TARA WINONA

Inspired by a lifelong love affair with nature and concerned about a growing disconnection from the environment and each other, Tara paints animals and birds, speaking through their eyes, and creates trees of life formed by the bodies of humanity—a reminder that, in the end, we are all connected.

In her Blue Nature series, Tara strives to capture the spirits of her creatures. Often, they express deep-held emotions or profound moments of personal realisation and change. Painted in monochromes, the simplicity of a reduced colour palette allows her to concentrate on evoking an essence or feeling, rather than an accurate botanical portrayal. Her animals are created from sketches, photographic reference, and a large part of imagination, then painted in watercolour onto canvas or paper.

Tara’s art process is a combination of control and fluidity, allowing materials to flow freely and co-creating with 'chance.' Working in this way is a reflection of her life philosophy—life cannot always be controlled, and along the way, there are often wonderful, happy 'accidents.'

Originally trained as a designer and illustrator in Australia, Tara answered the call of the bright lights of the world. She became a creative director for 'son et lumière' spectaculars internationally, painting with video, lasers, lights, fireworks, and special effects. Since then, Tara has made homes in Milan, Paris, and London, travelling the world several times, becoming two languages wiser and learning how to say ‘thank you’ in at least 30 languages. Now, Tara balances her time between her art, writing, and son et lumière shows.

Tara creates from her studio on Johnsons Island, West London, and in Sydney, Australia. She has exhibited across the UK and Australia, and her work is owned in collections internationally.