my story
From Corporate to Canvas
I’m Anita Robinson, a New Zealand-born, Sydney-based contemporary artist creating original abstract still life paintings and fine art prints. Inspired by nature, interiors and everyday objects, my work blends abstraction with playful details, layered texture and bold colour — creating pieces designed to bring warmth, personality and a little unexpected joy into a space.
For over two decades, I worked as an online marketing designer while raising my two young girls, and during that time painting quietly waited in the background — a passion on pause. Now, the timing feels right. I finally have the space to dive into the work that truly lights me up.
I paint what inspires me — from cacti and cocktails to objects that feel ordinary on the surface but hold a certain character when you really look. Each brushstroke is layered with movement, warmth, and a touch of surprise, created to bring joy and energy into your space.
When I’m not in the studio, you’ll find me exploring ideas, enjoying nature, or sharing creative chaos with my family. Sharing my art online has been a way to reconnect with that lifelong passion, and my hope is that these paintings bring a little of that happiness and curiosity into your world too.
If you’d like to explore more, you can browse my available artworks or catch behind-the-scenes updates on my blog.
Featured Originals
Bold, contemporary abstract still life paintings created by Sydney-based artist Anita Robinson. Each original artwork captures the joy and rhythm of everyday moments, bringing unique, hand-painted colour and energy into your home.
ONE-OF-A-KIND ORIGINAL PAINTING
Size: 48” x 36” (121cm x 91cm)
Medium: Original acrylic on canvas
Canvas: 380gsm cotton canvas, deep edge, back-stapled
Edges: Painted, ready to hang (unframed)
Worry-Free Purchase: Every piece is professionally packaged and shipped FREE Australia-wide.
Late Checkout was inspired by little moments collected on a summer travelling through Italy and Greece — from a photo I took of a vase shop in Naxos to the soft peach, blue and burgundy colours of Burano.
Checks, stripes, wonky florals and loosely painted vases bring those memories together in my own playful way, rather than capturing any one particular place.
ONE-OF-A-KIND ORIGINAL PAINTING
Size: 35.8" x 35.8" (91cm x 91cm)
Medium: Original acrylic on canvas
Canvas: 380gsm cotton canvas, deep edge, back-stapled
Edges: Painted, ready to hang (unframed)
Worry-Free Purchase: Every piece is professionally packaged and shipped FREE Australia-wide.
Hidden in the Leaves began with a vase and a couple of blue blooms, but somewhere along the way a tiny love heart found its place amongst the leaves.
With soft dusky pinks, rich burgundies, earthy greens and playful patterns, this piece is full of small details waiting to be discovered. It's a painting about slowing down, looking a little closer, and finding beauty in unexpected places.
Sometimes the best things are the ones you almost miss.
ONE-OF-A-KIND ORIGINAL PAINTING
Size: 35.8" x 35.8" (91cm x 91cm)
Medium: Original acrylic on canvas
Canvas: 380gsm cotton canvas, deep edge, back-stapled
Edges: Painted, ready to hang (unframed)
Worry-Free Purchase: Every piece is professionally packaged and shipped FREE Australia-wide.
Print Update: A limited first release of fine art prints for this piece is launching this week. They will be printed on beautiful, heavy museum-quality matte paper. Stay tuned!
Stillness in Blue is the cooling, calm counterpart to its sister piece, Not So Still.
While they share the same 91x91cm scale, this piece explores a deeper, more monochrome palette. I wanted to lean into the calm of those layered cerulean blues, using subtle florals that almost melt into the background.
The real focus here is the contrast in patterns. I’ve introduced a new checkered detail on the vase—a first for my still life works—which plays off the incredibly intricate, detailed pattern along the bottom "tablecloth" border. It’s a mix of big, expressive brushwork and very fine, structured lines that give the piece its grounded feel.
The thick, textured layers catch the light beautifully, making the blues shift and change throughout the day as the sun moves through your room.
ONE-OF-A-KIND ORIGINAL PAINTING
Size: 35.8" x 35.8" (91cm x 91cm)
Medium: Original acrylic on canvas
Canvas: 380gsm cotton canvas, deep edge, back-stapled
Edges: Painted, ready to hang (unframed)
Worry-Free Purchase: Every piece is professionally packaged and shipped FREE Australia-wide.
After the Picnic began with a blue checkered vase and mustard picnic rug and slowly turned into something layered with little memories and textures collected along the way. The soft lace detail across the top was inspired by an old lace umbrella, while pressed autumn leaves in the burgundy background add a quiet feeling of movement and nostalgia.
The scattered heart shapes along the picnic rug were originally drawn by my four-year-old daughter, Sage. I painted over them softly but decided to leave their presence in the piece — imperfect, playful and part of the story. I love that this painting holds both stillness and little interruptions at the same time.
With its rich burgundy tones, soft blues and warm mustard checks, this piece feels moody, nostalgic and comforting, like lingering on a picnic rug long after the afternoon has faded.