Anne Collins ‘The Art of Living’

Mar 7

18 May - 6 June 2024

The Art of Living celebrates Anne Collins' legacy, life and ongoing practice as a visual artist. The exhibited works have been selected from hundreds of paintings, photos and prints created and stored at Collins' West end residence, and shown at Land Street Gallery to honour her recent 100th Birthday. Alongside these works are selected photos from the U3A group; one of the key community groups that she has been involved in during her time in Brisbane.

According to an account of her life and travels titled Tradewind Annie, Collins left Guernsey in 1937 with her family, and arrived in Australia 2 years later. The trip was made by sailboat, following trade routes through Canary Islands, the Panama Canal and Samoa before arriving in Sydney. Collins' logs from this time describe the long, rope like tentacles of Man-O-War drifting alongside the boat, lush tropical fruits, bioluminescent waves and the cornflower blue beauty of the Pacific Ocean. The journey was an astounding achievement, and the vibrant sights, sounds and colours she experienced clearly influenced her paintings and drawings later in life.

The works selected for The Art of Living showcase Collins' unlimited curiosity and desire to experiment with subjects, mediums and methods of mark making. Fragmented light passing through trees, forest floors and bright flowers are described with intuitive lines and layering. Each work highlights Collins' revised approach to technique, as she explores new ways to use her materials and subjects.

Collins arrived in Australia in 1939 and has lived over half of her 100 years in West End. She has been an active part of the Brisbane art scene and is continuing her practice as a painter, photographer and maker.

Exhibition Opening:

When: 1-4pm, Saturday 25th May, 2024⁠
Where: Land St Gallery + Studio, 6 Land St Toowong
Everyone is welcome! Come along for some afternoon tea and a chat, and meet the artist.