behind the brush - biography
Tiel Seivl-Keevers (b. Sydney, Aust. 1973). I live on the east coast of Australia between the city of Brisbane and a small town on the Tweed Coast. For over two decades I have worked as a full-time artist, exploring various media including painting, digital design, and ceramics.
In 1993, I completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the Queensland University of Technology, majoring in printmaking. This was followed by a career in Graphic Design, and teaching Visual Arts, Graphic and Multimedia design in Tertiary Education.
I am at heart an observer of my natural surroundings.
I’m attuned to the cycles of life within landscapes and the repercussions humanity has on the natural world. My work goes beyond creating what I see; rather, I strive to tell a story that reflects the intricate relationships of life. I like to think that even though I explore the melancholy and devastation of life’s mortality, I also honour all the beautiful moments that are within the environment.
My intention is to capture the details of transformation and impermanency, so that they are not forgotten. This may be as simple as observing the life in my own garden, or on regular walks within my beloved beach-scape; grappling with the big issues of environmental impacts across Australia; or personally with the emotional consequences of illness and disease that comes to those you love. I focus also on the macro details of the landscape and express my concepts using colour and texture as the main elements to convey these stories.
I have exhibited throughout Australia, my most recent solo exhibition, ‘Anthropocene’ was at Boom Gallery, in Geelong, Victoria.
If you would like to visit my studio in Brisbane, or purchase any available works, please reach out to me via the contact form
current artist statement
‘Death of a Sunflower”
Observing the cyclical rhythms of my garden has long had a presence in my paintings.
I live and work in suburban Brisbane, where river views from my studio peek through the branches of Jacaranda, Poinciana and Eucalyptus trees. I have spent over a decade familiarising myself with the changes each season brings, and I am reminded of the fragility of life and the inevitable cycles we are all bound to. This ongoing process of decay, though sorrowful, holds a quiet beauty which I seek to capture in my work. It mirrors the delicate balance between growth and loss, reflecting not only the transformations around me, but also the personal experiences of love, aging, and letting go.
Death is inevitable, but when it is unexpected or forced upon you, it stirs deep emotions, often anger. Whether it is someone you love, or something you love. This body of work is expressed using various media, including photography, painting and ceramics.
Through my art, I try to preserve these fleeting moments, honouring both the vibrancy of life and the quiet dignity of its passing.
Flowers are a metaphor in my work representing the emotions of love and grief.
The dying sunflower, as it withers and browns, isn’t any less beautiful as one that stands tall in the ground following the sun. It’s strength reminds me that life is fleeting. Its seeds continue to give after it has died, and the cycle begins again.
