Anthea da Silva’s passion for portraiture and life drawing inform the layered and transparent themes in her work. Shadows and reflections in charcoal, oil and acrylic mediums & Xrays map the surreal undertows and the bleeding obvious, beyond the surface of the precious, fragile, not always robust human. And our deep connections with our environment, the trees that breathe with us, seasonal cycles, light and shade, how landscapes lure us in and remind us to experience ‘realtime’.
Recently LANDSCAPES have featured in her studio work - particularly gums inspired by a move to Goulburn NSW.
‘For the Love of Snow Gums & Scribblys’ Oil on Canvas, 900 x 1200 (x3) triptych
‘Serendipitous Breath 1’ X-ray Lightbox, 50x75x10
A fascination with anatomy, physiology and kinesiology has seen da Silva blend her arts practice with careers in Paediatric Occupational Therapy, Tertiary Visual Arts teaching and Regional & Community Art Gallery programming. Anthea facilitates inspiring & energising arts workshops for all artist levels, and has collaborated on many large-scale urban art and video projections, worked as curator, arts lobbyist, and as artistic director/ facilitator with festival teams.
Darling Portrait Prize Winner 2020, NPG Canberra
Elizabeth
detail, charcoal and oil on canvas, 2019
Dr Elizabeth Cameron-Dalman OAM, PhD has been described as the high priestess of Australian Dance - she established the Mirramu Creative Arts Centre near Bungendore 30 years ago. 50 years ago she founded and was the first Artistic Director of the Australian Dance Theatre, and has been celebrating contemporary dance ever since. Elizabeth tours as an actor/dancer, most recently with Michael Keegan Dolan’s award-winning Swan Lake/Loch na hEala production in Ireland, Denmark, the UK, Germany, Australia, Russia and New York.
Elizabeth
charcoal and oil on canvas, 2019
‘Portia does Portia’ - Portia Turbo, drag performer,
‘Inhale, exhale’ Charcoal & acrylic on canvas 1220 x 920 mm
Not long before I sketched for this portrait of Wiradjuri artist Veronica Collins, she was in ICU on intubation. I held her hand, looking for some flicker or pulse beneath her closed eyelids. Later at her place we discussed memory, life and art and then got onto how she’d like her portrait painted. She sat upright, leaning on one arm and wrapped a favourite scarf around her hair: “Like this!” Feisty, focussed. In 2020, Veronica completed a large commission in Griffith NSW entitled ‘Charcoal Reign’. I love the transparency and opacity of charcoals, oils and acrylics - and how this is expressed in people.
Portrait Painting Workshops
2021 - in conjunction with the The 2020 Archibald Prize exhibition at Griffith Regional Art Gallery, Anthea invited beloved local performers to ‘sit’ while everyone drew, painted & chatted with them, honing in on a likeness…
Here’s Ben Ceccato https://benceccato.wixsite.com/benceccato
‘Veronica’
Finalist in 2020
Portia Geach Award,
S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Oil on Canvas, 1200 x 900 mm
Portia Geach 2020
At the online event, Jane Watters, Gallery Director at S.H.Ervin Gallery Sydney, presents the 2020 Award to Caroline Zilinsky for her painting ‘Anthea May or May Not’ - with Veronica watching on!
Portraits on Drum heads, X-ray boxes, shop front signage…
‘Lina’, acrylic on drum head over wallpaper
Dynamic Life dRAWing: Yoga for Artists
Anthea holds Dynamic Life dRAWing: Yoga for Artists sessions around Australia.
Find out more at Life Drawing @ GRAG Facebook
Transparent / Opaque
Skeleton out of the Closet #2
charcoal and oil on canvas, 75cm x 75cm, 2020
Skeleton out of the Closet #3
charcoal and oil on canvas, 75cm x 75cm, 2020
Skeleton out of the Closet #4
charcoal and oil on canvas, 75cm x 75cm, 2020
Skeleton out of the Closet #5
charcoal and oil on canvas, 75cm x 75cm, 2020
Lil Barb, Barbie Bride, Saudades, Proserpina (2018)
acrylic on drumhead, wallpaper, 45cm diameter
Fancy Pants
Run, Run
charcoal, acrylic and pastel on board, 2017
Retro Version
Bounce
‘Fireys’ Acrylic on Light Box, 75cm x 100 cm
Batter
watercolour on paper
Dive
watercolour on paper, 2015
Flip
watercolour on paper, 2015