By Sonia Isaacs
OPEN Studios Sunshine Coast will throw open the doors to some of the region’s most inspiring creative spaces this month, giving art lovers the chance to meet local artists where their work comes to life – including Peachester abstract landscape painter Annie McIntosh, whose remarkable story is as compelling as her paintings.
Running from July 17 to 26, the annual event celebrates the Sunshine Coast’s thriving arts community by inviting visitors into artists’ studios, offering a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of their creative processes while providing opportunities to purchase original works directly from the makers.
For McIntosh, opening her rural studio is about sharing not only her art but the deeply personal journey behind it. Working from her farmhouse on River Road, surrounded by rolling dairy farmland and subtropical forest, she draws inspiration from the colours, textures and moods of the landscape.
Yet despite being legally blind, she creates vibrant contemporary abstract landscapes that challenge perceptions of both art and disability. “My art practice seems to have taken over my life,” McIntosh said.
“I spend part or most of every day either painting, playing with materials or thinking about painting. Art is certainly a huge part of my life.”
As her vision has gradually deteriorated, she has found new ways to create, relying on touch, intuition and memory rather than sight alone.
“I don’t paint what the landscape looks like,” she said. “I paint what it feels like. I feel my way across the canvas, building paintings through texture and layers. The sound of the wind, the feel of bark and the smell of rain all become part of the work.”
McIntosh’s studio will be open daily from Friday, July 17, to Sunday, July 26, at 492 River Road, Peachester, as part of Open Studios Sunshine Coast. www.openstudiossunshinecoast.com.au/art-trail-guide/.