Nada Herman-Witkamp
Nada Herman (born 1965) is an Australian artist. Her oil paintings are exuberant with bright colours and bold thick strokes which produce tactile, lively canvasses. She usually depicts beaches, harbour and marine scenes, floral still life and nudes.
Nada Herman was born into an artistic family. Her grandfather was the late Sali Herman, who was famous for his depiction of Terrace Houses and the Sydney slum houses. Nada's father was also a well-known artist, Ted Herman, who tutored and inspired Nada from eight years old. She won her first art prize at ten years old.
All through Nada's youth, she was taught and observed by her two older teachers. At one stage, all three of them worked together in her bushland studio which overlooks Pittwater in Sydney Australia - a beautiful place to paint from.
In 1987, Herman finished a certificate in visual art, receiving honours in painting. In 1990 Nada graduated from a bachelor in visual arts.
In 1992, an exhibition titled Three Generations was held and it was Herman's first chance to show her work. It was to be the final exhibition for her grandfather as he died a year later at 95. The Three Generations show was a great success and from then on Herman's style began to grow and develop with more and more confidence and expression using loads of oil paint and vibrant colours.
Herman has had many solo and joint exhibitions throughout the past 22 years. Her paintings are now in great demand from art collectors and galleries throughout Sydney as well as worldwide.
Thick brushes are a necessity in Nada's style as well tins of oil paints and a palette knife. The palette knife creates a fresh painterly quality and is perfect for painting wet over wet without the colours becoming muddy.
The colour and excitement in Nada's work reveals her love of the area in which she lives and the beauty found within the bush, marine life and beaches. Still lifes fascinate her with their stagnant yet energetic appearance. A humble flower can create so much joy and power in Nada's eyes as can an apple in a bowl of fruit.
Beaches are full of subject matter with their lovely bathers and the ever-moving waves, seagulls and sailboats. Everyday is different and Nada adores painting beach scenes. Her lifelong passion for painting has developed into an expressive, flamboyant style full of texture, colour and depth.
Many local and overseas clients enthuse about her wonderful colourful paintings, which bring joy and colour into their homes. Nada exhibits annually from her parents unique home / studio in Clareville NSW Australia. The property called "Hy-brasil" has a historical 1930s sandstone house, nearly 3 acres of panoramic views, natural bushland and beautiful fish ponds, gardens and interesting subject matter for an artist. Internationally Nadas work is on exhibition at Agora Gallery New York and Vivid Arts Network Italy. Her paintings are increasingly sought after and are in private collections in Asia, the USA, Europe and Australasia.[1] Nada has been a runner up in the Mosman Art Prize a number of times.
Nada Herman exhibits regularly, her most recent solo exhibition in May and June 2008 in Sydney.[2] Her paintings are also constantly exhibited at a number of well known Sydney galleries and more widely throughout Australia. Many of these galleries cite Nada Herman as one of their most in-demand artists.[3][4]
Family
Nada Herman's grandfather is Sali Herman (OBE) and her father, Ted Herman, was also a well-known artist. She exhibited with both in 1992 in an exhibition titled 'Three Generations'
References
- http://www.greenstonegallery.com.au/content/view/114/53/ Popular demand
- http://www.nada-art.com/page7nada.htm 2008 Nada exhibition
- http://www.wentworthgalleries.com.au/nada/ Wentworth Galleries bio on Nada
- http://www.catalinagallery.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=33 Catalina Gallery bio on Nada