Uphill Climb

Fiona Thorning is a painter based in Redcliffe, with a long career in art education. Since 2022, she has dedicated herself to painting full-time, committed to the daily practice and refinement of her craft.

Fiona studied at the Queensland College of Art, majoring in printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, and photography, before completing her secondary school teaching certification and going on to teach at several Brisbane high schools.

Her current work focuses on the challenge of realism painting, aiming to authentically portray everyday life. She creates detailed portraits, landscapes, still life pieces, and domestic scenes, employing a traditional approach to perspective. While she does not seek strict photorealism, her work embraces a strong degree of realistic accuracy.

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I saw lots of unusual signs on our recent road trip to Millmerran, where we were visiting a family member in palliative care. Some signs were religious, while others advertised agricultural goods. I remember thinking how wonderful it would be to come across signs with uplifting, positive messages - especially in random, unexpected places. This piece is the third in a series inspired by that idea.