Wandering with colour

When self-doubt took hold, a surprise request brought new life to my art, drawing from old roots. Join me as I share the journey of illustrating the cover for ‘Lake, I Love You,’ a new novel by Farrah Jane, known for her sassy and swoon-worthy small-town romances.

Insights of abstract drawing by exploring the power of negative space. In this insightful blog post, I delve into how the spaces between leaves can capture the essence of nature more profoundly than their outlines. Discover how focusing on what you leave out can breathe life into your art and change the way you see the world.

Dive into the heart of Chiang Khan, a lesser-known paradise in northeast Thailand, where the charm of old-world traditions meets the allure of tourism. Experience the vibrant night market, scenic bike rides along the Mekong, and the unique blend of cultural authenticity and comfort. Discover a town where you can relive your childhood freedom on a bicycle, where the community's spirit is as infectious as its colorful lanterns.

I wandered through a suburb lined with fancy cars and enormous walled homes (mansions compared to the rest of the city), with very ornate gates, and a fuzz of razor wire atop the walls.

Aside from the indie night market, healthy vegan food options, handicraft boutiques, avant garde art galleries and hidden laneway shops, what I loved about Pai was the lanterns decorating the streets.

The idea for this collection began on a dirt track on the way to a pepper farm in Cambodia. Crawling along in an old taxi behind the dust of a tour bus, the road was rough and pot holed. The speed gave me time to absorb the rural scene unfolding out the side window.

I love the way the light shines through the frangipani leaves. Snap. 
Wow what an amazing view. Tap. 

And thus my photo gallery app fills up on my phone with hundreds of really beautiful travel photos of plants, flowers and landscapes, that probably won’t mean much to anyone else. So what to do with all the plant, flower and poolside vista pics?

The problem, I find is that we live in such a hustle culture, where even our hobbies are monetised or encouraged to be. I often feel guilty spending time delving into some new creative play if there is no income attached to it. Or worse, instead of getting lost in the play, I spend time consuming days trying to figure out a way to make money from my play. 

What a great analogy when considering my own flexibility and adaptability in life and it really explains those trees you see bent and thriving in unusual places and positions. 

This palm however had a blessed life and grew magnificently proportioned. It seemed so mighty, beautiful, confident and grown to full potential. 

One of my absolute favourite places so far in my travels of South East Asia, is Vang Vieng in Laos. While looking out my hotel window to the most dreamy misty mountain vista each morning, I had this idea to document my travels by creating a new design for each region that I visit. 

I could spend all day at this place, lost in a tranquil jungle of green shade and beautiful leaves. My "Garden Cafe" artwork is about favourite places that you day dream about returning to. It is about the nurturing cocoon of a thick canopy and the beauty of being immersed in large leaves. 

How happy are Sunflowers! During late summer and early autumn I make them a feature in my life. I visit flower farms, plant rows in the garden, wear sunflower patterned clothes and earrings and of course draw them.