Local artist debuts work

After finding her creative voice, Geelong artist Stephanie Venosta is debuting her first full body of work at a local gallery.

Venosta has been painting for as long as she can remember. Now in her 30s, she is exhibiting her works at Sequel Gallery under the title Well Planted.

The works are all about the beauty of nature and how it makes people feel.

Growing up around the Grampians, the artist was surrounded by natural beauty.

Venosta said a lot of her memories growing up generally included drawing, painting or crafting.

“I remember even as a small child looking forward to school dress up days such as book week so me and my parents could make a costume together with what we had around the house.”

After moving to Melbourne and getting her degree in journalism, Venosta’s writing career took over and her creative hobbies became less of a priority.

“I found myself writing about other artists displaying their talents, while I was channelling my creativity by telling their stories,” she said.

After experiencing a bad time of bad mental health in 2022, she realised it was time to get back to painting and what gives her joy.

“When I reframed my mind that painting was just as important to incorporate into my life as my relationships, my physical fitness and everything else that made me, me, it became easy to see it was worth carving out time for,” she said.

“Picking up a paintbrush felt like home.”

This exhibition of Venosta’s work was inspired by a walk through the Geelong Botanic Gardens.

“The only way I can explain it is that I felt so good being there and couldn’t help but stop and take pictures along the way – that’s when I knew it was worth painting,” she said.

Venosta uses acrylic paints, often adding details with oil pastel and sources her canvas’s second-hand wherever she can.

Well Planted will be on exhibition from August 2 until September 1.

There will be an opening ceremony on August 3 from 4pm until 6pm and all works will be available to view online from sequelgallery.com.au

For more, follow Venosta on Instagram @stephanievenostaart