Anita West

Biography

Most of us live within a moment of the Australian bush and as a culture we are learning to embrace and love the distinct earthiness, subtle hues, chaotic rhythms, ravaging bushfires and drought-breaking rains. We congregate around its edges and melt into its wild. We breathe in the majestic landscapes and immerse ourselves in its fierceness and beauty.

I am interested in the idea of romantic notions attached to the Australian bush and I am attempting to explore these elements using boundaries between abstraction and realism, emotion and perception through my engagement with this beautiful land.

My work is mostly place based, and my practice is concerned with the recording and interpretation of natural habitat that has been  preserved or protected as part of land conservation and National Park World Heritage.  Also I am interested in exploring local bushland that is under threat of development; this can be a local community bush reserve or simply a block of land that has significant native species or old growth trees that are in danger of being rezoned or  under threat of human induced changes.  I am always searching for new landscapes, and new influences for my paintings and I use these ideas as a backdrop for my work.”

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

28 + Solo exhibition in Australia

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

22 + Group exhibition is Australia and internationally

AWARDS AND PRIZES

2021 Finalist Lethbridge Art Prize Brisbane QLD

2021 Highly Commended Lethbridge Art Prize Brisbane QLD

2021 Finalist Milburn Art Prize Brisbane QLD

2020 Finalist Stanthorpe Art Prize Stanthorpe QLD

2020 Finalist John Leslie Art Prize Victoria

2019 Finalist Calleen Art Award Cowra NSW

2017 Finalist Calleen Art Award Cowra NSW

2017  Finalist Camberwell Art Prize Camberwell

2017  Finalist Rotary Art Spectacular Brisbane (sold)

2016   Winner Pro Hart Outback Art Prize  Broken Hill (acquired)

2016 Finalist Waterhouse Art Prize Adelaide (sold)

2016  Highly Commended Waterhouse Art Prize Adelaide

2016  Finalist Rotary Art Spectacular  Brisbane

2016 Finalist Redland Art Award Brisbane

2016   Winner People’s Choice Redland Art Award Brisbane

2016 Finalist Border Art Prize Gold Coast Region

2016 Finalist John Leslie Art Prize Victoria

2015   Finalist Calleen Art Award (highly commended) Cowra RegionalGallery

2015   Winner People’s Choice Calleen Award Cowra Regional Gallery

2014  Finalist Clayton Utz Art Award Brisbane QLD (sold)

2014  Finalist Norvill Prize for Landscape NSW (sold)

2014 Finalist Redland Art Award Brisbane  QLD

2014   Winner People’s Choice Redland Art Award  Brisbane QLD

2014   Winner (joint) People’s Choice Mosman Sydney NSW

2014   Finalist Mosman Art Prize Sydney NSW

2014   Winner People’s Choice Calleen Award Cowra Regional Gallery

2014  Finalist Calleen Art Award Cowra  NSW

2014 Finalist Moreton Bay Art Prize Brisbane

2014 Finalist Stanthorpe Art Prize Stanthorpe  QLD

2014  Finalist Rotary Art Spectacular Brisbane

2012  Finalist Rotary Art Spectacular Brisbane

2010 Finalist Art for Art’s Sake Brisbane

2009 Finalist Rotary Art Spectacular Brisbane

2009   Finalist Pine Rivers Art Award Brisbane

2007 Finalist 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   Abused Child Trust Annual Art Show Brisbane

2006   Finalist Redland Arts Award Brisbane

2006   Finalist Regional Arts Award Brisbane

2006   First Prize – Gloria Beletz Drawing Brisbane

2006   Highly Commended Nudgee Art Show Brisbane

2005 Finalist Regional Arts Award Brisbane

2005 Courier Mail Home Show Brisbane

2004 Courier Mail Home Show  Brisbane

1991 First Prize;  King of Prussia Drawing Award  USA

1985 First Prize Drawing Award  Perc Tucker Gallery Townsville

1992  First Prize Delaware County Painting Award USA

PUBLIC / CORPORATE COLLECTIONS

Parliament House of Australia Canberra

Mater Private Hospital Redlands Brisbane

Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery Broken Hill

Mater Childrens Hospital Springfield

Peppers Soul Apartment Towers Gold Coast