Colleen was born in South Africa and immigrated to Australia in 2001. Since arriving in Australia, she has been able to developed her passions of fine art, writing and photography.
Her art, writing and photography are interwoven like a tapestry of her life from African wildlife through to travelling the globe as a flight attendant. Her travel opportunities allowed her to take many different photographs which inspire her paintings, using different mediums and styles. From realism to contemporary to abstract using oils, acrylic and watercolour to express her subjects whilst learning all the time. Colleen has attended many workshops and during one she discovered a special talent and love of drawing animals.
In 2016 she decided to challenge herself as she wanted to raise money for SAVE THE RHINO FUND and had her first solo exhibition. She was delighted with the result. After that challenge she decided to paint for pleasure instead of deadlines and can spend weeks on a single painting trying to perfect it.
Today she still paints her detailed animal or bird paintings but also creates large fun paintings which allows her freedom of movement.
Colleen feels the two styles reflect her personality perfectly – a fun loving, confused perfectionist.
Colleen hopes you enjoy her paintings as much as she has enjoyed painting them.
EXHIBITIONS AND SHOWS
- 2007 Avalon Art Gallery
- 2007 Seaforth Art Show
- 2007 Manly Arts Festival
- 2007 Mona Vale Annual Art Exhibition
- 2007 Christmas Mona Vale
- 2008 Tuggerah Lakes “Fab Fakes”
- 2008 Sydney Royal Easter Show (SELECTED)
- 2008 Thirroul Seaside & Arts Festival (SELECTED)
- 2008 Manly Arts Festival
- 2009 Mona Vale Annual Art Exhibition
- 2010 Manly Arts Festival
- 2012 Bathurst Summer School Exhibition
- 2013 Braidwood – Artist in Resident with Terry Jarvis & Friends
- 2014 Bathurst Winter School Exhibition
- 2016 Hunter’s Hill Art Gallery – SOLO EXHIBITION
- 2016 Manlyvale – African Vibes Gallery – Solo Display
- 2017 Manlyvale – African Vibes Gallery – Solo Display
- 2018 Manlyvale – African Vibes Gallery – Solo Display
- 2019 Manlyvale – African Vibes Gallery – Solo Display
- 2022 Hastings Fine Art Gallery
- 2022 Essence of Africa – Kings Creek
- 2022 Hastings Macleay Speech Pathology
- 2023 Hastings Fine Art Gallery
- 2023 Slim Dusty Regional Gallery Kempsey
- 2023 Masterpiece Framing and Gallery Port Macquarie
- 2023 The Glasshouse – My Special Place – Port Macquarie