Returning to a world filled with art and creativity has been one of the most rewarding decisions of my life. Honestly, I wish I’d done it sooner! Reigniting that creative spark after years away has brought more joy, challenge, and (let’s be real) splashes of paint on the carpet than I ever expected. But this journey is far from over – it’s constantly evolving, always led by colour and mark-making. I find myself lost in the process of building layers, texture, and vibrancy long before I decide whether I can actually use it in my digital designs. And spoiler alert: I almost always find a way!
My Artistic Journey
It all started in the summer of 2021 when I decided to brush up on my rather rusty painting skills (pun intended). At the time, I was playing around with paints, trying to rediscover my eye for creativity. You know how it is—feeling like a beginner again but also hoping for a masterpiece on the first try. Another spoiler: it wasn’t.
To help get the creative juices flowing, I joined a free online workshop led by the amazing abstract artist Louise Fletcher, who’s based in Yorkshire. If you haven’t seen her work, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s just… well, fabulous. I can only dream of creating with the freedom and fluidity that she does. Following her guidance, I began exploring what I liked, what I didn’t, and whether I favoured one colour palette over another. Even now, whenever I hit a creative block, I revisit Louise’s techniques and the questions she posed to help reset my brain.
But let’s rewind. That summer, my plan was to paint, create, and sell original pieces and prints. But I also had a dream of breaking into home textiles. (Yes, I know – ambitious, but go big or go home, right?) So, I started with some samples and eventually ordered my first batch of tea towels. By Christmas, I had a whole range of tea towels and even some neck/head scarves. Plans for cushions were already brewing for spring 2022 – interior design has always been a secret love of mine. I mean, who wouldn’t want their home filled with bright, eclectic, art-infused gifts?
From Paintings to Digital Designs
As I began to develop my paintings further, I realised just how versatile they could be in digital form. Suddenly, little pieces of one painting could be transformed into endless digital designs. It’s like discovering that your favourite jumper also works as a scarf, hat, and throw blanket – it’s incredibly satisfying. Having spent years using InDesign daily in my previous marketing job made the transition to digital design feel seamless. (Honestly, after hours of fiddling with marketing flyers, digital art was a breeze!)
Fast forward through 2022 – it went by in a blur. Between freelance content writing, keeping a small retail unit stocked with glassware (which deserves a blog post of its own), promoting my work, managing my accounts, and attempting to keep my website’s SEO in check, it was all a bit hectic. Oh, and did I mention I was also planning a wedding and a blessing? Marrying Steve, the love of my life, was the highlight of the year and probably my life. But juggling all of that? Well, I’m glad that chapter is closed (apart from the wedding which I could relive over and over!).
The Start of 2023: ‘The Beloved and the Iconic’
As 2023 rolled around, it took me a little while to emerge from ‘wintering’ – a term coined by Donna Ashworth that really struck a chord with me. I embraced the slow start to the year, allowing myself to hibernate a bit before setting out on my next big project.
That ‘next’ turned into something quite exciting: my latest digital art collection, The Beloved and the Iconic. This series is made up of landscapes and landmarks from across the UK, from the obscure to the recognisable. The idea is to showcase buildings, landscapes, and landmarks in ways they’ve never been seen before using digital collage techniques and layers of texture from my original paintings.
The process is as enjoyable as it is intricate. Using InDesign in a way it was definitely not intended (sorry, Adobe), I draw freeform shapes to ‘house’ my original paintings. These shapes then come together like puzzle pieces, forming the building or landmark I’m depicting. Colours, marks, and textures from my paintings make up the scene, and then I give the whole thing a little extra polish in Photoshop. It’s a process that combines the methodical with the imaginative, and I absolutely love it.
Growing the Collection
The collection is still growing to this day … and quite honestly, I can’t see running out of inspiring landscapes and landmarks is going to be an issue, with scenes from Cornwall, Somerset, London, Yorkshire, and all the way up to Scotland taking shape. Each new piece presents a challenge – some landmarks make sense right away, while others… well, let’s just say they’ve been temporarily paused (read: ditched). But that’s the fun of it. I have a list of about 20 buildings waiting to be realised, and I can’t wait to bring them to life.
So, that’s where I am now – continuing my ever-evolving journey, blending paint with pixels, and loving every colourful, layered minute of it.
Stay tuned for more updates!
