An interrupted creative life
Hi there – thank you for checking out my work to learn more about me…
Early Life
My name is Liz de Koning. I was born in Millicent, South Australia in 1963.
I’m self/grandmotherly taught!! My first experience with art was in primary and high school, as we all do. I also worked alongside my grandmother as she practiced and learned art herself. So she passed on a lot of the basics. I particularly remember her emphasising to me that I had to get colour mixing and perspective right. The other big tip was that I always needed to create a path for the eye to follow in my art works.
I loved looking at her painting books, particularly the ones on Hans Heysen and the Australian Impressionists, and this inspired me to want to become a great painter.
She encouraged me to show my work, even at a young age, and I got a few awards from some art shows and our regional show.
Times Without Art
As I grew older, I developed a fascination with watercolour, papermaking and fabric art, but sadly it all lapsed when I started to raise a family. I spent about 30 years barely picking up a brush or a pencil, being too busy with family and full time work. But that all changed when I retired.
My Current Creating
Recently retired, I found time on my hands, and decided to venture to a beginning oil painting class, and immediately fell in love with the medium. I regained my artistic confidence, and am now fully immersed in my ‘becoming’!
Now I work primarily in oils, soft pastels, watercolour and some acrylic. I use these to translate the beauty I see around me into expressive, atmospheric landscapes and semi abstract and abstract forms.
I want to remind people of the beauty of the earth, with the hope that this keeps in the front of our minds how important it is to save our world.
I’m continuting to work on my portfolio, however, I also have a current project developing the artwork for a deck of oracle cards.
I’m currently based in suburban Adelaide, close to the beach and not too far from the hills, which both provide me with plenty of inspiration.
Check out my gallery and read my blogs to learn more about me.
I’ve discovered that I love to experiment with new materials and techniques and one of my biggest drivers is to problem solve my art … I never throw any of my art away, as there’s always a way to make something of it … and I will find that way!!
Liz de Koning