About the artist
Maree McCrum is an Australian contemporary artist based in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. Growing up surrounded by the red earth and expansive landscapes of outback NSW established a lifelong connection to colour, place and storytelling that continues to shape her creative practice.
Working across acrylic paint, pastel, collage and mixed media, Maree creates richly layered artworks filled with texture, movement and beautifully unexpected details. Her paintings move freely between abstract landscapes, expressive florals and playful still-life scenes, with feeling and atmosphere always taking priority over strict realism.
Maree’s creative process is intuitive and energetic. She builds her surfaces through layers of paint, spontaneous marks, fragments of pattern and bursts of bold colour, allowing each artwork to evolve as she works. Her paintings often reveal something new with every viewing—a hidden flower, a scribbled line, a familiar object or a small moment woven into the surface.
Memory and the beauty of everyday life sit at the heart of Maree’s practice. Family kitchens, shared meals, old sewing machines, flowers from the garden and conversations around the table have all inspired her work. These ordinary objects become part of larger stories about family, home, nostalgia and the wonderfully imperfect moments that connect us.
The Australian landscape is another constant source of inspiration. Maree’s work has explored the rich colours and quiet spaces of the Riverina, the red earth of western New South Wales and the vibrant energy of the Sydney coastline. Her coastal paintings bring together layers of colour and texture to capture the movement of waves, the shimmer of light and the sensory feeling of being beside the sea.
Influenced by artists including Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Pro Hart and the vibrant early work of Ken Done, Maree has developed a style that is joyful, expressive and unmistakably her own. Her paintings celebrate individuality, curiosity and the stories hidden within the places and objects that surround us.
Through her work, Maree invites viewers to embrace colour, appreciate imperfection and recognise the beauty found in the everyday.
