Nita

Art and art therapy have been instrumental in taking Nita’s pain away from past experiences in her life.

Nita grew up in Mantin, Malaysia, with adopted parents.

Nita settled in Australia when she was 24, and soon after she met her husband (whom she has since separated from) and had a child.

Nita remembers this period in her life as being very hectic; she was alone and had very little support raising her son. Nita also suffered from postnatal depression, having already suffered from long-term depression from the age of six as a result of being molested.

After Nita’s marriage ended, she entered a relationship with a violent partner and Nita was left with permanent burn scars from being doused with chemicals by him.

In much pain, it was at this time that Nita first started doing art therapy. “The first painting I did was a picture of an angel, it sort of took my pain away. Then I never looked back. I find art really natural.”

Nita has been practicing art ever since and has participated in an art group run by a health service for the last 14 years, where she has learnt among other things, mosaic, pottery, painting and other media.

Nita particularly loves making mosaics, for which she uses recycled materials. As Nita says, “I can get my frustration out by cutting tiles”.

Her Parrot and Orchid pieces reflect the use of a technique called pointillism, where small, distinct dots of colour are applied in patterns to form an image. Georges Seurat and Paul Signac developed the technique in 1886, branching from Impressionism.

Nita would like to be well known one day and develop her own unique style and technique.

“I just love the challenge, and love to push my limits. I like trying different things that are possible. I’m not afraid to try new things”.