Collection: Natasha Pettit-Marks

@natashapettitfineart

Natasha Pettit-Marks, is an emerging practising on Gadigal Land. Her works sit between the realms of abstraction and representation, with a background of landscape. The essence of place is central to her work, which guides her throughout each painting she creates. In her most recent works she has decided to work monochromatically. Capturing the mark making qualities of traditional drawing tools such as charcoal and ink has inspired Pettit-Marks to apply this process to painting.

Growing up in New Zealand, surrounded by Māori culture, Pettit-Marks became familiar with the Māori concept of Tūrangawaewae, and has applied this concept to guide her approach to landscape painting.  The word in itself means “A place to stand”, Tūranga means ‘Standing place’ Waewae means ‘feet’. It’s a concept where an individual feels empowered and connected to a place or places. Generally it is connected to a place from where you’re from, it is also a concept you take with you, even if you leave Aotearoa/ New Zealand. To be grounded in a place, is essential to Pettit-Marks’ practise. As a result through the process of exploring places of Eora/Sydney that really resonate with her, that encapsulate holistically the concept of Tūrangawaewae, is where Pettit-Marks draws her inspiration from.