Petra creates mixed media pieces inspired by the waters near her coastal studio around 15 nautical miles from the magnificent Great Barrier Reef. She lives and breathes her craft, thrives on breaking the rules, taking risks, constantly perfecting techniques and exploring new ideas.
PETRA MEIKLE DE VLAS
Australia
Background
“The ocean does something to your psyche in a very positive way. And I think my collectors connect with this, they feel this too.”
Q&A
What is your goal with your artwork and what motivates you?
I am pushing myself out of the square regularly, to find new and exciting ocean-like formations and effects.
What projects are you currently working on or what's next for you?
Fitting out Fitzroy Island Resort on the Great Barrier Reef with Art work through the public areas. And I plan to start a new underwater, coral series, and a series on Humpback whales.
What other hobbies do you have?
Travel, I love to travel!
Who/what are your biggest creative influences?
Many many modern day Artists from around the world, working with diverse mediums styles and subjects, it all inspires
and influences me in some way.
Artistic Tools
Paint brushes, her hands, air guns, spray bottles, a blow torch, and gravity.
I rarely follow conventional art methods and have developed techniques that create different effects to closely resemble reef and ocean like formations.
The texture is the exposed reef and rocks, the water is the liquid paint, the spray bottle is the force of nature like rain, the hairdryer is the wind, the blowtorch is the sun, the gravity (tilting the board this way and that) is the tide.
I am forever experimenting with different methods and tools and forever learning.
