Hi, I’m Anna Mackrell

I grew up in the country on a farm in the Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria. I moved away and did the university thing, studied Fine Art in Melbourne and then from there I moved to Western Australia in my late twenties. I always loved the Strathbogie landscape. I knew I’d return one day.

I love painting in the landscape as I feel there is more of a direct connection with what I’m painting. You are immersed in your surroundings.

So really it’s about the place for me. The connection, the feeling of what I see around me, the familiarity of the landscape, the incredible beauty, the changeability of the light, shadows, weather and seasons. They are all a never-ending source of inspiration. It’s not the subject so much, it’s what you add to it, the memory, the way you feel about it, your sense of belonging.

For me painting the landscape is exploring multiple ways of representing the stillness, isolation and ‘slow beauty’ of the rural landscape.

The majority of my artwork is in oil paint but I also like to draw in charcoal, pencil and create little collages.