FEBE ZYLSTRA
Highly symbolic, Febe’s practice flits between figurative, abstract and landscape. She is best known for her figures with recurring motifs such as birds (totems), animals, dolls, balloons and masks. Shapes, scribbles and written words often appear from within the textured layers of her work, sometimes visible, sometimes painted over.
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When Febe was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, her mental health experience became a life-changing catalyst. She left a successful nursing career to follow a quest for artistic knowledge and expression, resulting in completing a Diploma of Visual Arts. She soon discovered her instinctive and organic style held broader appeal and creating art became a significant part of her daily maintenance and continued practice providing an outlet to express her emotions.
Febe utilises a wide variety of materials to achieve her mixed media pieces, often using combinations of oil, acrylic, charcoal, ink, bitumen and collaged materials. She allows her immediate emotions and intuition to dictate how each art piece evolves. Often with the use of symbolic references, the message, meaning or narrative behind her art trumps the medium.
Febe encourages the viewer to find a personal connection with her art emotionally or within their own life's journey.
During her 25-year art career, Febe’s pieces have found a place in private homes and commercial locations within Australia, USA, UK, Asia and Saudi Arabia.
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Freedom Becomes Her
760 x 760 mm
AUD 1915.00
Harnessing the power of her spirit, she raised her wings and launched into the unknown, finding solace and exhilaration in the art of flight. As she soared, she discovered that freedom was not a destination, but a state of mind that she could embrace and nurture every day.
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A Mothers Embrace
Acrylic on canvas
1050 x 1050 mm
AUD 4690.00
A profound sense of love, comfort, and security fills the air as a mother’s arm embraces her daughter. In that tender moment, she finds a warmth, familiarity of unconditional love as her Mum holds her close.
It is a bond and deep connection that is nurtured and woven with threads of affection, creating memories that will be cherished forever!
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Resting Place
Acrylic on canvas
1010 x 910 mm
AUD 4280.00
Stray birds of Spring come to my window, find a resting place, to sing their beautiful song before they fly away!
We all have different journeys, different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things, but never meant to stay!
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Contemplation
Mixed media on canvas (acrylic & collage paper) (framed - black timber)
600 x 900 mm
AUD 2445.00
As she contemplated life, her beliefs, values, and the choices she had made! She could confidently look forward to the future with a sense of freedom, hope, peace, and prosperity!
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Bloom
Acrylic on canvas (framed - timber)
400 x 500 mm
AUD 990.00
As our gardens come to life in Spring and Summer and the flowers blossom, I am reminded we are all born with a unique beauty all of our own. Let yourself BLOOM!
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Sun-Kissed
Acrylic on canvas (framed - timber)
400 x 500 mm
AUD 990.00
Warmth and energy filled the room, as the sun filtered through the window, kissing everything in its path.
As I soak up the tranquil space, I’m reminded that it’s always the simple things that are the most beautiful!
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The Writing Is On The Wall
Mixed media on canvas (acrylic, ink & charcoal)
1170 x 1170 mm
AUD 5200.00
With resilience, curiosity, and confidence, the Blue Jay bird encourages us to be bold and chase our goals. The writing is on the wall, continue forward with your accomplishments and follow your dreams, there is positive change afoot!
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Life Whispers, Listen Carefully
Stoneware clay, slip, manganese, glazes
H 400 x W 230 x D 230 mm
AUD 1955.00
As a gentle breeze swirls, life whispers, so listen carefully. While we cannot control every aspect of our life, there are signals and signs that are being given to us along the way.
Reflect, learn and gain knowledge to make the changes if needed, before the whisper becomes a shout!
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The Prince and Pears
Mixed media on canvas (acrylic, ink & charcoal)
1200 x 900 mm
AUD 3870.00
My Son, my Prince, my young King!
Be fearless, be righteous - even when you’re wronged, be kind, gentle, understanding, confident, empathetic, be a Man! Success is a process, a road we travel not a destination. Follow your dreams, work hard along the way! My young Prince you’ve always been my King. Now go earn your Crown!
