Marissa Weatherhead

Marissa grew up in Ceylon during the 1960s, now Sri Lanka, a former British colony. She was exposed to a vibrant culture in her early, formative years that adores bright colour, strong line and pattern. If you look at Sri Lanka’s batiks, Raksha masks and Dumbara weaving, you will understand these early influences that underpin Marissa’s paintings.

Gardens are spiritual sanctuaries and retreats to Marissa. She makes reference to the Garden of Eden, not in a religious or allegorical sense but rather as a place to rejuvenate and reconnect with self. Her father was a planter, sent out to Ceylon to help teach the tea growers how to plant more effectively and improve productivity, and as a young child Marissa would have watched the planting, growing and changing landscape of the tea estates around her. It is no surprise her work is infused with these cycles of renewal and change; a natural rhythm of nature and the world around us.

Birds often populate her canvases, perched or in flight, and again make reference to a sense of freedom and natural, open spaces. They also have an ancient and more spiritual reference to messengers between worlds, which Marissa doesn’t discount. You will see influences from Picasso and Matisse in her work, both of whom are artists Marissa admires, alongside the boldness of pioneering artists such as Vanessa Bell and Irma Stern.

Marissa has received prestigious scholarships for her practice including the John Minton Award and the Boise Scholarship. She has won numerous Artist in Residence Awards to Venice, Spain, Italy, Mallorca and Morocco. Her work is part of the Arthur Anderson collection and the Guildhall of Music and Drama in London. Marissa exhibits nationally and internationally.

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