ABOUT NAUHA DABBOUSSY

Nauha moved with her family to Australia from Lebanon when she was 8 years old. She grew up in Melbourne before coming to Sydney where she discovered a passion for painting. “I’d always wanted to do it,” she says. “So I started to explore the options, first at TAFE (St George and Gymea), then studying art history at COFA.” Since the late 1990s, the artist has completed several courses and won awards too, including First Prize at the Bayside Arts Festival in 2019.

Nauha’s appreciation of impressionist painting informs much of her work, from bright-lit landscapes in oils and watercolour to richly textured still life painting, nudes and portraits.

There’s also a highly stylised approach to figuration and composition. A striking lino-block print, hand-coloured, depicts two ducks on a lake. “With regard to more stylised work, I just naturally found my way. It’s about noticing the character of a place or subject, bringing out something special or beautiful and paying attention to design elements.”

Most days Nauha works in her studio-gallery at Banksia (14 Railway Street).  She enjoys meeting people there (fortunately, there’s a coffee shop next door) – engaging in conversation while she draws or paints.

“Painting means many hours on my own but I also love the social aspects. I belong to art groups, including the St George Art Society, and like to visit the galleries. I enjoy getting involved in group shows – and will have some works in a show at Parliament House in June.”