Portraits

Archibald prize 2014

‘I have known Wendy Arnold for 18 years,’ says Mariola Smarzak. ‘We have worked together in the Rozelle studios, sharing many hours together, exchanging ideas and having a great time. Her generous spirit and positive attitude is very infectious, somehow inspiring many of us to become more adventurous in our artistic endeavours. ‘During one of our gatherings, I noticed a very calm and meditative expression on her face. I thought I would like to capture this moment in my painting. Usually I paint in quite an abstract way, however, I am interested in portraiture as well. When I paint portraits, the subject, being external, confronts me in a different way. Depicting someone in a painting can also tell a lot about yourself. It’s not always comfortable but it’s fascinating.’