The bush paintings are so challenging, and yet so rewarding because I have to let go of control, and let the painting also find its voice – a bit like having a conversation with each work. I can play in it. I can change direction, I can juxtapose abstraction with realism…… Continue reading
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We are proud to present Anita West’s latest exhibition and cordially invite you and your guest to join us as we celebrate her show. Please contact us at the gallery with any enquiries.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
THE WILD BUSH PAINTINGS
FINDING MY VOICE
The wild bush paintings have been a new and exciting direction for me. After many years of painting in other styles (which I also continue to do) I moved into a temporary studio surrounded by concrete carparks and warehouses. From my small window I couldn’t see any trees or nature, and so I just began to paint what I could no longer feel, see or experience. It was in this space that I finally found my voice. The bush paintings are so challenging, and yet so rewarding because I have to let go of control, and let the painting also find its voice – a bit like having a conversation with each work. I can play in it. I can change direction, I can juxtapose abstraction with realism, empty spaces with detail, pattern with dimensionality…it is such a wonderful problem-solving activity and if I can get it right, the painting feels resolved and settled. But in the end, the painting has to tell its own story and all the elements need to flow together so that there is room for the viewer to enter into the landscape and hopefully bring their own memory or experience with them.
THE ARTIST’S STUDIO
My home studio backs on to a large bushland reserve on the edge of a national park where I walk, take notes, draw and observe in the early mornings. The walking tracks are shaded by tall scribbly bark trees, deep ravines and smooth granite rocks. Grasstrees, Banksias, and native grasses grow quietly in the deep as the sweet smell of eucalypt floats through tall stands of gum trees.
When I am in these wild bush landscapes, I am drawn back to the romance of my childhood, riding horses and wandering through the bush. When I breathe in the bush I regain my sense of peace. I remember who I am. I feel grounded when I stand and listen to the land; when I look at the trees and dream; when I savour the moment in a painting; when I reflect on an abundant life.
THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH – A WAY OF LIFE
Most of us live within a moment of the Australian bush and as a culture we are learning to embrace its distinct earthiness, its subtle hues, and its chaotic rhythms. Most of us love to walk, run, ride or just explore the national parks, walking tracks and natural reserves in our own local area and we love nothing more than experiencing the majesty of Coastal ranges or the fierceness and beauty of the outback.
I love the landscape of this country, the optimism I feel when I am immersed in it and the pure sensory pleasure I get from walking through this unique part of Australia.
I am interested in the idea of romantic notions attached to the Australian bush and I am attempting to explore the boundaries between abstraction and realism, emotion and perception and our obsession with this beautiful land.
– Anita West
April 23, 2022
April 29, 2022
April 30, 2022
BORN 1965 Brisbane, Australia
STUDIES
Qualified secondary school Art and English teacher:
1986 (1 year) Graduate Diploma in Education at Gippsland College of Advanced Education, Victoria
1982-1985 (3 year) Diploma in Fine Art at TAFE, Townsville
Artist Statement
My work is a dichotomy of fragmented images drawn from my experiences of the beach and bush. I grew up in Townsville ,and on Christmas holidays my family would drive down the notorious Bruce Highway and stay for weeks on the Gold Coast beaches. As kids we would laze about under the strong shadows of beach umbrellas in the glaring midday sun and play cricket late into the afternoon. I remember the colourful patterns of togs, towels, hats and strong blue skies. These images ,and the many holidays at the beach with my own family are the inspiration I use to help me create a lyrical narrative of Australian beach life that so many of us have experienced.
Studying a Diploma of Art in Townsville in the mid 80s, I was under the tuition of Anneke Silver and Bob Preston who were both mentors in my early painting career. I was an avid horserider and during vacations, I worked as a Jillaroo on sheep and cattle stations where I continued my love affair with the outback and left me with a deep sense of belonging and connection.
A career in teaching art at high schools followed, but the urge to create my own art was a constant preoccupation until finally when living in the USA for two years, I gave up the security of teaching to pursue my passion. Exhibitions in artist-run studios and small commercial galleries were encouraging. Early in my career I explored a variety of different styles – naïve art, figurative art, abstraction, miniature art particularly manuscripts with their borders and fine detail, and mixed media. I visited different cultures, walked the Kokoda Trail (nearly died from Malaria) and travelled throughout Australia.
