About the Artist
I live in the northern suburbs of Perth, WA, with my partner, Paul, and our three cats.
My early art influence includes pictures in children’s books about our insect and bug world, as well as observing nature in the outback with my parents.
When I was young, I spent hours drawing in sketchbooks, and at school I enjoyed art class immensely! I wanted to pursue an art career when I left school however I worked in several office, banking, and travel roles before my art career began. I was always studying art in my spare time though – drawing, oil painting, pottery – and finally in 1988 I discovered watercolour!
By 1995 I was teaching watercolour classes and have been teaching ever since.
In 2014 I re-connected with my fascination for the “little world” around me, particularly spiders. I added small spiders in my paintings for people to find, then I started painting spiders on their own. It’s been an interesting journey! I love learning about spiders and I love the spider community I’ve connected with on social media too.
I enjoy the combination of my spider art and my watercolour classes (where I teach subjects like landscapes, seascapes, animals, flowers etc). My classes are held in Wangara, and I enjoy watching my students on their own watercolor journey, starting with no knowledge of the medium, to going out on their own and entering competitions and holding their own exhibitions.
Visit my website – www.renatawrightart.net – for more information.
Solo Exhibitions
2020 “My Spider Art Journey”, Leamac Framing and Gallery, Clarkson, Western Australia
2013 “Brief Moments of Sanity”, blend(er) Gallery, Joondalup, Western Australia (dual exhibition with artist Harry Davies)
2010 “Colour In Continents”, Gingin, Western Australia (dual exhibition with artist Sandra Bishop)
2007 “Wingin’ It”, blend(er) Gallery, Joondalup, Western Australia
Awards
2024 International Watercolour Exhibition, Perth
2023 Gingin Art Awards Exhibition – Best Painting Award
2022 Watercolour Society of WA – People’s Choice Award
2021 Watercolour Society of WA – Sponsor’s Award AND Popular Choice Award
Winner of Popular Choice Award – 2021 WSWA Annual Awards Exh
2020 Watercolour Society of WA – Highly Commended Award
2019 Watercolour Society of WA – Highly Commended Award
2019 Joondalup Community Art Awards – Best Body of Work on Display
2018 Watercolour Society of WA – Best Painting in Special Category – “Reflections”
2016 Watercolour Society of WA – Highly Commended Award
2015 Watercolour Society of WA – Best Painting in “General” Category
2014 York Art Awards – Best Watercolour and Highly Commended Awards
2013 Dalwallinu Arts Festival – Acquisition Art Prize
2013 Watercolour Society of WA – Highly Commended Award
2013 Cervantes Art Awards – Highly Commended Award
2012 Watercolour Society of WA Annual Awards – Highly Commended Award
2011 Dalwallinu Arts Festival, Watercolour Section – First Prize
2011 Dalwallinu Arts Festival, Best Art Entry
2010 Cervantes Art Festival, Watercolour Section – 1st Prize.
2010 Watercolour Society of WA Annual Art Awards – Highly Commended Award.
2009 Riseborough Fini Olives Inaugural Annual Acquisitive Art Award – 2nd Prize
2008 Watercolour Society of WA – Honourable Mention
2005 Float design competition for RAC/Channel 7 Christmas Pageant – 1st Prize
2005 Rockingham Regional Art Award – Highly Commended Award
1996 Leonora Art Prize Inc – Best Local Watercolour
1992 Leonora Art Prize Inc – Highly Commended Award
