Warwickshire artist expresses the beauty of the natural world

Anya, who regularly showcases her work at the Leamington Contemporary Arts Fair, was born in Uganda and spent much of her childhood in Kenya before moving to the UK.

She said: “Living in Africa for the first 14 years of my life has had a profound impact on the diversity of my work and where many of my creative ideas have emerged.

“Often, I will imagine a scene and decide how I want certain colours to flow together to create a particular atmosphere.

“I will often take pictures of rolling fields, flowers, cliffs, mountains, headlands, buildings, seascapes and the ever-changing sky and take inspiration from the magical beauty of the natural world around us.”

During recent years, Anya has turned her attentions to what she describes as the “beautiful” landscapes across Britain - including the Midlands, Scottish Highlands, Wales, Cornwall and Kent - and she now likes to add textures to her paintings using gesso, acrylic and acrylic inks, alongside using more traditional techniques with watercolours and oils.

She said: “I strive to give my audience the romance or memory of a scene or landscape which is recognised as real, but does not always have a physical location - almost like a landscape within a dream. I seek to tap into a positive nostalgic memory.”

Anya is displaying her work at the next Leamington Contemporary Arts Fair in Livery Street on Saturday October 27, while she is also exhibiting at the National Herb Centre in Warmington on Saturday November 17 and Sunday November 18.