One to watch – Tanya Chanter

I have always had a desire to express the emotions I feel from nature. The depth and richness of the colours, the complexityof the sky – the romantic feeling of stormy clouds, the churning foam of the ocean and the sunlight playing through tall grassesas they bend and wave. From the sweep of the vast landscape down to the bee among flowers, natures inspiration is endless.

My feelings flow directly onto the canvas in an uninterrupted, intuitive flow; layers, textures and colours blend and evolvebefore me until some secret inner part of me feels satisfied. I don’t question or reflect on the process as it takes shape, Isimply let the emotions rule the head. Around my home, nature overwhelms the human environment. Trees command theskyline, not buildings, and beauty rules over bitumen.

My work reflects the deep inner peace I feel when outdoors, from the smell of the rich red earth in autumn and the tang ofspring, to the crisp apple coldness of winter and the ocre glow of a lingering summer sunset.

Throughout my creative career, I have enjoyed working in a diverse range of roles including 12 years in advertising at TheAge newspaper, as a voice-over artist and media presenter and as a director of a Graphic Design company. I have enjoyedall these endeavours, and while painting began as a creative experiment with my children, I never anticipated falling socompletely in love with the expression and freedom it provides. It meets every creative impulse I have and is a source of endless inspiration and satisfaction.