With over 25 years as a practising artist Laurel Foenander is a contemporary realist artist, working in oils. Many of her paintings are held in collections Australia-wide and overseas, particularly in the area of Australian native birds. She has exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions. Laurel has won over 100 art show awards including:The Vitalis Award at Nowa Nowa Nudes. Best in Show Awards: Art Gippsland 2012/2016,Mirboo Nth. Art Show 2015/2018,Walhalla Art Show 2014/2015 TanjilValley Art Show 2016/2017/2018 Finalist selections in NationalAwards: The Norville Landscape Prize 2012Destination Daintree 2012, Arc Yinnar Drawing Prize 2012/2014/2016. Her portraits have been exhibited in Victoria’s Hidden Faces Exhibition in 2016/2017/2019.In 2019 with a renewed focus on entering art prizes, her work “Survivor” has been selected as a finalist in the prestigious Bayside Aquisitive Art Prize.Theabove are justa fewof the many awards Laurel has in her repertoire. “When asked what inspires me to paint my answer is almost everything! My subject matter is varied and while being known as a contemporary realist painter , I often digress into Abstraction and Surrealism and I like to blur the boundaries in between. I see myself as a constant student of art and nature.Most of my work is exploration of nature and I hope those viewing it can feel a little wonder at the beauty of the natural world.”