Ornamental Landscapes

Michael Reid Murrurundi is pleased to host the work of Anita West, who makes her solo exhibition debut which follows her participation in our 2026 Country Style Magazine exhibition, Best In Show.

Anita West in a Meanjin/Brisbane-based visual artist whose enchanting, enveloping scenes of tangled forests convey the romance of the untamed Australian bush, it’s serendipitous patterns and the allure of this continents diverse landscapes.

“I want my paintings to be soulful and contemplative. I want to take you on an evocative journey through the Australian bush, to experience the unparalleled beauty of nature”, says West, whose early career saw her experimenting with a variety of different styles. From naïve art to abstraction and miniature art, her well-rounded artistic trajectory will be aptly demonstrated in this up-coming display of bush and aerial landscape paintings.

“I am interested in the idea of romantic notions attached to the Australian bush and I am attempting to explore these elements using boundaries between abstraction and realism, emotion, and perception through my engagement with this beautiful land”, explains the artist.

Predominantly location based, her practice is concerned with the recording and interpretation of natural habitat that has been preserved or protected in line with conservation objectives. Her vibrant floral compositions are animated with bold pinks and radiant purples, imbuing her paintings with an ethereal and dreamlike quality. The result is a body of work that feels at once rooted in place and touched by imagination – offering viewers an experience that is as reflective as it is transportive.

Paintings by Anita West are available to preview at our Murrurundi Gallery ahead of the show. For more information, please email amandamackinlay@michaelreid.com.au