From 1997 to 2005 I was represented exclusively by Robertsons Design, a Queensland based, international interior design and architectural company. I had three major exhibitions with them, showing large scale paintings on canvas as well as generating stock supplied during the year. I am now represented by Harvey Galleries in Sydney.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017 Abundance, Harvey Galleries, Sydney
2016 Back to the High Country, Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney
2015 Bush Poetic, Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney
2014 Bush, Land, Beach, Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney
2013 Wild Places of Home, Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney
2012 In the Summertime, Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney
2011 Sand, Salt and Spinifex, Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney; 18 landscapes
2010 Life, Love, Landscape, Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney; 27 paintings (Sold out)
2009 Places of My Heart,Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney: 28 paintings (Sold out)
2008 New Works: Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney
2006 Down to Earth; Doggett St Studio Brisbane
2006 The Stone Garden: Logan Regional Art Gallery
2006 Testing the Waters : Redlands Regional Art Gallery
2003 Illumina: Robertsons Interior Design Gallery, Gold Coast (Sold out)
2002 Recent Paintings: Robertsons Design, Gold Coast (Sold out)
2001 New Paintings ; Robertsons Interior Design, Gold Coast (Sold out)
1994 A Landscape Response ; Art and Design Gallery, Woollongabba
1994 Figures: Eagle St.Pier Exhibition Space, Brisbane
1993 Echoes of a Landscape McWhirters Art Space Fortitude Valley
1990 Impressions : The Palms Gallery Townsville
1989 New Guinea Beginnings: Umbrella Studio Townsville
1988 Neo-Primitive ; Perc Tucker Regional Gallery Townsville
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2010 Earth and Life; Toscani’s restaurant; Victoria Point QLD
2010 Painters of the Coast Gallery One Gold Coast
2010 Art for Art’s Sake Brisbane
2009 Rotary Art Spectacular Brisbane
2008 ArtSydney08; Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery
2008 Art Melbourne08; Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery
2008 ArtBrisbane08; Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery
2007 Selected for Abused Child Trust Annual Art Show, Brisbane
2007 Selected for Brisbane Grammer School Art Show, Brisbane
2007 St Martin’s Art Show; Brisbane
2007 Selected for Art for Art Sake Charity Art Show, Brisbane
2006 Doggett St Christmas Exhibition, Brisbane
2006 Floriate; Marks and Gardner Gallery Mt Tamborine
2006 Brisbane Grammar School Art Show
2006 Abused Child Trust Annual Art Show, Brisbane
2005 Courier Mail Home Show; Brisbane
2004 Courier Mail Home Show ; Brisbane
1995 Connect 2 ; Joint exhibition at Stephens Gallery, Brisbane
1992 Group show at Multiple Choice Gallery, Philadelphia, USA
1985 Final Year TAFE show at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery Townsville
CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
‘Soul’ Apartment Towers, Gold coast
ABN Amro Morgans
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Westpac Bank HongKong
Juniper Group
Sheraton Hotel Group Gold Coast
Johnson & Johnson Sydney
Storm Financial Melbourne
Storm Financial Sydney
Storm Financial Brisbane
Jumeirah Suite Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi
Brian Tucker Accounting
COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS
2016 Finalist Pro Hart Outback Art Prize – FIRST PRIZE WINNER (acquisitive)
2016 Finalist Border Art Prize
2016 Finalist Rotary Art Spectacular WINNER OF BEST ACRYLIC IN SHOW
2016 Finalist Stanthorpe Art Prize RUNNER UP PEOPLE’S CHOICE
2016 Finalist Finalist Waterhouse Art Prize HIGHLY COMMENDED
2016 Finalist John Leslie Art Prize
2016 Finalist Redland Art Prize WINNER OF MEREDITH FOX PEOPLE’S CHOICE
2015 Calleen Art Award – PEOPLE CHOICE WINNER and HIGHLY COMMENDED
