After being plucked from relative obscurity, her work featured in a major exhibition in New York City in 2013. The exposure has opened many doors for her with several pieces of Trisha’s work sold overseas.

Soon after the US, she was also approached to feature in an Italian exhibition in 2014 but due to other commitments, Trisha unfortunately had to decline the invitation.  

The organisers, however, were so impressed by her work and were adamant about having her on board that they asked her again to feature in this year’s exhibition. 

As the only Australian chosen amongst 21 other international artists, Trisha will travel to Naples next Monday (April 27). 

She will spend two weeks in the city as part of the ‘22 artists Mad for Naples’ exhibition through the Monteoliveo Gallery. 

“It will be like a workshop so we’ll have meetings, visits and reports to do,” she said. 

“I’m very excited but the difference with this is that when I was in New York we had to have the work done before the exhibition but with this we are required to go to different places each day and sketch, draw and paint then we have to bring all that together to create one painting. 

“They want our interpretation of Naples as an artist in an impressionistic sort of way.

“It will be a bit daunting but it will be a wonderful experience.”

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As part of the trip, Trisha will spend two nights near Mount Vesuvius - a stratovolcano about 9km east of Naples. After that, she will return to a studio where she will have three days to create her final piece of artwork. 

“This is all very new to me. I didn’t want to go in blind so I rang a lady who went on the same trip last year who lives in Cairns,” she said. 

“She gave me a lot of great pointers. I think this exhibition will be very challenging but I thought to myself ‘well you’ve got to push the boundaries a little’.

“New York was the best thing I ever did. I think as an artist you have to do these things. The more you do the more your confidence grows.”

Conquering fear has played a huge role in Trisha’s career which began when she decided to pursue a lifelong dream in 1994. How she approaches her art is very much “mood dependent”. 

“I think because I started later in life I have this real passion for it,” she said. 

“You have to be passionate and like what you do. I try to be diverse in my work. I rarely paint the same thing twice. I paint what I feel.” 

All of the 22 artists, including Trisha, will have their piece of art featured in a dedicated exhibition at the Monteoliveto Gallery. The gallery will also manage and promote the artists and their work for 12 months.  

“It’s just a wonderful thing to think you’ve been asked to go over there and do this. Early on I never would have expected this is where I would be,” she said.

“A lot will come out of this trip it just depends how far I want to go with it. You also hope when you do these things that people will like your work.” 

For more information about Trisha’s work visit www.trishafitzpatrick.com.au.