Felicia Aroney
For me, art is a vessel through which I can communicate with any audience. As a contemporary artist, my mark-making process aims not to create a universal experience but a personal connection to the individuals as they witness it. I use my art to draw out memories and tell stories in a way that words cannot. Often the message is unique to the receiver, and I believe that is a powerful gift.
My work recognises that each emotion, each moment is a layered and complex thing. I work mainly with a palette knife to represent the complexity of each phenomenon, sculpting and shaping each layer of paint until it stands in relief from the canvas. Using oils and acrylics, I rely on a variety of tools to create highly textured pieces that mimic the distressed and peeling facades of classical European Architecture. These themes call to me as they channel my connection to my European heritage and the cherished memories I have in Europe and my home in Australia. By combining antiquity and Australian culture, I hope to achieve a unique identity that speaks to all people.
My landscape series aims to capture movement, life and colour that often go unobserved and unappreciated. The power of the wind, the spectrum of colour that exists in even the most arid environments and the way the sun dances and influences the scene. I create these landscapes with a personal connection to a place or an emotion, and I hope my work inspires a similar experience in the audience.