Engelman's passion for painting started at a young age, but it wasn't until 1980 when she studied arts at Charles Sturt University that her career took off. Her talent was soon recognized by judges and bigger galleries, leading to solo shows at the Beaver Galleries in Canberra and the Holdsworth Galleries in Woollahra in 1989, 1991 and 1993. Since then, Engelman has dedicated her life to her art, and although she now works at a slower pace in her later years, she continues to create beautiful pieces.

 

She states "The constant golden thread that has stitched all the various pieces of life together has been the arts - from painting, to writing and philosophy. The burning question has always been 'What else is there?' and so a life of exploration has been undertaken."

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Engelman feels the only way to fully express the vast chaos and infinite richness of nature, has been through applying paint in abstract techniques, then finding form within the various layers of colour and transparent veils.

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Engelman's passion for the desert and arid regions of Australia has been a constant throughout her long career. The everchanging colors and light of these vast expanses continue to delight her soul and refresh her spirit. As a senior artist, she continues to paint her way through her later years of life.