Tamara Bekier's acrylic artworks tell a history of her tumultuous childhood in war-torn Europe

Ballarat artist Tamara Bekier had six nationalities before she turned 19 and experienced atrocities that no one should experience, let alone a child. But it wasn’t until she began studying art at age 48 that she found a way to tell her extraordinary life story.

Born in Russia and growing up in war-torn Europe her childhood was tumultuous and at times terrifying, and she and her family left conflict behind to begin a new life in Australia in 1950. During her childhood, Ms Bekier had five nationalities including “displaced person” and “stateless” before her final and most prized nationality – Australian. In 1952 her family arrived in Ballarat in search of more familiar weather and out of the extreme heat they experienced at Bonegilla Migrant Camp near Albury.

Ballarat was the haven they were searching for and Ms Bekier has never left. Despite being told as a child in Russia that she had no artistic talent, there was always a desire to create. Now 87, Ms Bekier describes herself as a “prolific artist” with up to 50 works underway at any one time.

“When we were in Australia, and on our first holiday in Anglesea, I saw a sunset and thought I could paint it. I couldn’t but that’s when my journey began with night classes, all kinds of classes until one of my teachers saw a talent in me and said I should pursue it.” At 48 Ms Bekier started her studies in fine art at Ballarat College of Advanced Education and it was life-changing.

“I was the mature age student and it was the best thing I could have done in my whole life. I was not only accepted and looked after but listened to – for the first time I could actually tell my story and the young people were absolutely wonderful and very interested.

“Not only does my history reflect in my art, art became my saviour for all the horrendous things I had to experience as a child. Instead of being angry at the world and those who perpetuate atrocities against people, I found solace in art.”

Ms Bekier became allergic to her first artistic medium – oils – and after three years turned to acrylics.

“With oils whatever you put down it stays, but with acrylics there is a luminescence, colour, everything you want is spontaneous and the next day it’s gone and you sometimes need five or six sessions to build it up – and this is when I started to use texture.

“Every one of my paintings is not only emotional from my past, but also an experimentation.” Ms Bekier has chosen about 41 of her acrylic works to form the exhibition Gossamer Threads which will be shown from November 8 until December 2 at Backspace Gallery.