Founder and first President of Portrait Artists Australia in 2005 in Washington DC
PROFILE
Nafisa was born in Mumbai, India, and educated in Hong Kong and Sydney. Nafisa’s interest in the human condition and life on this planet is reflected strongly in her art, her conservation initiatives and her connection with international audiences as a Speaker, Teacher and Presenter in both the Arts and Wildlife Conservation. Nafisa continues to support many charities including the annual Jeans for Genes Art Auction, in which she has sold the hand-painted celebrity jeans/portrait for record sums.
In 2002, Nafisa founded Australia’s sole national association for professional portrait artists in Australasia – Portrait Artists Australia – and served as the first president for 4 years.
In 2009, Nafisa, with zoologist Tammie Matson, co-founded wildlife conservation organization Animal Works in order to proactively support her passion for the protection of threatened and endangered wildlife.
Nafisa owns a gallery and studio at Mosman, Sydney, – “H’Art Matters.
WEBSITE – NAFISA.COM.AU
Nafisa in Washington DC 2005 with her painting of Zofrea.
AWARDS
2010 – Archibald Packing Room Prize for her portrait of rock historian Glenn A. Baker.
2008 – Black Swan Prize for Portraiture for her portrait of photographer Lewis Morley
2007 – First Prize Gold Medal, Florence Biennale 2007 for the painting ‘Regeneration’ from a field of 800 artists from 60 nations.
2005 – the Florence Biennale 2005 and was awarded a Bronze Medallion for her installation of portraits of family and friends titled ”120 Australians”.
2003 – the Mosman Art Prize – ‘People’s Choice’ award
2002 – awarded a Certificate of Merit from the American Society of Portrait Artists for her portrait of Salvatore Zofrea
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2012 – finalist – the Shirley Hannan Portrait Prize
2012 – finalist the Portia Geach Memorial Award
2010 – finalist the Kedumba Drawing Award
2010 – finalist Archibald Prize
2010 – finalist The Black Swan Prize for Portraiture WA
2007 – finalist the Blake Prize,
2005 – finalist the Dobell Prize for Drawing
2006 – finalist the Blake Prize,
2005 – finalist the Portia Geach Memorial Award
2004 – finalist – the Cromwell’s Art PrizeWashington DC
2003 – finalist Archibald Salon des Refuses
2003 – finalist the Shirley Hannan Portrait Award
2003 – finalist the Mosman Art Prize ‘People’s Choice’
2002 – finalist the Shirley Hannan Portrait Award
2002 – finalist the Willoughby Art Prize with a drawing of Salvatore Zofrea
2002 – finalist in the 2002 American Society of Portrait Artists Annual Portrait Prize at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York with her portrait of Salvatore Zofrea.
Nafisa 2013 PAA Exhibition
ART TRAINING
2005 -2007 Masters of Fine Art , Full Time – National Art School, Sydney
2003/2004 National Art School workshops. Drawing, bronze casting
2003 AGNSW – Diploma Lecture series- Great Art in the Making
2002 AGNSW – Diploma Lecture series on historical aspect of art and technical components.
2001 National Art School – workshops with Elizabeth Cummings, and David Fairbairn
2000Scholarship year completed with a Diploma of fine art – JAAS.
1999 Full time studies at JAAS after winning the Arthur Boyd scholarship sponsored by Toyota Lexus.
2000 Part time tuition at JAAS.