© 2009 Copyright Lorita Schmitz | Profile | Biography | Contact
28 Lindsay Place, Glen Forrest W.A. 6071
Born Narrogin, Western Australia. 1/9/1962
Resides Glen Forrest ,Western Australia
1993 Graduate Diploma in Teaching,Murdoch University
1991 Bachelor of Arts/Visual Arts, Curtin University
1985 Diploma in Graphic Design, Perth Institute of Contempory Arts
1979 Tertiary Admissions Examination, Kalamunda Senior High School
1996 W.A. Naturalists Club - Illustration, Graphite and Watercolour, Bronze wing Pigeon, Highly Commended.
2005 Raw by Nature Gallery – Barking Mad Exhibition, 2 x Acrylic paintings featuring landscapes and 1 x Case moth cacoon.
2006 Gooseberry Hill Art and Craft Exhibition, Invited guest artist - 7 x Watercolour paintings featuring natural history subjects.
2004 Glen Forrest Primary School Exhibition and Auction of artworks,
Acrylic painting, Honeyeater nest, Private collection.
2007 Glen Forrest Primary School Exhibition and Auction of Artworks,
Watercolour painting, Feather and Lichen Branch, Private collection.
2007 Darlington Arts Festival, Magpie Nest, Graphite. First Prize/Drawing.
2007 Kingfisher Gallery Solo Exhibition, “The Art of Flight”.
2008 Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize, Finalist South Australian Museum.(102 exhibited out of 793 entries).
2008 Kingfisher Gallery Solo Exhibition, “24/7”.
2008 Kalamunda Arts and Crafts Annual Exhibition, Guest Artist.
2008 Darlington Estate Winery Inaugural Exhibition, invited Artists.
“Depictions” is the name of my freelance visual arts and education business, registered in 1986. Since the inception of my business I have worked as a contractor in the areas of graphic design and illustration.
For eight years I was a sub-contractor with Painted Concepts in Perth and travelled to Singapore. I mainly worked on private and commercial sites painting murals and decorative finishes.
I have also been fortunate to work in the field of theatre design.
In addition to working in the visual arts field, I have worked with the Department of Environment and Conservation from 1994 – 2007, as an ECO Education Officer in Mundaring facilitating environmental learning experiences for children and adults.
The Echidna has been in Australia and parts of New Guinea for over 165 million years, they are one of the oldest mammal species on the planet.
Echidna’s are monotremes meaning “one hole” this refers to the single opening the cloaca where all urine and faeces, plus reproduction occur outside the body.
Echidna(Genus) is possibly derived from Ekhidna, a Greek goddess half reptile half mammal or Echidna the name had also been given to a group of spiny fish.
Tachyglossus,(Genus) means swift or rapid tongue, Aculeatus,(Species) means with points.
The Numbat depicted in this painting was at Karakamia Sanctuary a few years ago. I saw the animal at about 10.00am inside the vermin proof fence “trotting along” with nesting material in his/her mouth. Numbats are diurnal and usually shred bark or gather grasses to line their nest hollows.
Western Grey Kangaroo, although not endangered are a unique representation of the specialised animals we have in Australia.
Black-gloved Wallaby/Brush Wallaby, these beautifully marked macropods are reduced to areas of relatively undisturbed bush. They usually come out to feed at dusk and shelter in the bush during the day.
Unfortunately the young are often predated by foxes, this has lead to them being a possibly endangered species. Because the adult female will only have one young a year the parent eventually becomes too old to breed and eventually dies, consequently there is very little recruitment into the population.
Quenda/Southern Brown Bandicoot, a real survivor of habitat changes plus fox and cat predation. Quenda are nocturnal they can have four young every three months, the young leave the backward facing pouch and are deposited in a nest burrow. They are weaned after approximately two months and are independent very soon after.
Mundarda/Western Pygmy Possum, these are very small, I have painted them three times larger than life. They are nocturnal and scamper around to forage once they have warmed up. The female can have up to six young and two or three litters a year. Feral and domestic cats plus habitat clearance are a threat to these beautiful animals.
Tammar Wallaby, these nocturnal small wallaby’s have been introduced to Karakamia Sanctuary, they are also on some off shore islands and small areas of bush in the south/west of W.A. Tammar Wallaby’s are able to drink salt water they usually have one young a year.
Woylie/Brush-tailed Bettong, these nocturnal small macropods have been introduced to Karakamia Sanctuary because of their endangered status. Woylies used to be all over the southern part of Australia, however introduced animals and habitat loss has reduced their numbers dramatically. Woylies have one young every three months, they mainly eat fungi, seeds and bulbs.
Chocolate Wattled Bat, these “micro” bats are approximately 6cm in length and weight up to 12g, they are nocturnal and eat mainly insects. They live in colonies in tree hollows or under bark.
Common Brush-tailed Possum, not common at all, they have lost up to 80% of there former habitat in the South West of W.A. due to clearing. They are nocturnal and like to live in hollows, this is why they are frequently living in the roofs of houses. They usually have one young a year and are mainly herbivores, although they may eat insects.
I have depicted this possum teetering on a sphere, which represents the “imbalance” of nature on our “one of a kind” planet.
