Growing up in small coastal areas across Tasmania, Annalisa spent countless days camping, surfing, and hanging out at the beach with her family. She credits her mum for facilitating plenty of creative opportunities throughout her childhood and has fond memories of collecting driftwood and shells to create little knick-knacks to sell to friends at school.
“I also have a great memory of making paper from scratch with my mum,” says Annalisa. “I remember wondering why we had to make it when everyone else would just go to the shop and buy some, but I’m incredibly grateful that my mum taught me to value the process, get my hands messy and make something new – no matter how long it took.”
Following high school, Annalisa enrolled in a Fine Art degree in Hobart, but soon discovered it wasn’t for her.
“I needed something much more hands-on. The classroom didn’t suit me,” explains Annalisa. “So, I travelled around working lots of different casual jobs for a while, still being creative and making things when I could.”
It wasn’t until settling in Newcastle and starting a family of her own that Annalisa decided to put herself and her artwork out there publicly.
“My brother had moved to Newcastle and suggested I move up too,” says Annalisa. “We are beach people but we needed somewhere much warmer than Tasmania. I had nothing holding me down so took the plunge, moved here and met my husband about a year later.”
Following the birth of their son Marlo, Annalisa began dabbling in painting again and developing her style.
“I’ve always been drawn to collage and figurative style work, because I am such a people person,” explains Annalisa. “People are central to life, and I love to depict them at the beach because it’s such a natural state of being – it’s playful and imperfect.”
“People are central to life, and I love to depict them at the beach because it’s such a natural state of being – it’s playful and imperfect.”
Annalisa says becoming a mum caused a huge identity shift but also forced her to become more intentional in the way that she spent her time creating.
“While on maternity leave and in the first few years of motherhood, I really focused on developing my style,” she explains. “Because my life had become so much busier, it meant that I had to purposefully allow myself the time and space to be with my ideas.”
In 2019, Annalisa came across a group exhibition advertised by Stance, focusing on surf art.
“I had started painting women surfing so I couldn’t believe how perfect this show was for me,” says Annalisa. “I nervously turned up with 20 of my works and somehow sold them all – that’s where it all started.”
Annalisa says she’s been blown away by the opportunities for creative people in Newcastle and surprised by just how many fellow artists have chosen to call our coastal city home.
“Since putting myself out there it has felt like there’s a new opportunity presented to me at every corner,” says Annalisa. “Everyone is just so supportive – you just have to be brave enough to say yes.”
Annalisa says she’s been blown away by the opportunities for creative people in Newcastle and surprised by just how many fellow artists have chosen to call our coastal city home.
With her original works gaining attention from a growing fan base, Annalisa saw the opportunity to allow more people access to a piece of her art via prints. Having not gone down the printmaking path before, she put a call out on Instagram for advice from other locals. She was contacted by fellow artist Mitch Revs, who offered to print and sell her works within Mitch Revs’ Gallery.
“Mitch basically offered to teach me how to do it all. He has been incredibly generous with his time and being part of another creative collective has been an amazing place to learn,” explains Annalisa.
Annalisa’s philosophy towards art and life is about embracing the imperfections of getting to where you want to be. Whether that be as physical as a visible pencil mark on the canvas or something far more personal – Annalisa bares it all.
“Beauty is not always what you initially want to see,” says Annalisa. “So, when it comes to my art, something might look like it’s broken or not meant to be there, but it actually does serve a purpose and I want to value that process.”
This same sentiment is reflected in her in-home art studio, affectionately known as ‘The Hovel’. What was once the spare bedroom is now a beautiful mess of paints, brushes, canvases, and chairs that double as easels.
“I sometimes refer to it as the room of broken dreams,” laughs Annalisa. “It’s non-curated reality – which I think sums me up perfectly.”
Words: Hannah Mills | Photography: Zoë Lonergan
As seen in Swell Issue 12. Grab your copy here