2014 Mosman Art Prize – PEOPLES CHOICE WINNER
2014 Finalist Redland Art Award – PEOPLES CHOICE WINNER
2014 Finalist Calleen Art Award – PEOPLES CHOICE WINNER
2014 Finalist Stanthorpe Art Prize
2014 Finalist Moreton Bay Art Prize
2014 Finalist Norvill Art Prize
2014 Finalist Clayton Utz Art Award
2010 Finalist Art for Art’s Sake Brisbane
2009 Finalist Rotary Art Spectacular Brisbane
2009 Finalist Pine Rivers Art Award
2008 ArtSydney08; Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery
2008 Art Melbourne08; Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery
2008 ArtBrisbane08; Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery
2007 Abused Child Trust Annual Art Show, Brisbane
2007 Brisbane Grammer School Art Show, Brisbane
2007 St Martin’s Art Show; Brisbane
2007 Art for Art Sake Charity Art Show, Brisbane
2006 Doggett St Christmas Exhibition, Brisbane
2006 Floriate; Marks and Gardner Gallery Mt Tamborine
2006 Brisbane Grammar School Art Show
2006 Abused Child Trust Annual Art Show, Brisbane
2006 Finalist Redland Arts Award
2006 Finalist Regional Arts Award
2006 Joint First Prize – Gloria Beletz Drawing Prize
2006 Highly Commended Nudgee Art Show
2005 Finalist Regional Arts Award
2005 Courier Mail Home Show
2004 Courier Mail Home Show ; Brisbane
1995 Connect 2 ; Joint exhibition Stephens Gallery, Brisbane City Hall
1992 Group show at Multiple Choice Gallery, Philadelphia, USA
1991 First Prize; King of Prussia Drawing Award; USA
1985 Final Year TAFE show at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery Townsville
1985 Joint First Prize Drawing Award Perc Tucker Gallery, Townsville
1992 First Prize Delaware County Painting Award USA
EMPLOYMENT
1995- current; Practicing artist
1994 Administrator Qld School of Printing & Graphic Arts; Morningside
1992 Teacher of Adult and Further Education classes in watercolour, drawing and painting
1991 Employed by Philadelphia college of Fine Art for 12 months USA
1990 1 year as Art Teacher at Catholic High School Philadelphia, USA
1989 2 years as Art Teacher at Townsville State High School Townsville
1987 2 years as Art Teacher at Pimlico State High School Townsville
RESIDENCIES
2009 Attended workshop with Elizabeth Cummings (3 days)
2007 Attended the Girraween Retreat with June Tupicoff
2006 Attended the Eungella Retreat in Mackay with Wendy Teakel (6 days)
2005 Attended the Magnetic Island Retreat in Townsville with Anneke Silver (6 days)
2004 Attended the “Living the Landscape” workshop at Cunnamulla with Mandy Martin ( 6 days)
2003 Attended the Cooee Bay Workshop, Yeppoon with Bill Ferguson (14 days)
2002 Attended the Moreton Island Art Camp with Stephen Newton ( 3 days )
2001 Attended the “Drawing from the Landscape” Toowoomba with David Hawkes ( 6 days)
2000 Attended the Mortimers Art Workshop with Judith White NSW ( 7 days)
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
2011 Opening Guest speaker; Mammas in the Hood; group show at Pine Rivers Regional Gallery
2011 Artist talk; open studio
2011 Guest speaker; South East Creative Generator Forum
2011 Guest Judge; Yurara Art Society Easter Art Competition
2010 Presentation; Brisbane Artist Development Group
2010 Artist Talk; open studio
2010 Artist Talk; TVH Gallery opening night
2010 Artist Talk; Gallery One opening night Painters of the Coast
COMMISSIONS
2011 2 corporate commissions; Soul Apartment Towers; Gold Coast
2011 2 corporate commissions; Abu Dhabi ; Etihad Towers; Presidential Suite
2010 8 Private commissions ; Sydney
2009 Private commission; canvas size 140 x 180cm
2008 2 Corporate Commissions for Storm Financial Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville
2007 Art Nomad collection; 4 landscape paintings 100cm x 200cm
2005 Private commission; ABN-AMRO Morgans, Brisbane canvas size 90 x 90cm
2005 Corporate commission-Storm Financial, Sydney; canvas size 1700 x 1080mm
2004 Private collection; canvas size 1500 x 1000mm
2004 Corporate collection- Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast; 66sets of 5 original artworks @ 300x 300mm
