Evelyn Marina is an abstract painter whose work is both personal and universal: an act of self-expression and a love letter to the ocean that connects us all.
The granddaughter of immigrants from the European isles of Sicily and Korcula, Evelyn always felt called to the island way of life – from line-catching fish to dips in the deep blue. She spent her childhood on the coast of Western Australia, with many of her best memories at the beach. It is her place of solace, healing and creative oxygen.
A shy child, Evelyn turned to paper to express what she couldn't quite vocalise. From sitting on the dunes filling endless Moleskines with sketches and musings, she went on to gain a Bachelor of Arts (Creative Advertising and Graphic Design, and Photography and Illustration) before creating layouts for magazines and textiles for fashion labels like Palm Noosa and Finders Keepers.
But when she received an easel for her 25th birthday, her true calling beckoned. Then based in Adelaide, she painted what she was desperately missing: blue.
In the two years that followed, Evelyn swapped the city for the Sunshine Coast and was selected to show her works at six exhibitions – including the Bentleys 40 Under 40 Exhibition two years running. Most recently, she was chosen to showcase her paintings and sculptures at Noosa Regional Gallery.
Her work is characterised by unpredictable and intentional forms, storytelling and, of course, the colour blue – exploring the healing nature of the ocean through works that invite calm contemplation.
You can see her works in upcoming exhibitions or find a dose of inspiration through her project Things I Approve – a series of spontaneously-drawn notes on envelopes that remind us to slow down and savour the simple.
She moves often, but you'll always find her by the water.