Introducing Antoinette Ferwerda
Antoinette Ferwerda was born in 1971 in Melbourne. The child of Dutch migrants and the oldest and only girl of five children, her artistic curiosity was encouraged from an early age by her mother, an art teacher. Always fascinated with colour, her first microscope inspired early investigation for pattern and she defined her world with sketches and drawings. Ferwerda studied Graphic Design which ignited her passion for painting and a determination to follow her dream. After completing her BA, a corporate career in the pharmaceutical industry followed and for the next 14 years she developed and refined her unique painting style as her weekend hobby. These formative painting years spent developing her craft and embracing various creative briefs provided challenges and built a strong foundation for her current artistic practice.
Upon having her beautiful children and with encouragement from her husband, Ferwerda said goodbye to the corporate world, fully embraced her passion for painting and called herself an artist.
Ferwerda’s scope of work is broad, including her early work with inks on paper, signature palm tree pods, original paintings on canvas using mixed media and collage, recent limited edition print collections and unique textile designs for Ninnho towels. She explores the use of colour to evoke emotion. Patterns in nature are still her fascination. Her design stories and themes encourage a personal, thought-provoking connection with her art. Her compositions reflect light, capture the geometry of shape and make Australian landscapes playful and abstract. Her paintings and designs retain a sense of knowing there is connectivity between all living things using colour, pattern & form.
Creative influences include the natural world, fashion, architecture, her children’s drawings, physiology, sociology and psychology. Antoinette works from her art studio in Melbourne, Australia. Her original mixed media paintings and limited edition prints hang upon walls in Australia, Asia, Europe and the USA. She works directly with art collectors for private commissions and regularly collaborates with interior designers and stylists for diverse creative projects. Ferwerda is represented by various Australian galleries and to select retailers by Anna Kerr Agencies.
