Tell us about your creative process. What drives your practice?

My creative process is conceptually driven and inspired by the world around me-usually the things that anger me. Politics, climate change and environmental destruction are just a few that come to mind.

I use my art practice as a way of taking away my frustration in such matters because I feel it's my way of voicing that I consider these things are wrong. I don't like for my works' meanings to be immediately obvious because I love when I see artwork that I need to pause and consider to understand. If my work causes even one person to stop and think about things, then I have succeeded.

Since I have a dark sense of humour, I like to try and include some of it in my work when I can, usually in the form of satire. If we can't find something to joke about in all this then I'm afraid it would be far too depressing.

How does (gender) politics influence your conceptual and material approach to art making?

I believe it is a major influence for me. These days I am hardly grasping at straws for conceptual inspiration, considering the current politicians in power both here and overseas and the scary regression in female and human rights across the globe.

The huge sway that big institutions-whether they be the Church or Hollywood-are still having over gender politics is of great interest to me and something that I expect I will continue to explore in the future. 

Are there any female printmakers and/or artists that influence you?

I'm afraid I don't know as much as I'd like about contemporary printmakers and artists. Everytime a contemporary artist is mentioned in class and conversation, I've never heard of them! Thankfully I'm starting to learn. 

As someone who struggles with abstraction and simplicity, the drawings of Eva Hesse are a big inspiration for me at the moment. They teach me that it’s okay to stop working on something, even if I haven’t filled the paper to the edge. Her drawings also dare me to use a bit of colour every now and then-something that I usually don't like doing.

I have always preferred old things, whether it be literature, film or music, and it's the same with art, as it's all I ever looked at growing up. My absolute favourite is of course Artemisia Gentileschi because she was a badass that used her work to say what she couldn't. I love the honesty in her paintings and amazing skill in telling a story with a single image.

Finally, what exciting projects are you working on at the moment?

Not as much as I would like. I’m currently working on a book project that is based on my quest to find a new house to rent. Considering how many open houses I’ve had to go to, it will be much bigger than I originally planned. Mostly, I’m just trying to get through the end of my second year at university. I hope that throughout my break and while overseas on holiday I find a lot of inspiration that I can realise during my last year in 2020.