Terri Cracknell
Painter (Manly, NSW)

Terri was born in the UK and has been connected to the world of painting from an early age. Artists ran in the family as far back as the Victorian painter W.P.Frith 1819 – 1910 . Her natural interest in painting was fueled by the artistic skills of her father who encouraged her to paint, and her brother who is also a painter.

Living in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne from 1954 – 1969 meant the nearest art school was Swinbourne University which she attended for two years 1966 & 1967. This led to a love of graphic design and encouraged her strong affinity with colour which has always been the basis for her visual influences.

Terri moved to Sydney in 1969 and embarked on a self-employed career spanning 33 years in the 3d environment of exhibition & graphic design. This busy career meant that until recent retirement Terri did not pursue her desire to paint, but was content to collect the many paintings and sculptures of Australian artists that fill her home.

Many years of traveling resulted in a keen interest for photographic records of anything that could be later used for reference and inspiration to paint from. Since getting back to painting Terri has done several commissions and is looking forward to exhibiting sometime in the next 2 years.

Terri prefers to work on large canvases using acrylic paint. Works consist of a strong graphic element reducing subject matter to basic simplicity with strong use of colour and shapes trying to capture the ‘essence ‘ of the subject matter. Current work has resulted in a unique method of creating a textured canvas which will be explored further in the next few years.

Artists Statement : My influences are colour and their relationship to each other together with capturing the essence of the subject in a graphic sense. I like to break down what I am seeing and represent it in way that pleases me.

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