A person sitting indoors with a background showing large windows and green foliage outside.
Eucalyptus branch with leaves and flowers

Amaria Stark

Amaria Stark was born in country Victoria, spent her early years in remote Arnhem Land, and now lives in Melbourne.  Her parents migrated to Australia from the Netherlands, and she was the first of nine children.  They grew up speaking two languages, without a TV, but surrounded by books and opportunities to use their imagination.  Amaria’s childhood ambition was to become an artist or an author… instead she became a primary school teacher and especially enjoyed teaching Visual Art.  She never stopped drawing or writing, however, and soon after she retired from teaching, her first book, “A Silent Sentinel” was finally published.

Eucalyptus branch with leaves and small buds on black background with speckles.

Amaria’s Artwork

Different people use art to express different things- but for Amaria it is a way of focusing on what is lovely, good, pure and excellent among all the sadness, confusion and decay in this world.
Her subjects are usually inspired by nature. Painting from her own reference photos gives her an opportunity to revisit places, relive memories and think of the people she shared them with. It is Amaria’s hope that some of the joy and love can be felt by those who view her work.

Painting of a forest scene with trees, foliage, and rocky terrain. The canvas depicts a dense forest with tall trees and lush greenery. In the foreground, there's a rocky outcrop covered with moss and vegetation.

Author and Illustrator

For almost half of her life Amaria has lived in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne, and in that time she has watched as the paddocks and grasslands behind her home have been overtaken by roads, houses and powerlines. 

Among the new housing developments there are pockets of green space where a redgum tree has been allowed to stand, protected by local law. Some of these trees are over three hundred years old, and looking at the beautiful, gnarled forms of these ancient trees, Amaria thought about all the changes they had witnessed over time. Like a small seedling, an idea began to grow…

The result, after three years of work, was her first book; Silent Sentinel.

Three days after the launch of her own book, Amaria began her first collaboration with Anika Molesworth. With words by Anika and illustrated by Amaria, Sunlight Dragon tells the story of a Barrier Range Dragon as she emerges after her winter sleep to search for food. On her travels she faces dangers, has narrow escapes and meets her handsome mate. will be released in the latter part of 2025.

Elderly woman reading book in cozy living room with plant and wall decor
Eucalyptus leaves and branches on a black background with white speckles

Amaria’s mum gets a sneak preview at the print proof of “Silent Sentinel”,

  • New List Item