Stella Phillips.

Stelliani, which she prefers to be known as, was an endearment given to her by her grandmother from Cyprus. Stelliani’s youthful zest for life is apparent to one who stands before her abstract canvases which exude her strength of personality and flamboyant style, undeniably an artist to carefully watch in the growth of her career which is still in its infancy. Her works show the courage an artist needs to get ahead in an industry where the soul of an artist is tested on many levels, quite unlike most other occupations.

As a practicing psychologist in Brisbane, Stelliani strongly believes that our present behaviours and beliefs are very much influenced by our past. Archaeology provides us with a permanent remembrance of human achievement and consequently her paintings reflect a fascination with the textures and patterns existing from her homeland, Cyprus.

Stelliani was first captivated by the existence of history as a seven year old child returning to her parents’ homeland, Cyprus. There, the amenities were scarce and life archaic. She was enveloped in images marked by time, memory and the harshness of life events and today her work is concerned with what is well worn, modest and simple. For Stelliani, her abstract canvases depict the humility and modesty that produce true richness and beauty. Her paintings are inspired by an aged, medieval tradition that extends back to the primitiveness of her Mediterranean ancestors. They incorporate the colours and patterns of the environment built by the cultures of the eastern Mediterranean and the patina and textures that have evolved as a result of the repetitive passage of successive generations. The richness and rawness of the texture in her work is imbued with the colours of a limited palette, burnished and weathered as though discovered from an ancient era.