When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
Since I was a child, I’ve always been drawing, and knew that I wanted to explore that someday. It wasn’t until university that I became aware of career options in that field.
How would you describe your art?
I’m an illustrator by heart, and my art is very quirky and whimsical with a strong concept or narrative. I love drawing animals and developing characters.
Is your art based on any particular themes &/or ideas?
My art is mostly based on my own personal experiences. Some of the characters in my work include my own pets or personal items.
What mediums do you enjoy working with?
I mainly work with oils and acrylics for my paintings but sometimes work on the occasional watercolour piece. For my sketches I predominantly use graphite pencils and colour with copic markers, coloured pencils or Procreate on the iPad.
Are there any aspects of your art that you find particularly challenging?
I find limiting choices very tricky at times. There are so many options when creating, and often it’s hard to limit yourself to a set route and not deafen the message of a piece of art by being less specific.
Which is more important to you, the symbolic meaning of your work or the visual presentation?
I think the visual presentation is most important to me, since art can have many interpretations, and I’d like my work to relate to each individual differently.
Do you have favourite pieces from your portfolio? Why?
Yes. My “Lollipop Ellie” is my favourite piece, because I love animals, and he is quite a quirky and loveable character.
What is the ideal environment for your creative process?
My own, quiet space, such as my studio. I like music while I work.
How has media (traditional or social) influenced your art?
Watching other artists has definitely influenced me a lot. My own style of fashion and taste of music also directs my vision.
The characters you draw are very unique. Are they just drawings or do you furnish them with a story and personality?
Interviewed by Paperblanks
Most of my characters all have elaborate stories behind them. They’re usually characters I’ve played around with in my imagination for some time, before putting them to paper – which I feel sort of lets them develop their own personality. I have a few main stories I’m currently working on too, such as “The Bunny Whisperer,” “The Romantic & the Mermaid” and “Peppa Feathers.” I’m hoping to publish all of these in the future.
What is your typical day of work as an artist?
Interviewed by Paperblanks
A typical workday for me as an artist includes getting most of the business side of things done in the morning. This includes promotions, packaging, social media, blogging, etc. Then, I like to put on some music and get some painting done without having to worry about getting sidetracked.
You describe your artwork using the term “Bubble Goth.” Can you elaborate on what this means?
Interviewed by Paperblanks
Happy. Twisted. Dark. Beautiful. Bubblegoth is something that is light, cute and wonderful, but can also be creepy and somewhat dark at the same time. It’s originally known as a music genre and I’m attempting to give it a visual form and establish it as an art style. It incorporates lighter colours such as pastels and white, along with hints of black. The ultimate aim is to make the beautiful, creepy and the creepy, beautiful – something that takes light and dark and puts them together.
How would you describe the visual arts scene in South Australia?
Interviewed by Inspire SA
I think there’s a lot of visual arts, but not as much illustration showcased in South Australia. I was, however, very excited when I heard that my favourite artist, Etam Cru, came to do a street piece on one of the buildings here.
What advice would you give someone who aspires to a career in the visual arts?
Interviewed by Inspire SA
You should definitely look into tertiary education. A lot of people say you don’t really need to study to work as an artist, however the amount of information and portfolio refinement they teach you puts you on a whole different level that’s not easily attainable when you’re starting out and don’t know where to go. While studying, don’t assume if you graduate you will automatically get a job with the piece of paper you get. It is your gathered experience as well as a diverse but targeted portfolio that will determine your success. It is, however, a wholly satisfying career to pursue!
