A Portuguese - Australian citizen, born in 1952, Lisboa, Portugal, lived in Mozambique for 2 and a half years, migrated to Australia in 1985 and retired in 2009, from 34 years of Language Teaching and related jobs with the Board of Studies.
Six years later, she went back to her Visual Arts studies she had had to interrupt, and completed them with High Distinctions and Distinctions. She started exhibiting as well as reading and publishing her poetry in 1986 when she was awarded 2 Poetry Prizes. Since 2015, she has been dedicating herself to art and she had 3 solo exhibitions. In 2016/17 she took part in an installation led by Yoko Ono at ReykjavÃk Art Museum, Iceland. In 2017 she did a 3 month Artist Residency with final group show at Galerie 102 – studio – projektraum berlin, during Berlin Art Week, Germany. After that, in Portugal, she had a solo
show at Museu Municipal Armindo Teixeira Lopes, in Mirandela and another 2 week Artist Residency and group show at Cerveira Art Biennale Foundation, in Vila Nova de Cerveira. Both institutions have her work in their public collection. Her art is also in private collections in Australia, Portugal and Germany.
She has 3 children and 2 grandchildren.
Anabela has a disability as she got 100% deaf on her left ear overnight, in 1989.
Her Narrative Art expresses her holistic lifestyle, combining the respect for the environment, spirituality, numerology, oneiric & visualization imagery, people’s facial expressions, natural health & wellbeing. Her mediums are Painting, Textiles, Drawing & Photography. Whenever she travels, she immerses herself into the local environment and culture and then uses elements of that in her artwork. Having lived in Portugal, Germany, Mozambique & Australia adds to her broadened horizons influencing her imagery. She has also published 2 poetry books and written short stories.
Anabela started exhibiting in 1986, in Melbourne, Australia.
Up to November 2024, she has participated in 3 Solo Shows, 4 Artist Residencies & 107 Group Shows.