Artist Spotlight: Capturing the Colours of Australia - Desma Munro

Last Light Flinders Ranges, oil on Canvas

Artist Background

Born in Proserpine, Desma Munro discovered her love of art at an early age and was first introduced to painting when she was just sixteen years old.

Long before picking up a paintbrush, she was constantly drawing and sketching, often copying the glamorous women featured in the pages of Post and Women’s Weekly magazines. With limited subject matter available at the time, she found inspiration wherever she could.

As a student, even school maps became a creative outlet. Desma loved drawing countries freehand, carefully colouring landscapes, blending oceans, and adding detail to mountain ranges and natural features. This fascination with colour, form, and atmosphere would later become a defining element of her artistic style.

Oil painting quickly became her preferred medium, drawn to its richness and versatility. For health reasons, she later transitioned to water-mixable oils, which she believes provide the same archival quality and working characteristics as traditional oils. In recent years, encouraged by fellow artist and friend Mel Stone, Desma also began exploring watercolour painting. What began as experimentation soon became another much-loved medium, offering a fresh sense of spontaneity and freedom in her work.

Desma is the first artist to be featured in the new Bendigo Community Creative Space, where her artwork will be on display from 15 May to 25 June. The exhibition showcases her love of the Australian landscape, native birdlife, and the rich colours that continue to inspire her artistic journey.

Approaching Storm Pilbera, oil on canvas 

Style & Influences

Largely self-taught, Desma has developed her artistic style over many years through dedication, observation, and countless hours of practice. She describes her work as realistic while still retaining a painterly quality, balancing detail with softness and atmosphere.

Her greatest influences have always been the great Australian landscape painters. Among her favourites are Hans Heysen, whose work she especially admires, along with Frederick McCubbin, Arthur Streeton, Sydney Long, and Albert Namatjira. Their ability to capture the unique beauty and light of the Australian landscape continues to inspire her today.

At the age of sixteen, Desma purchased her very first art book, Australian Landscapes in Colour. Decades later, it remains one of her treasured possessions, well worn from years of studying every brushstroke, composition, and colour choice in the hope of continually improving her own work.

Snappy Gum Pilbera, oil on canvas

Inspiration & Motivation

Travelling throughout Australia in her motorhome provides an endless source of inspiration for Desma’s paintings. From the vivid blues of the coastline to the rich colours of outback sunsets and the vast, open landscapes of the Australian interior, she finds beauty in every corner of the country.

Australia’s native flora and fauna, particularly its birdlife, continue to captivate her imagination and frequently feature in her work. For Desma, inspiration is never difficult to find. It exists in the ever-changing light, the atmosphere of a landscape, and the quiet beauty of the natural world.

Painting remains both a passion and a lifelong learning journey. She believes every artwork offers an opportunity to grow, experiment, and deepen her understanding of her craft.

Abandoned, watercolour on paper

Connecting Through Art

Desma strongly believes in the importance of connecting with local art groups and creative communities that encourage and support artists at every stage of their journey. Participating in exhibitions, workshops, and painting groups not only builds confidence but also creates valuable opportunities to learn from others.

One piece of advice she often shares with emerging artists is the importance of “brush mileage” - simply painting and drawing as often as possible. In her view, consistent practice is one of the most valuable ways an artist can improve and develop their own unique style and voice.

Red Tailed Black Cockatoo, oil on ply board