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A Woman Of Strength
Mixed media on canvas (acrylic, ink & charcoal)
900 x 1200 mm
AUD 4280.00
Here’s to Strong Women-:
May we know them! May we be them! May we raise them!
Be self-confident, productive, optimistic, a go-getter, confront your fears, be caring, kind, proud, and unafraid to stand up for what you believe in. Always stay true to yourself!
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The Path Beyond
Mixed media on canvas (acrylic, ink & charcoal)
760 x 1220 mm
AUD 3870.00
Look beyond today and beyond tomorrow, look beyond the pain and the sorrow, and be thankful for the struggles, because without them you wouldn't have stumbled across your strength!
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Simple Pleasures
Mixed media on canvas (acrylic & charcoal) (framed - timber look aluminium)
600 x 930 mm
AUD 2445.00
In the pursuit of happiness, she got so caught up in the 'big things' that she forgot to experience and appreciate the small, simple pleasures that surrounded her every single day!
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Spring Perfume
Acrylic on canvas (framed - timber)
1220 x 850 mm
AUD 4890.00
As we mature, we become more aware of the beauty around us, we come to admire the simplicity of spring flowers in a vase, letting our imagination get lost in a preferred book, just being surrounded by our favourite things!
Seeking out beauty in the people around us and also in the little things in our life, lifts and makes our hearts full!
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Words Matter
Mixed media (acrylic, charcoal on wood panels) (framed - distressed white painted)
480 x 480 mm
AUD 1480.00
Our words represent our beliefs, morals, prejudices, and principles, sometimes in ways we may not mean! It can shape an audience's perception of us! Sometimes those words can’t be unheard!
The words we choose and the language we use have the power to affect the people and the world around us.
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Breaking Down The Walls
Mixed media on canvas (acrylic, collage fabric, paper) (framed - black timber)
1200 x 900 mm
AUD 4690.00
It can be difficult to be emotionally vulnerable to let down your walls and take off your mask!
But on seeing the white orchids blossom, it was a sign of hope and the promise of new beginnings, appreciation, and respect that gave the courage to reveal one’s true self!
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Behind Closed Doors
Mixed media on canvas (oil, aluminium mesh, charcoal) (framed - black timber)
650 x 950 mm
AUD 2445.00
Life is not all ‘Black and White’ sometimes the mask she wears is very heavy. It takes effort to keep the mask just right, it can be exhausting!
But behind closed doors, she can relax in her safe haven, she is able to put down the mask for a rest, for later she will have to pick it up, to carry it again!
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Lost in the Moment
Mixed media on canvas
760 x 1010 mm
AUD 2955.00
Focused and lost in that very moment, she consciously decided to let go of the anxiety and worry about the future, while reminding herself not to dwell on the past.
She had a lot to be grateful and thankful for, life was good.
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The River Rising
Mixed media on linen
620 x 910 mm
AUD 2400.00
The river rises as the waters natural force carves its way, transforming and changing direction with the surrounding earth. Just like a baptism, the water cleanses, it purifies, it renews and is a source of salvation in times of drought.
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The Way Back Home
Mixed media on canvas
1220 x 610 mm
AUD 2650.00
No matter who you are with or where you are in the world, your family and home always have the deepest affection and emotional pull. It is the place where you have a foundation of love, warmth, and happy memories.
It might not always be the building itself but finding ‘your way back home’, both physically and emotionally, just to be near your loved ones.
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Through her Eyes
Mixed media on canvas
920 x 1200 mm
AUD 4280.00
You look into her eyes, you see into her soul, you both feel the confusion, the strange yet special connection, that weird feeling that you already know each other.
Whatever you felt, rest assured your soulmate felt it too, you’re each other’s other half.
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Flight of the Heart
Mixed media on canvas
1010 x 1010 mm
SOLD
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Road to Somewhere
Mixed media on canvas (acrylic, fabric collage) (framed - black timber)
760 x 1220 mm
SOLD
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Little Deer and the Finch
Acrylic on canvas (framed - black timber)
600 x 910 mm
SOLD
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Outback Presence
Mixed media on canvas
760 x 1520 mm
SOLD -
Break Away
Mixed media on canvas
1215 x 910 mm
SOLD
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