A new exhibition, ‘When Two Worlds Meet’ opens this Saturday 7 May at Art From the Margins.
The local Queensland artists featured, Annika Strand (Art Angel Design) and Thomas Doyle (Mix the Arts Studio), both live with cerebral palsy, but have different lived experiences, and different artistic styles and processes.
‘When Two Worlds Meet’ is an insight into the creative worlds of these two artists. It highlights their best works from the last couple of years ranging from collaborative work, body painting and panel artworks to collage and printmaking.
This exhibition is about promoting methods of creativity and expression that overcome the physical and psychological challenges we may experience. Art is something that connects us, whether we are living with disabilities or not.
About Annika
Annika’s inspiration comes from nature. She was first introduced to art in high school, but because of her movements, the idea of painting realistic images was at first an obstacle.
To pursue her creative passions, Annika adapted her creative process and found different ways of expressing herself when she paints. She uses different parts of her body to create finer details, like her nose and the palm of her hand.
“For me, painting removes the barriers of my disability and allows me to communicate myself though capturing the beautiful moments of life in my own individual style,” said Annika.
“Over time, layers of paint have accumulated on my wheelchair and I feel like that is a visual reflection of who I am as a person.”
Annika is a participant in CPL Southport’s art program and was selected as the Artist in Residence at Runaway Bay Library, where she painted live and displayed her works in 2021. Her work has also been included in the 2020 Border Art Prize online exhibition, Labor Day Community Art Awards and Art From The Margins, Outsider Artist Awards.
About Thomas
Through his explorative art practice, Thomas is concerned with achieving true self actualisation.
"I believe that the artistic process or journey is just as important as the finished product. When I make art, I explore possibilities with urgency and wonder,” said Thomas.
Influenced by the Impressionists and Surrealists, Thomas enjoys accessing his subconscious and being led by this flow to create works. He experiments with a vast range of mediums, particularly focusing on exploring repetition and portraiture.
Thomas has studied at the Brisbane Institute of Art, Access Arts, Footprints Inc. and Art from the Margins. Thomas has recently exhibited in three exhibitions curated by Access Arts: Journey to the other side at KPMG (2020), Earth Footprint at St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital (2021) and Visitors Exhibition at Brisbane Powerhouse (2021). He also exhibited in Recovered Futures (2021).
