Febe Zylstra
Highly symbolic, Febe’s practice flits between figurative, abstract and landscape. She is best known for her figures with recurring motifs such as birds (totems), animals, dolls, balloons and masks. Shapes, scribbles and written words often appear from within the textured layers of her work, sometimes visible, sometimes painted over.
When Febe was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, her mental health experience became a life-changing catalyst. She left a successful nursing career to follow a quest for artistic knowledge and expression, resulting in completing a Diploma of Visual Arts. She soon discovered her instinctive and organic style held broader appeal and creating art became a significant part of her daily maintenance and continued practice providing an outlet to express her emotions.
Febe utilises a wide variety of materials to achieve her mixed media pieces, often using combinations of oil, acrylic, charcoal, ink, bitumen and collaged materials. She allows her immediate emotions and intuition to dictate how each art piece evolves. Often with the use of symbolic references, the message, meaning or narrative behind her art trumps the medium.
Febe encourages the viewer to find a personal connection with her art emotionally or within their own life's journey.
During her 25-year art career, Febe’s pieces have found a place in private homes and commercial locations within Australia, USA, UK, Asia and Saudi Arabia.
