Can you tell us more about yourself? How long have you been creating art, and what mediums do you like to work with?

I’ve been doing art since 2005 – that’s almost 16 years now. I create illustrations and paintings, so I work both digitally and with acrylic and household paints. More recently, I’ve been exploring watercolours in my new paintings. I currently teach visual art at the School of the Arts.

Your artwork is so vibrant and cheerful. Do you have a personal philosophy when it comes to doing art?

Thank you. Art-making has always been about sharing that joy and happiness with others, and an opportunity to send positive energy out into the world. Since my work is largely improvised, I let instinct and intuition guide the process – there’s a lot of letting go and trusting how the colours sit with each other, like a meditation. You could say the painting is doing the thinking.

What inspires you? How can we similarly find inspiration in our daily life?

Instagram is an endless source of inspiration for me. I often get inspired looking at what other artists are doing in their practice with colours and abstraction, and also colours in our material and pop culture, how they exist in fashion, interiors, textiles, patterns, design.

Reading, writing, talking to friends, listening to music, enjoying the simple things in life can be little ways to inspire ourselves. I think sharing is important for inspiring others, too.

What role do you think art and colours play in our everyday life?

Colours help us make sense of the world, and are often used as a form of self-expression. I’ve noticed people tend to be quite conscious of their colour choices, especially with what they wear, and in their homes. Having the right colours within your immediate environment can play a huge part in affecting or shaping our emotional well-being.

What are your thoughts on colour psychology?

Admittedly, colour plays a big part in our psychology, and certainly affects our mental state in subtle ways. A lot of symbolic meanings are embedded within colour, especially in different cultural contexts. Also, our personalities and individual preferences are tied to the choices we make with colour. Colours can tell us a lot about ourselves, including what we like or dislike. It can entice us to buy things too! That’s the attractive power of colour.

What advice do you have for minimalist homeowners who want to start incorporating more colourful art in their homes?

Start with smaller, colourful works. These can add nice accents into interior living spaces. Larger, colourful works need space to breathe, and also for the colours to expand into the space. The more space you can give, the more expansive the work will be. So that’s one aspect to consider. It’s also good to find out more about the artist and what drives their practice, and how their work and its colours make you feel.

Do you have any upcoming collaborations that you can tell us more about?

I am collaborating with Co:Creation, an artist-led social enterprise to develop a mindful art-making workshop for schools next year, which aligns my interest in art and well-being, and I’m very much looking forward to it.

For more information, please visit www.gardensilly.com.

Read Next

10 ideas for a stylish colourful living room

Pantone's Colour of the Year 2022: Very Peri