Shonnie Lea - Fine Artist

Shonnie is a Brisbane/Meanjin-based artist whose drawings give form to intense emotional states. Her practice explores themes of shame, guilt, turmoil and frustration, translating her inner world into figurative works that are raw, vulnerable and cathartic.

The figures she depicts are often altered, bleeding or fragmented, offering a surrealist nod to the hyperreal figure. Yet beauty and quiet stillness emerge within this vulnerability, as Shonnie explores her emotional landscape through black-and-white drawing. She is actively interested in the ways the body and symbols can express inner turmoil – through a pose, a shadow or recurring motif.

Though not formally trained, Shonnie’s intuitive balance of detail and restraint has earned her drawing awards, acknowledging the skill she has carefully honed. Her work positions vulnerability as a gesture of connection, belonging and shared emotional resonance.