Dancing Gum Nuts and Leaves

"Dancing Gum Nuts and Leaves" by Anica Amphlett is an original watercolour painting and requires framing to hang.

Inspired by a small fallen branch of gum leaves, I was excited to smack the paper with paint and brush. Although I did a preliminary light sketch, once the brush hit the paper it had a mind of its own, I think the brush starts to dance and makes me feel happy too! Gum nuts are amazing too, as they evolve from such pretty little flowers to a totally rigid wooden nut. Gum leaves are adored by animals and insects who love to have a nibble on them. No matter what state they are in, to me, they are always beautiful.

Mission: I strive to express emotion in my artwork and hopes it resonates with you too. I also hope that it lifts a special spot in your home. My style is a combination of looseness and detail, allowing watercolour to do its magic and then adding some detail bringing the subject to life.

Images: The framed image above is for illustration purposes only and all care is taken for artwork to be proportionally as correct as possible in "the in-situ" image.

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Born in 1963 to Slovenian parents, I divided my first 20 years between Australia and Slovenia. My love for art took root in early childhood. I vividly recall the arrival of my first mail-order acrylic paint set and a "How-to-paint" book featuring a classic lesson on painting a fruit bowl. Discouraged from pursuing Art School, I relegated my dreams to a hobby and became self-taught.

At seventeen, during a visit to Switzerland to see a friend, I found myself with only 20 Swiss Francs. I chose to invest half in paper and paints. After painting all night, I sold three paintings the next day, which luckily saved me from a bind.

I've always been drawn to a variety of mediums—oils, acrylics, gouache, pastels, and lately, watercolors. My goal? To capture both light and emotion. I recall as a teenager pondering if paint could be used in such a way that it breathes life into a canvas. This curiosity has stayed with me over time. Each medium offers a unique avenue for self-expression, yet the subtle conveyance of emotion and vitality remains my never-ending challenge and aspiration.

I am inspired by Australia's vast beauty, the diverse landscape, colourful birdlife, amazing flora and fauna! I am mesmerised by the power of the sun and am in awe of great artists both past (Vincent Van Gogh) and present such as Thomas Schwaller and Alvaro Castagnet.