ReAwakening

Australian Wildflowers

Using an Extravaganza of colour, Nafisa celebrates the unique flora of our nation by capturing them in oils on a 6 meter mural (in 4 panels). Almost a year in the making, Nafisa has drawn inspiration from nature to create and combine elements of the corals found on Great Barrier Reef along with the flora found in our parks and wilderness, in creating this masterful work. This mural is the 4th and last mural in the series. The first, ‘Regeneration’ , won the Gold Medal at the Florence Biennial and the subject matter celebrated the cycle of fire and regeneration of Australian flora. reflecting the trials and tribulations we undergo, the obstacles we overcome. allowing us to become more beautiful and mature in surviving them. now in a corporate collection.
The second mural ‘Revolution’ featuring repeating pods and other botanical elements – a metaphor for the repetition of events in our lives, and those who drift in and out of them. This mural, was also 4 panels each measuring 1.5 m x 1.5 m. The colours were a limited palette focusing more on oranges and turquoise with the Great Barrier Reef being the underlying inspiration for the colours. purchased in 2012 by corporate client.
The third mural ‘Rejuvenation’ turned to a brighter palette with vibrant colours and some new flower species. The CEO of St Vincent’s Private contacted Nafisa requested it be purchased by the hospital and installed in the Day Surgery in 2016.
This fourth and final mural is ‘Re-Awakening’. It is an explosion of colour celebrating a wide array of spectacular of Australian Wildflowers. a pure enjoyment of the beauty our Australian natives provide us. This was a huge undertaking and the process was more complicated by the diversity and composition of flowers chosen. The extended time of almost an entire calendar year working almost solely on the mural has resulted in the most spectacular mural of all.

Almost a year in the making, Nafisa has drawn inspiration from nature to create and combine elements of the corals found on Great Barrier Reef along with the flora found in our parks and wilderness, in creating this masterful work.

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Nafisa, born in Mumbai, India, is an internationally renowned Australian artist- winner of the Gold Medal at the Florence Biennale with a 6 meter long mural depicting Australian Wildflowers in the vibrant colours of the Great Barrier Reef. and remains the only Australian artist to achieve this prestigious accolade. She was the winner in Australia’s most famous portrait prize, The Archibald (winning the Packer’s Prize), as well as winning the City of Perth Black Swan Prize for Portraiture confirming her as a recognised portrait artist across Australia. She has been represented as a finalist in every major art prize including the Dobell Prize for Drawing, the Blake Prize, The Black Swan Perth Portrait Prize,The Kedumba Drawing Award, the Portia Geach Portrait Award, the Hutchins prize etc, amongst many others. In 2015, her personal diary of 90 drawings (created over multiple visits to Tuscany over 5 years) was awarded First Prize for Works on Paper at the Chianciano Biennale that later led to her publishing the Commemorative Edition of Tuscan Temptations (signed, numbered of 100) in 2021, launched at the Art Gallery of NSW. The edition won 3 Gold Medals for publishing, printing and design in November 2021. The Italian Print Edition (of 1000 printed in Vicenza, Italy) was launched at the Art Gallery of NSW in 2023 with a full Italian translation accompanying the English narrative.

Establishing herself as one of Australia’s most awarded artist with over 200 prizes and commendations to her name since beginning her art career just over 20 years ago, Nafisa has also devoted much of her artistic talent to works she has donated to help charities raise much needed funds.

From a young age when growing up in Hong Kong, Nafisa demonstrated a noticeable talent and interest in Fine Art. When completing her secondary school and HSC in Sydney, she came first in NSW in 3 Unit Art. Choosing to study Medicine at UNSW furthered her appreciation of the beauty of nature and the human form, empowering her with the knowledge of human anatomy that served her later as a portrait artist in the tradition of the old masters of the Renaissance. Leaving Medicine and starting a business in fashion was a pull into her creativity and opened the door to travel regularly to Italy for work, enabling her to view the great art collections of Europe.

After some years in the fashion industry, her love for the visual arts drew her back to ART. Nafisa applied for and won a scholarship to Julian Ashton Art School in 1999, graduating with a Diploma of Fine Art, then a couple of years later graduated with a Master of Fine Art from the National Art School in Sydney.. She holds the position of Fellow at the Royal Art Society of NSW. She continues to exhibit in Europe, the USA and the UK and gives select tutorials in portraiture and life painting, from her studio in the Southern Highlands and conducts workshops abroad.

In 2021, Nafisa established a studio in Florence, Italy, and now splits her time between her place in Florence (the cradle of the Renaissance), and Sydney.

Nafisa works across the mediums of painting (in watercolour, oils - on canvas, board, and stainless steel), drawing, bronze cast sculpture and porcelain and Installation.

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Zoy Group Sydney
Pendragon UK
ServCorp, Tokyo, Japan
Anantara Resort Group, Chiang Rai
SKF, Shanghai
HMAS WaterHen Sydney
Sydney University Department of Science
Black Friars Collection Australia
John Sample Group International
Whitehouse School of Design Sydney
Welden International
Maritime Museum Sydney
Royal North Shore Hospital Sydney
St Vincent’s Private Hospital Sydney
Humour Foundation (Clown Doctors)
Burwood Press Australia
Aussie Home Loans
Preston Group Australia
Whistler Arts Council BC Canada
Aqua Dining Group Sydney
Chianciano Art Museum , Tuscany