THE WITCH OF MT. PAINTER, 2023

Mt Painter is a summit in the northern area of the Flinders Rangers in South Australia. The view from the top is an extraordinary ancient landscape rich in geological history. It feels enchanted, like dormant but strongly “present”. Up there I found a memorial plaque with an extract from an old poem that perfectly captured the feeling. “Upon this lonely summit I have sought the witch. Who holds in liege this arid land wherein. With subtle magic she has wrought enchantment. That I fain would understand”. From “The witch of MT. Painter” by Richard Grenfell (1947).

Eva Beltran is a Sydney based artist. She has an expressionist approach to subjects, aiming to depict an emotional experience more than a physical reality. Her work explores landscapes and memories through abstract figurations where intricate perspective is conveyed through linework variations and layers of paint.

Eva’s works have been selected as finalists in various art prizes over the last few years, including prestigious awards such as the Glover Art Prize (Evandale, TAS); the Paddington Art Prize (Sydney, NSW); the Mosman Art Prize (Sydney, NSW); the Kilgour Art Prize (Newcastle, NSW); the Lethbridge Landscape Art Prize (Brisbane, QLD) or the Fleurieu Biennale Art Prize (McLauren Vale, SA).