Exhibitions

By Nadine Guerra
Web: nadineguerra.com

Nadine Guerra is a Brazilian-born visual artist, tattooist, and designer. Her natural ability to transform concepts and ideas into beautiful, elegant, feminine works of art on “human canvases” has ensured that her images are treasured by their owners.

In this, her first solo art exhibition in Australia, Nadine reveals the process of moving from nature-inspired line drawings for living flesh to colourful works on canvas, all with the same level of depth, creativity, and sensitivity.

The series of eight works employs a combination of organic linework, watercolours, and acrylic, enabling Nadine’s art to blur the lines between traditional tattooing and organic forms on the canvas. What begins as an idea through the lens of tattoo design grows into a deeper exploration of form, meaning, and connection with the land.

• “My [line] drawing process is slow and intentional, the same way I approach this series of botanical studies.”

In Perception Bloom and Dreamscape Petals, the traditional black line drawings in Nadine’s works are as explicit as in her tattoos, and the result is stark and powerful. Yet they are somehow incomplete, like a complex colouring-in-book that translates best on clients’ skin.

• “As someone who works with nature through […] tattooing, I see how deeply it can touch others. In my studio, I’ve watched how a single flower or plant element can hold stories, memories, and transformation [for my clients].”

This exhibition carries that same intention: to create space for beauty, meaning, and reconnection. As we progress to the small and detailed watercolours of Fuchsia and then Calla Lily, we begin to see the linework blend with the watercolours to produce harmonious living forms that dance on the page, creating movement, joy, and a sense of connection.

The logical progression to acrylic paint on a larger canvas is evident in Dessert Raisin, where the linework becomes less bold, shifting towards a more aesthetic harmony within the botanical study. A shift to a more abstract interpretation follows with the interactive piece Pink Rock Orchid, complete with a mirror that enables you to look inward for true ‘reflection’.

But it’s in Waratah that Nadine doesn’t just paint a ‘pretty picture’ of complex lines and curves that capture the plant’s true beauty and symmetrical nature. Instead, there’s a melding of styles, including 1970s psychedelic flower-power art, as she considers the quiet strength beneath the plant – its ability to regenerate after fire as well as its symbolism of courage, healing, and renewal. Lastly, the Australian symbolism in Golden Wattle and Eucalyptus cannot be overlooked by the viewer, who experiences a sort of ‘reverse block’ tattooed view of two of Australia’s national icons slowly interweaving to form a harmonious whole. But in all these works, there’s a precision, a balance, and there’s a sense of symmetry – and the very same we find in nature.

• “Focusing on Australia’s native plants, these studies explore fragments of the natural world, [many] that captivate me daily. From well-known species to rare botanical gems, I invite you to look closely, to feel, and to connect with the true nature that lives in all of us.”

Nadine’s works are joined by four mixed-media pieces from well-known local artist Wendy Grace. Wendy’s reverse acrylic on glass works creates a juxtaposition of chaotic energy in contrast to Nadine’s calm and introspective forms.

Come peruse the 12 works on display over a glass or two of fine wine.

This exhibition is on until Sunday 28 September 2025
Open Wednesday – Sunday 4PM until 10PM