| Oenone Hammersley specializes in painting rainforests and wildlife She has been exhibiting regularly since 1980, with shows in U.S.A.,
U.K, Europe and Africa. She spent three years living in Tanzania, where she painted traditional wildlife scenes as well as her newly developed style of surreal
images. In Greece she used Greek Mythological figures to illustrate her paintings. She has just
returned from Papua New Guinea which is part of the focus of her recent collection of paintings.
Oenone’s recent wildlife paintings embrace the vivid colours of the infinitely varied species of bird life and exotic frogs of Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Deriving inspiration from her extensive expeditions to South-east Asia, India, Africa and Latin America, she is committed to furthering the cause of conservation
through her work and involvement with organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund, Flora and Fauna International and Earthwatch. She raises funds for conservation
by donating a percentage of the proceeds from the sales of her work, and frequently accepts commissions on request.
Clearly influenced by the work and colour of Gauguin, Matisse and Rousseau, Oenone has been able to create her own style and colour with a hint of the surreal, and
found a way to express her feelings about nature and wildlife. Paths and the choices we face when confronted with those pathways feature heavily in her work. The
question of choice, whether to choose to take the path that leads to saving wildlife and nature, or to choose another way, is presented allegorically. The animals
in these paintings act as guides and stand like sentinels at the gateways.
Oenone was born and educated in England. She studied theater design and printmaking in London. She is married to an American Diplomat and is currently living in
Alexandria, Virginia. Marlena proudly presents selections from her voluminous work reproduced with all their richness of color and visual texture on pure silk.
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