Over the past few months I have been reflecting on my creative work. I started asking myself the question ‘why’? Why do I want to create? Why am I drawn to certain motifs, colours, and textures? Through art journaling, reading art books, and listening to artist interviews, I have become more aware of why I create art and through this awareness I have realised I want to express myself beyond surface pattern designs, and grow as an ocean inspired artist through the medium of original artworks. This feels like an exciting and natural evolution of my creative practice.

I want to create meaning, not just decoration.

The Motifs That Keep Appearing in My Work

A big part of my art journaling is writing down the motifs, colours, and textures that I am drawn to over and over again.

shells, waves, sun, coral, tropical fish, flashes of neon, palm trees, frangipani, lines, movement, water, heat – just some of what I have written down in my art journal

What is most fascinating is understanding the reason behind my visual language – that the overarching theme is what the ocean can give you. I am trying to capture childhood memories of finding shells at the beach, of being surrounded by small bright fish on a coral reef, and ultimately the feeling of being completely relaxed and free.

What I’ve Learned Through Creating Art Studies

Being an A-type personality, I needed some structure for my art exploration so gave myself the challenge of completing 50 mini art studies. The purpose of these art studies is to find a way to express my key memories and experiences and capture the feeling of these.

These studies also let me play with paint and mixed media materials, and really enjoy the physicality of the mediums and what they can do.

I start each study with a completely open mind, often writing a word or phrase on the paper to set the intention for that piece.

I have found that I work best if I don’t plan the artwork, and just react intuitively to the colours and materials.

I write in my art journal what I’m loving, both with the finished artworks and the process itself.  I also identify what I’m not loving, and use this reflection to continue with further art studies.

I absolutely love this process and believe this is going to be a constant part of my artistic practice, it feels like I am trying to capture something just out of reach and maybe one day I will have it figured out, but the joy is in the discovery.

Why Some Ideas Become Original Art

Now I absolutely love creating pattern designs and this is still a big part of my creative practice. Pattern designs add colour and interest to practical objects and are really fun to make.

I think though that original artworks carry a different role – a canvas has physical properties such as layers, texture, and a solid presence. It can capture my energy, feelings and intentions and can carry this into someone’s home and life. I want to be able to give my collectors a piece of art that gives them a feeling of relaxation and curiosity, that will add lightness and joy into their day.

Building My First Ocean Inspired Art Collection

I have been immersed in a visual world of Crete I created through my photos, travel journals, and sketches. I knew that I wanted to express this magical place through both pattern designs and original art. I created the pattern design collection first and through this process became clearer on the direction of the original art.

I spent one week in Crete and really fell in love. It was late summer, and the memory of the amazing beaches, colourful Venetian towns, bright flowers, and the feeling of being on a beach holiday has stuck with me. It is the ideal feeling you want, especially if you dream to ‘escape’ your current reality.

Painting this feeling that Crete gave me I hope will give this sense of escape to my collectors who take a piece for their home – a little bit of Greek summer vibes. It is the subject for my first collection because I have a very strong visual idea of Crete and want to use what I have learnt about myself and my art to turn this into an art collection.

Through my art studies, I am also thinking ahead to my second collection with the working name ‘Magical Ocean’…

Looking Ahead

In the coming months, I will be continuing to create surface pattern designs and develop my original art collections.

I believe this process of reflection and refinement to my art practice will produce work that is truly me and carries energy and meaning that will flow into collector’s homes.

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