Do you want to find your inner artist? Take inspiration from award-winning painter and down-to-earth mum Zoe Young on how to find your own subjects to immortalise in a still life. Zoe lives and works in the picturesque Southern Highlands town of Bowral, NSW, where she finds the beauty in all around her. Read on for lots of ideas on how you, too, can paint – and live – more creatively.
Flowers, branches, fruit and veg – it’s all grist to your artistic mill. Forage still-life subjects from your place or use this week’s groceries!
Art isn’t just about pictures. You can create displays that reflect your interests using items you’ve collected, inherited or just love to bits! Think handbags and hats, patterned plates and sepia photos.
You don’t need a studio to paint, but wouldn’t it be fabulous to have a space like this! Find yourself a corner with good light, set up an easel (you can pick them up at art supply stores or online), then add a little table or shelf for all your brushes, paints and palettes.
Anything goes when it comes to your own gallery. Hung on high or propped against a wall, showcase your art. Mix framed prints and canvases, from itty-bitty photos to huge still lifes.
Your still-life subject can be as simple as that pot of succulents you love or a collection of items curated by you. And think about style before you begin painting – impressionism, realism or abstract – it’s up to you!
