Why I paint

From smooth glazed layers to heavily textured, impasto paint, I adore oil paint. The materiality is luscious and wonderfully plastic in its forgiving application. It suits my nature. Painting offers me a way to make sense of the flaws and cracks of the world around me. My compositions explore what it is to be a woman living in this time and place. The majority of my work involves subjects that society might consider … sensitive.

It is important to me that my work not only be aesthetically exciting but that it provokes deep thought and inspires open discourse amongst us. Click here to go to my Gallery of my current paintings.

A short history

After a 25 year career as a dancer, performing in Madrid, Mexico, London and Los Angeles, I made a monumental decision to take on an art degree at Adelaide Central School of Art. I was at the height of my career as a dancer when I changed course. Upon commencing my Art Degree I felt I had come home. However my performance history has and continues to influence my painting.

After graduating in 2012, I won an Artists Residency to paint in Venice at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica. Since returning I offered private tuition to children and adults. Complementing this I set up National and International Art Retreats with guest Artist/Instructors. Offering tuition to others and travel opportunities to expand, learn and improve painting techniques, has been another great joy to me.

Liana

VISUAL ART TRAINING
2019 Renaissance Portrait Painting with Professor Timothy Allen, Rome

2014 Residency Award Scuola Internationale di Grafica, January-March, Venice

2012  Graduated with a Bachelor Visual Art, Adelaide Central School of Art, South Australia

EXHIBITIONS

2024 SALA Open Studio Gallery Hahndorf,

2023 Australis, A group exhibition for my students at Hughes Gallery

2022 Duthy Street Matador as Metaphor

2021 Life is An Art, A group exhibition for my students at Pepper Street Art Gallery

2022 Shut me up, Shut me down, SALA and beyond, Atelier Crafers Gallery

2019 SALA Duthy Street SALA Artists Exhibition

2018 SALA Duthy Street SALA Artists Exhibition

2017 Flow of Consciousness, SALA Solo Exhibition, Kensington Gallery

2015 The Barn Artists Collection, Group Exhibition, The Barn Gallery, Aldgate

2015 Line of Enquiry, SALA Solo Exhibition, Hahndorf Academy

2014 The Venetians, SALA Group Exhibition, Red Opus Art Space, Kensington

2014 VENICE - Elegant Decay, SALA Solo Exhibition, Rising Sun, Kensington

2014 Artists Voice Group Exhibition, , Adelaide Fringe, Hahndorf Academy

2013 Loreto Spring Art Fair, Group Exhibition 

2013 Artists Voice SALA Group Exhibition, Hahndorf Academy

2012 In Good Company, Graduate Exhibition Adelaide Central School of Art

2011 Art After SALA, Group Exhibition, Red Cross Gallery, Rundle St

2011 Espiritu 2, Solo Exhibition, Rising Sun, Kensington

2011 Espiritu, Solo Exhibition, Adelaide Fringe, Bakehouse Theatre

MENTORING / TEACHING

2023 Liana Vargas Studio Gallery, Hahndorf

2012 - 2023       Liana Vargas Art Tuition, Littlehampton

2019  - Now Duthy Street Art Studio

2019 - 2022 Atelier Crafers

2019 - 2020 The Paint Box, Hahndorf

2016 - 2018 Starving Artist Studio, Hahndorf, Director, Instructor

2014 - 2015 The Barn Gallery and Studios, Aldgate, 2013 - 2015 Youth Art Program, Hahndorf Academy

2012 - 2013 Stirling Art on the Green, Youth Art Tuition,

ART ADVENTURES / RETREATS DESIGNED FOR MY STUDENTS

2023 Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Florence and Venice Art Adventure September and October

2022 Queenstown Art Escape, November

2022 Hobart Art Escape, April

2021 Sacred Sites, Wilpena Pound, October

2021 Road Trip Art Adventure, Limestone Coast May

2020 Painting Under The Stars, Clare Valley, Plein Air Painting and Glamping, October

2019 Renaissance Retreat, Italy ‘October’ workshop in collaboration with Art Studio Rome

2019 Art of Balance, Japan ‘April’, workshops in collaboration with The Pigment Store Tokyo

A show reel of my Flamenco Career spanning 25 years, working in Madrid, Sydney, Mexico, London and Los Angeles.