Oil Painting
Abby Greeff
Abby Whiteley Greeff is a Sydney-based visual artist whose practice draws on a background in high-end interior design. After losing her father to dementia, she turned to painting as a means of preserving memory and processing grief. Influenced by her familial connection to Brett Whiteley, Abby’s work is intuitive and expressive, blending abstracted brushwork with a soft, earthy palette. Working primarily in oils and acrylics, she explores themes of transformation, identity, and the emotional resonance of everyday moments. Her work invites reflection on time, memory, and the spaces we carry within us.
Artist Profile
Abby Whiteley Greeff is a Sydney-based visual artist whose practice draws on her background in interior design and a personal response to grief following her father’s death from dementia. Working primarily in oils and acrylics, she explores memory, transformation, and the emotional weight of everyday moments through intuitive brushwork and a soft, earthy palette. Related to Brett Whiteley, Abby approaches painting as a way to preserve what is felt rather than seen, inviting quiet reflection on connection, identity, and the passage of time.Artist Interview
What medium do you work with, and why have you chosen them?
I work with oil on canvas mostly. I started out mostly with drawing but moved to painting in 2006. I found painting to be more difficult but much more rewarding.
How does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?
I usually start with a message I would like to portray, then think about the ways I can portray it with mark making, colours and compositions. I make a series of sketches in a visual diary. The next step is to recreate the ideas with photography which I use as reference images. From there I create final compositions which then translates to a canvas. I choose the canvas size depending on the message I’m trying to portray. nSmaller canvases for more intimate and personal works, large canvases are chosen for a more overwhelming message. The colour scheme is usually chosen as the last step when I’m firm on the final message I wish to convey.
Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?
While studying I had a little studio space on the Brisbane river with a lot of other students. It was a great space for feeding off other people’s ideas. I now have my own studio space at home. It’s different not being able to bounce ideas off other people, but on the plus side I’m able to really delve in to ideas without being interrupted. nIt’s a cosy space with views of the garden. I have a cabinet full of my favourite artworks, trinkets and books, which is great for inspiration.
Career Highlights
- My 1st large commission
- Joining Sugar house studios
