About Me
I live in the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia, with my partner, Paul and our three gorgeous cats. I also have most of my family living nearby and a wonderful friendship base and business support.
My early art influence includes being fascinated by pictures in books about our insect and bug world. I had several story books about little creatures that live in our garden – spiders, beetles, ants and butterflies making homes in mushrooms, and having conversations with one another. It was a lovely fantasy world to live in. I also spent a lot of time in the Australian outback with my parents, discovering the beauty in our nature among the trees, rocks, shrubs, and rock holes.
I spent many hours drawing in sketchbooks when I was young, and at school I enjoyed art class more than any other! I wanted to pursue a career in art when I left high school however, I was encouraged to pursue an office career, which I did. My first job was in a travel agency which took me around the world and opened my eyes to more wonders of nature and different cultures.
I changed jobs throughout the following years, but I was always studying art in one form or another in the evenings, on weekends, and during holidays. I learned oil painting, then pottery, and finally in 1988 I discovered the wonderful world of watercolor!
I began teaching watercolour classes in 1995 and have been teaching ever since. It’s such a rewarding experience, showing students what I know and watching them develop their own skills.
In 2014 I re-connected with my fascination for the “little world” around me, especially spiders. I started to put small spiders in my paintings for people to find, then I moved on to just painting spiders on their own. I discovered that there are more arachnids in the world than just redbacks and tarantulas! There are orb spiders, jumping spiders, crab spiders, peacock spiders, and more. They each have their own personalities, just like humans, and they each live differently, eat differently and even mate differently! I love learning about them and I’m enjoying the spider community I’ve connected with on social media too. People now call me a “Spider Artist” and I love that title!
If you like spiders just as much as I do, and/or if you’d like to follow my spider art journey, then contact me at renatawrightart@yahoo.com.au, or www.renatawrightart.net, or Renata Wright Art on Facebook or Instagram. Or call me on my mobile – 0450 524 229.
CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, AWARDS, EXHIBITIONS AND EDUCATION
Classes and Workshops
- I run regular watercolour classes and workshops during the day and evening in Wangara. Details can be found by following this link – Painting Classes
- In 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 I taught watercolour lessons at the Albany Summer School, and have been invited back again to teach in 2024
- In 2019 I ran a watercolour workshop on peacock spiders for Nature Arb Lab in Canberra
- I have led art tours in Australia and currently have one planned to France in 2024. Details can be found on my Painting Classes page
Awards
- 2023 Gingin Art Awards Exhibition – Best Painting Award
- 2022 Watercolour Society of WA – People’s Choice Award
- 2021 Watercolour Society of WA – Sponsor’s Award AND Popular Choice Award
- 2020 Watercolour Society of WA – Highly Commended Award
- 2019 Watercolour Society of WA – Highly Commended Award
- 2019 Joondalup Community Art Awards – Best Body of Work on Display
- 2018 Watercolour Society of WA – Best Painting in Special Category – “Reflections”
- 2016 Watercolour Society of WA – Highly Commended Award
- 2015 Watercolour Society of WA – Best Painting in “General” Category
- 2014 York Art Awards – Best Watercolour and Highly Commended Awards
- 2013 Dalwallinu Arts Festival – Acquisition Art Prize
- 2013 Watercolour Society of WA – Highly Commended Award
- 2013 Cervantes Art Awards – Highly Commended Award
- 2012 Watercolour Society of WA Annual Awards – Highly Commended Award
- 2011 Dalwallinu Arts Festival, Watercolour Section – First Prize
- 2011 Dalwallinu Arts Festival, Best Art Entry
- 2010 Cervantes Art Festival, Watercolour Section – 1st Prize.
- 2010 Watercolour Society of WA Annual Art Awards – Highly Commended Award.
- 2009 Riseborough Fini Olives Inaugural Annual Acquisitive Art Award – 2nd Prize
- 2008 Watercolour Society of WA – Honourable Mention
- 2005 Float design competition for RAC/Channel 7 Christmas Pageant – 1st Prize
- 2005 Rockingham Regional Art Award – Highly Commended Award
- 1996 Leonora Art Prize Inc – Best Local Watercolour
- 1992 Leonora Art Prize Inc – Highly Commended Award
Solo Exhibitions
- 2020 “My Spider Art Journey”, Leamac Framing and Gallery, Clarkson, Western Australia
- 2013 “Brief Moments of Sanity”, blend(er) Gallery, Joondalup, Western Australia (dual exhibition with artist Harry Davies)
- 2010 “Colour In Continents”, Gingin, Western Australia (dual exhibition with artist Sandra Bishop)
- 2007 “Wingin’ It”, blend(er) Gallery, Joondalup, Western Australia
- 2002 “Getting My Bearings”, Yanchep, Western Australia
- 1997 “The Middle of Nowhere”, Leinster, Western Australia
- 1991 “Scenes That Make You Go Hmmm…!”, Norseman, Western Australia
Art Education
- 2015 -Five days of watercolour workshops with John Lovett, hosted by the Watercolour Society of WA
- 2015 – Five days of watercolour portrait workshops with Cherry Hood at Cairns Art Escape, Cairns, Queensland
- 2014 – Five days of watercolour classes with Greg Allen, one of Australia’s finest watercolour artists, hosted by the Watercolour Society of WA
- 2013 – Five days of watercolour painting classes with Mike Ferris – watercolour artist and teacher – at the Cairns Art Escape, Cairns, Queensland
- 2012 – Weekend workshop with Tony Smibert, world renowned Australian watercolour artist and teacher
- 2012 – Full Week of painting workshops with Robert Wade, Terry Lewitzka, and Lorraine Lewitzka – all prominent Australian watercolour artists and teachers
- 2011 – Full Day workshop with Alvaro Castagnet – prominent watercolour artist from Uruguay
- 1997 – 2008 Ongoing community art and craft lessons including watercolours, oils, acrylics, life drawing, mosaics, leadlighting, and pottery
- 1992 – 1997 Foundation Studies 1,2,3 (Painting) in Certificate of Art & Craft 10163, Curtin University of Technology, Kalgoorlie, WA (classes held in Leinster).
- 1992 – 1997 Materials & Methods (Painting) in Certificate of Art & Craft with Kalgoorlie College, held in Leinster.
- 1992 – 1997 Materials & Methods (Drawing) in Certificate of Art & Craft with Kalgoorlie College, held in Leinster.
- 1988 One year of Bachelor of Education majoring in Art, at Avondale College, New South Wales.