I grew up surrounded by the abstract and expressionist paintings of my artist father, Wladyslaw (Wlad) Dutkiewicz. Wlad and his younger brother Ludwik were part of the influx of migrant artists who arrived in Australia after the Second World War. They settled in South Australia and soon became two of Adelaide's leading modernist painters in the 1950s and 1960s.

 (Painting/ drawing by my father 'Ursulas Toy' 1964)

As children we were encouraged to paint as soon as we could hold a paintbrush, as my father was keen to encourage our artistic development. Our home was an artist's studio that turned into a gallery every year, either for a pre-Christmas show or for the biennial Adelaide Festival of Arts. Our family hosted regular salons and parties and our home was the hub of creative life in Adelaide.

(Photo reproduced from the book a Matter of Mind by Adam Dutkiewicz courtesy of News Limited)

Unlike my brothers, my teenage years were spent following other interests. I was well in to my 20s before art became a major focus for me. In 1989 I received a Certificate of Art in Adelaide and moved to Melbourne where I studied ceramics, receiving a degree in fine Arts from Melbourne University. Currently I am resident artist at the Gasworks Arts Park. Over the course of my career, I've taken part in many exhibitions, including shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. During 2008 I was the co creator of The Art of Suff-Rage travelling art installation which was used as part of celebrations for the centenary of Victorian women gaining the vote. Working as a full-time, professional artist has given me many opportunities to run workshops for children of all ages, adults, people with disabilities, youth with mental health issues and Aboriginal and migrant women. I have coordinated a variety of community art projects, run activities for various festivals and undertaken many residencies in schools including in the UK at the Brighton University-School of Health Professions in 2007. My latest project is The Tree of Life ceramic art project which sees me working with community groups such as MaKillop Family Services, the Good Shepard, South Port Community Housing Group as well as individual families creating life size ceramic tree murals. My main artistic influences, apart from the profound impact of the art of my father and his brother, include the works of Kandinsky and Miro. Abstraction has always fascinated me, particularly its ability to ignite and excite the imagination. As a child of eight it was recorded in the newspapers that my painting 'developed with sweeping rhythmical lines'. My work is a journey of exploration, seeking to give shape to the energy of intuitive experience.