Toni Messiter: Artist Statement & Bio

I am inspired by classical painting and portraiture, feelings of ambiguity, light and shadow. I am particularly interested in enigmatic compositions, raising questions between reality and illusion and creating a sense of uncertainty between the viewer and the figures depicted. I am interested in this dialogue of ‘who is looking at who’ between the audience and the painted subjects, which for me is tied up in my own reflection of my past; of me looking at these characters I’ve painted, and their gaze looking back at me. I feel an immediacy in their observation and strong sense of attachment to them, yet also I am an outsider to the canvas. It’s as if my painted characters challenge and speak to me, the creator and in turn the viewer. It is a kaleidoscope of memory, portraits of the past or the framing of a life, but at the same time questions of who is looking at who in the paintings confuse interpretation and subjectivity.

Toni Messiter paints from her studio on Gadigal land (Sydney). She holds an Arts degree from Macquarie University and has a knowledge and deep interest in history and all things horticultural.  

Messiter works are held in the Macquarie University Collection and in private collections both nationally and internationally. She has been represented by Stanley Street Gallery since 2019.

Toni Messiter: CV September, 2024 Download