and sabotaging the mornings work…

Hence, the launch of ham (holly arnott maps).

I am based on my family’s farm near Coolah in the Central West of NSW. Between sabotaging goat musters with my dog Pincho and helping my parents with the never-ending to-do list on their patch at Coolah Creek, I can be found sneaking off to my little studio sketching, painting and personalising property maps.