Steel Tape – 80x80cm

Onela Keal
Australian artist
Contemporary Industrial Landscapes

Onela’s work is largely inspired by man-made structures that shape the everyday environments we exist in. Attracted in particular to industrial forms, she explores the notion there is beauty in these scenes that often goes unnoticed.

The light and the particular view of the structures in the paintings are eagerly considered and integral to the compositions, inviting the viewer to appreciate the subjects with a new perspective. The often minimal reference to nature highlights the form and character of the subjects and questions the idea whether the structures are attractive in their own right.

Living in Bristol, United Kingdom for many years and travelling extensively throughout Europe and other parts of the world, Onela established herself as a painter. As a member of Jamaica Street Artists (JSA), she took part in yearly open studio exhibitions, providing exposure leading to a solo exhibition, gallery representation and group shows within the Royal West Academy of England and the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.

Onela returned to Australia in 2016 to explore its environs. Influenced by the American Precisionists, she was keen to investigate both rural and urban industrial settings in her home country and discover how they could lend themselves to her paintings.