I am Anika “Arney” Manuela, born on the southern island of a little known place called "New Zealand."
After being stolen away as a baby from the enchanting Nelson, I grew up in the wilds of South Australia subsisting on a diet of bad dress sense, poor town planning and a complete lack of motivation, common in downtown Hackham of the day. After the many misadventures associated with the tempestuously changeable seas of life I have now settled gently in South Western NSW.
Woeful jokes aside, I am a self taught artist with a love of drawing from when I was small. The resources available to me at the time were pretty basic. I remain a pretty basic person and my drawings continue to be basic... a pencil, a fine point pen and paper... but the end result is always a thing that has given me joy to create and that I am happy to share with friends.
I love being in the elements and I love animals. They are a limitless source of inspiration. It's not just the intelligence, the power and fragility but the rich textures, the rough and smooth, the fur and claw, feather and scale. They are designed for their environment, humbly existing in a way that I, and most humans I imagine, find difficult. So to capture even a small part of that in an artwork is immensely satisfying.
Obviously, what an artwork is able to emote is entirely subjective so I thank you for observing what essentially is a part of me on paper. Each new work is a lesson learned and more tools I can use to bring another inspiration to life. I have many new lines and themes I wish to try in future, Australiana being one of them. Perhaps a childrens range..
In conclusion… Welcome, make yourself comfortable but please, keep your feet off the coffee table!
Arney