Velia Newman; Chartered Waters

Welcoming Australian artist, Velia Newman, to the walls of KAB Gallery

Velia Newman has considered herself  an artist as early as she can remember, some could easily imagine her born with a paint brush in her hand. Growing up in an artistic family in Sydney’s northern beaches, Newman grew up surrounded by art. Her mother Anita Newman, an Australian romantic impressionist & her father was an art dealer & art restorer. Her own practice began at just 9 years of age, as she began to experiment with watercolours & oils. Since then, her experimentation has never stopped. Now a full time artist, Newman continues to push the boundaries and ensure that every artwork she creates is fresh & new. 

Everyday Newman aims to create something original and paints with the philosophy that no two days or two artworks should ever be the same.  Experienced in oils, watercolours, ceramics and many other mediums, Newman predominantly works with acrylics. She is fascinated by the vivid colours & texture. She is well known for her thick & vibrant acrylic paintings, creating stunning scenes of Sydney Harbour and dynamic floral artworks. Within her practice she tries to stretch and reinvent the medium with each artwork, finding new and creative ways to create something incredible, always working “… with the end result in mind.” 

Newman’s latest series, Chartered Waters, is a very personal series that encapsulates the stories of the past in her iconic contemporary style. The series was inspired by the love of sailing shared by Newman and her late father. Using nautical charts from his sailing boat, she began to create these one of a kind artworks that told stories of her time with her father on Sydney’s waters. Fascinated by how a simple chart could hold such a story, she began sourcing authentic nautical charts from around the world to tell the stories of others.

Since beginning the series, Newman has painted on charts from all over the world. Each piece has a story of it’s own, completely separate from the other. The charts on which they are based have sailed over the roughest of seas, and often circumnavigated the world 5 times over. Newman’s breathtaking scenes full of incredible colour & movement, tell the story behind each of the nautical charts. The scribbles and marks by sailors of yesterday are hidden behind the paint, hinting to their intrepid past. 

As an experienced restorer, Newman takes great pride in ensuring her artworks are made to last a lifetime. Beautifully framed in a clean contemporary white frame under perspex the original painting floats in the center and is backed on acid free paper. However, the artwork doesn’t stop at just the front, turn over the painting and you can see Newman’s left her mark, literally, with her own hand print verso. This unconventional artist signature not only marks the piece as a one-of-a-kind original Newman but also is a physical connection to the great hands that painted the piece. 

For something a little more special, Newman can custom-create an original piece on request. With a library of vintage charts at hand, she can paint on nautical charts from anywhere in the world!

Whether it be the Whitsundays or Antarctica, Velia Newman creates pieces that bridges the past to the present and lets the memories of the sea come to life. 

Come & View Velia Newman’s incredible now at KAB Gallery Terrigal

About the author

Marielle

Marielle is undertaking tertiary education in fine art & design. She is both an artist and designer which makes her the perfect person to seek detailed knowledge on all mediums. Her formal training in art and spatial design allows her to help clients curate collections of art that are interesting and unique.

“The right piece of artwork can not only make a space look great but feel great! Artworks are an important emotive piece that can transform the mood of any room.”

Marielle is available part-time to help you transform your interior with art!