2004 Private collection – Gold Coast; canvas size 2000 x 1750mm
2003 Private collection; canvas size 350 x 1150mm
2003 Corporate collection-Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast; 6 paintings, canvas size 800 x 800mm
2003 Private collection; canvas size 200 x 550mm
2003 Private collection; canvas size 1200 x 1800mm
2002 Private collection; canvas size 1720 x 1080mm
2002 Corporate collection-Gold Coast Marketing office; 3 paintings on paper size 1400 x 1000mm
2002 Corporate collection – Bluewater Apartments Sunshine Coast
2002 Corporate commission – Blue Water Apartments Sunshine coast; 76 original artworks
2002 Corporate commission-Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast; 52 original artworks @ 300 x 400mm
2001 Corporate commission; 72 original artworks for Sheraton Mirage – Gold Coast
2001 Private collection; canvas size 2000 x 1700mm
2001 Private collection; canvas size 2200 x 1600mm
2001 Private collection; canvas size 2200 x 1750mm
2001 Private collection; canvas size 2000 x 1350mm
2001 Private collection; canvas size 1650 x 1650mm
2001 Private collection; canvas size 1240 x 1740mm
2000 Private collection; canvas size 2000 x 800mm
2000 Private collection; canvas size 1750 x 1150mm
2000 Private collection; canvas size 1900 x 1600mm
2000 Private collection; canvas size 1800 x 1800mm
2000 Private collection; canvas size 1900 x 1750mm
2000 Private collection; canvas size 2000 x 2000mm
1999 Corporate Collection; Deloitte Touche Tomatsu:
1999 Private collection; canvas size 1500 x 1150mm
1999 Private collection; canvas size 1500 x 1800mm
1999 Private collection; canvas size 1400 x 700mm
CATALOGUES AND OTHER PUBLISHED WORKS
2010 Redland City Council Postcards
2003 Queensland Homes Autumn page 21
2003 Queensland Homes Winter page 39
2002 Queensland Homes Annual Gold Collector’s Edition
2002 Queensland Homes Winter page 107
2002 Luxury Home Design Vol 4 No 4 page 56
2002 Luxury Home Design Vol 4. No. 2 page 83
2002 Luxury Home Design Vol 3 No. 4 page 67
CRITICAL REVIEWS AND MEDIA COVERAGE
2010 Wynnum Herald, Wed August 4 ‘Inspired by the Land’ Bianca
2006 Bayside Bulletin Tues Mar 21 “Landscape Inspiration” by Jessica Marszalek
2006 Logan News Bulletin May 10 Gallery Express “Artwork of National Standard” Doug Cartwright
2003 Gold Coast Weekender July 19-20 “Praise the West Wall” Douglas Kennedy
2003 Gold Coast Bulletin July 22 “Hanging in Style”
1993 The Wynnum Herald Wednesday July 14 “Philadelphian images still echo for Anita” Nance Haxton
1990 Townsville Bulletin July 1990 “Palms features talented painter”
1990 Townsville Bulletin July 20 “Works reflect life and moods”
1990 Townsville Bulletin Sep “The public: a source of inspiration for artist” Robin Rattray-Wood
1990 VERANDA magazine August “Anita’s impressions go on display”
1989 Advertiser, February 9, “Whimsical images of New Guinea on show” Stephen Hall
1989 Townsville Bulletin Feb 18, 1989 “Kokoda Trail Inspires Anita Glen”
1989 The Advertiser Thursday June 16 1988 “Perc Tucker Gallery Report: Picture Stories” Anna Bock
1988 Townsville Bulletin Sat June 18 1988 “The simple approach works well for artist”
1988 Townsville Bulletin “Perc Tucker Art Gallery Report”
1985 Townsville Bulletin November 1985
Harvey Galleries was founded by the Harvey family in 1994 with an eye to establish a dynamic and inclusive contemporary art space on the North Shore of Sydney. For almost three decades we have expanded our reach to over three gallery locations and an ever expanding stable of the best artists Australia has to offer.
Harvey Galleries acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands upon which our galleries stand. The Guringai people (Seaforth), the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation (Sydney), and the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation (Melbourne).
We pay our respect to Elders past and present.
Password and the invitation to view will be sent to you as soon as the exhibition preview opens.
Always be the first to know about exhibitions, events and new art releases.
