Maria-Davina Brates

5 Dundas Street, Preston, VIC 3072, AU

Banksia Woodland, Powlett River, 2024

ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, FRAMED
61 × 91 cm
$1,950
My paintings are born from an immersive practice, where I seek locations of solitude, surrounded only by the sounds of the non-human world. Working with acrylics, I often incorporate impasto in the final layers. For me, painting is a spiritual discipline that requires being fully present. In these landscapes, I reconnect with my body and the earth, letting the land guide my colours and gestures. I approach painting like an antenna, interpreting the messages of the land through colour and movement. To be receptive, I must clear my mind and relax, allowing my body to respond to the sensory stimuli around me. My gestures are often fast-paced and dynamic, reflecting the mood of the site, influenced by factors like light, temperature, sounds, and the balance between decay and new growth. I amplify the subtle color schemes of the landscape, using bright hues to capture my passion for the Australian bush.

I am a visual artist living between Melbourne (Naarm) and the Bass Coast on Bunurong land. My practice over the past few years has been a focus on the Australian landscape. I can be found making art perched on the river bed, forest or rock shelf. My practice is an investigation of presence, relationship to self; my body, environment and place. I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Wollongong University, Post Graduate Diploma in Animateuring from VCA and I currently study with Richard Birmingham at the Melbourne Studio School. I also hold a Masters of Art Therapy. I have had a handful of solo shows and been involved in group shows.

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