"I am originally from the USA where I studied art history and painting. I spent four years living in Japan before calling Australia home in 2008. I have always been an artist and never tire of experimenting with media and image. My creative practice is quite personal and usually the journey is more important than the outcome. I can be quite prolific but it comes in waves, some months only creating a few works and other times creating dozens.

I have many avenues of inspiration including ancient Mexican art, Classical cultures of the Mediterranean, Japan, Australian wildlife & geology, Native American pottery designs, early 20th century Modern art and mandalas. Like a thread through all of those different influences, is my love of shape, colour and design. I love to create new and interesting patterns and combinations. I cannot imagine a time in my life where I would not be creating art.

I work in variety of media including pen, alcohol marker and ink, watercolour, acrylic, acrylic ink, pencil and collage. I usually work on canvas, paper, Bristol board and Yupo (a synthetic plastic ‘paper’).

Having my first art show at The Toowoomba Art Society in 2024 was an especially proud moment for me. It had been many years since I had publicly shown my work and it was a big step to enter that world again in a different country, and the results have been very rewarding. Although I rarely ‘do art’ with other people in mind, it has been very exciting to share it and see how much joy it can bring to others. It is fascinating to see my art through other people’s eyes and emotions.
At the moment, I am still exploring acrylic and alcohol inks which are both fairly new media for me. I am interested in working even smaller and more detailed than I usually work and experimenting with colours and colour combinations that are outside my comfort zone."

Ana Zekants - My work can be seen on my Facebook page at Art by AnaJay