Today, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Lizzie Alsop, an talented artist whose work brings colour to any room. Their journey into the creative realm began amidst the serene backdrop of a remote rural property.
Learn what a day in the life of an artist looks like along with some sound advice for anyone interested in getting into the field. With Autumn foliage on our doorstep we can’t wait to see what Lizzie produces in the next few months.
How did you first get into the creative field?
Growing up on a remote rural property I would walk amongst the paddocks with a pencil and notebook sketching trees, animals, flowers …anything really interesting. It was almost a form of entertainment in a way. I’ve always been drawn to painting and drawing since childhood.
Have you always focused on acrylic on canvas or have you ever dabbled with other mediums?
I have dabbled in lots of mediums; charcoal and pencil on paper, soft pastels, collage and watercolour on paper; but my go to is acrylic on canvas or board and also I like to add ink and oil pastel on top of the acrylic to add more depth, interest and texture.
What does a typical day in the studio look like for you?
I like to start my art days with a sketch and my morning coffee to warm up my creative energy. Sometimes a walk to get the body moving. Once I’m feeling ready to head into the studio I will pop some music on or a podcast/audiobook and start working on whatever project is happening at the time. My studio is always set up so I can just get into flow. When I am in creative flow I loose all concept of time and time can fly by. Sometimes it’s just hard to get into it. On these days I will work on something small like some colour studies or works on paper.
Your work centres a lot around nature, expressed through bright colours; how do you think the colour of something impacts our perception/understanding of the subject?
Colour highlights feelings and emotions of the subject that has inspired the artwork. It may not be the exact colour of the subject, but it is how I see and want to express myself. Sometimes the colour will be exaggerated to draw attention to a certain aspect of the Painting. Colours can induce emotions to the viewer so sometimes I will paint an artwork with earthy colours and these colours tend to be very grounding for those that view it. Other paintings I will use bright, happy colours such as pinks and greens. These colours can be very uplifting and add warmth to a room.
Call of The Wild 1 & 2 featuring some of Lizzie’s favourite foliage
Going into autumn is there any foliage or flowers you are looking forward to seeing?
I really love Autumn. I love the deep, warm, earthy colours of the leaves and the way the sunsets on a perfect Autumn day. There are so many different colours in the leaves that fall on the ground, and the landscape takes on a different tone, which is lovely to capture. There are so many plants that I love to sketch in particular, Banksia, kangaroo paw and seed pods.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to start in the Art world and what about someone that has started, but wants to grow awareness of their work?
I think the best advice to give someone starting out in their creative journey is to have fun with it. Explore and play with lots of different styles and mediums until you can find what you’re comfortable with and what feels like you. Once you find a style that you really enjoy go deeper into exploring this by attending classes, run by artists, that have mastered this style and technique. Research and explore artists past, and present that have styles that you like. You are continually learning and evolving as an artist.
How did you know you had made it as an artist?
Perhaps when I sold my first artwork to someone that I didn’t know. Can I add you don’t need to have to ‘make it as an artist to be an artist’, every human has potential to be creative. You just need to know how to tap into that creativity that is within you.
Describe your home and do you have any other Australian artists in your home?
Is it in a rural setting at the edge of a coastal town. It’s light and airy with lots of windows. I would say it’s a mix of country and coastal with eclectic pieces from my family farm and heirlooms mixed with modern more coastal pieces. Every piece has a story and meaning in our home.
I have quite a few Australian artists’ work hanging in our home. I studied Margaret Preston at school and was lucky enough to be gifted one of her lino prints which I treasure. I have a mix of contemporary and traditional artworks along with my grandmother’s artwork, who was a New Zealand landscape painter.
Are there any painters that you look to for inspiration? Where else do you go for inspiration?
There are so many painters or other artists that I look to, for inspiration past, and present John Olsen‘s work I love as he picks up the beautiful, warm colours and patterns of the Australian landscape and Elisabeth Cummings for her use of colours and very expressive paintings. I like to go and visit exhibitions in galleries and other artists’ exhibitions and go for walks in nature for Inspiration we just went to Bruny Island in Tasmania recently, and I went mad taking photos and sketching out the landscape. I am constantly taking photos of anything that I feel can inspire my work.
What project are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently working on a new body of work experimenting with natural pigments, sand and coffee. I have been inspired lately by the patterns within nature found in rock formations and tree bark. I’ve also been working on a collaboration with a clothing company soon to be released in May. I hope to exhibit in some local art prizes and perhaps have an exhibition towards the end of the year. We will see!