Trish has always been drawn to creative pursuits. Her early experiences were shaped by sewing, her mother’s craft. This sparked her interest in textiles and colour. She said, “You couldn’t keep me out of a fabric shop!”.
She didn’t stop there. She experimented with a wide range of crafts, from sewing or macrame to crochet and was always eager to try new things. She used to crochet bikinis. How cool is that?!! 

Despite living in the countryside of Queensland, where access to formal art classes was limited, Trish continued to explore her creative passion through her own experimentation and self-teaching. She mentioned early in the interview that she didn’t do any formal art in High School, which she thinks would probably led her to fine painting earlier.
    

Clearly, Trish’s background in craft and textiles gave her a solid foundation in colour theory and composition, which has been invaluable in her painting practice. (And to the delight ofall of us!). 

It seems that Trish’s parents played an important role in shaping her early experiences with creativity. Her mother’s craft of sewing, her father’s talent for drawing eventhough he never explored it further, and a lifechallenge experience that she endured madeher realise the power of artistic expression and the importance of pursuing one’s passions and not letting fear or doubt hold you back. 

This lesson has stayed with her throughout her artistic journey, reminding her to always be true to herself and follow her instincts. 

At some point, Trish decided to pursue formal education in Art. Still, that experience didn’t quite live up to her expectations regarding providing her with meaningful knowledge orinsight into new skills. This left her a little bit disillusioned with the traditional form of education.

To the question, “For many artists, art is one ofthe top relationships in their life.  Is it for you?”Trish exclaimed, “For sure. Yes. Yeah, definitely!! I think I struggle without it becauseI need that release. The artistic release. I find it satisfying and exciting”. 

Clearly, for her, Art is a passion. It’s a central part of her life that gives her a sense of release, excitement, and purpose. She desires to express herself creatively and share her perspective with those who want to feel it.

Despite this setback, Trish remained determined to develop her skills as an artist and continued to explore different techniques and mediums on her own.  She sought out workshops, online tutorials and mentorship opportunities that allowed her to learn from other artists and hone her craft.   She also focused on developing her unique voice and style as an artist, drawing inspiration from the natural world and her experiences.   Through perseverance and a willingness to take risks and experiment, Trish has created a deeply personal and visually stunning body of work.

"I think the reason why people buy art is because the painting relates to amemory."

Do you have any rituals?
(Here, my friends, I would kindly advise you to stop reading for a few seconds and get pen and paper because this whole piece is full of advice and wisdom, but this one is key). 

“Not a ritual. Although sometimes I put music on. I like it, but it will depend on what I am doing. If I am going to work with pastels, I need to sort out the colours I will be using first.  Selecting the medium will be the next step after choosing my subject. Then I will sort out the material that I will be working on and the size and, therefore, the composition of the painting. 

While I am doing all my planning, I need to be entirely concentrated on working it out. So, no music around. I know the painting will never work unless I have that roll”. 

How does she deal with some frustrations that come out during the painting process? 

At some point in the interview, she acknowledges that the creative process can sometimes be challenging and frustrating and that setbacks are inevitable.
In that sense, I asked what she does when she can’t find the right colour.  Honestly, what do you do? Iasked… and she peacefully responded, “Make it. Keep mixing! If you can’t find it, whip it up, blend, blend, blend, and blend. You just have to keep going”. 

Trish mentioned that this frustration with matching the right colour is one of the reasons that she picks up oils, mainly for the final layers of her work. She likes rendering the subject with acrylics for their quick drying time and vibrant pigments. When the foundational layers are rendered, she switches to oils to add intricate details and subtle nuances. 

In moments of colour-seeking frustration, it seems that Trish turns to her artistic instincts and lets her journey take the scenic route until she reaches the desired destination.  That explains a few things, but mainly the feeling that you get when looking at one of her seascapes, for instance, where you could say where it was taken just because of the colour of the water and the specific dunes in the focal point. 

To the question, if while creating her paintings, she keeps her enthusiasm or she experiences ups and downs, Trish said,“ Sometimes you get to eighty per cent of the painting, and you go… Should I stop? Should I continue? Creating a painting is a process that can be unpredictable. Sometimes it all comes together perfectly from the beginning, but other times you hit roadblocks along the way.  I’ve learned to trust my instincts and let the painting guide me. If it’s not working out, I set the painting aside for a while and return later with fresh eyes; sometimes, switching between different projects can help me stay motivated and inspired”. 

On that note, she also describes her way of managing the pressure to finish an artwork or a body of artwork for an exhibition. Her premises are not allowed to pressure her to finish a project because “you will never be happy with it.  She never finishes something just for finishing's sake, or she will never love it.
I must mention that she recognises the fact that, as an artist, you need to exhibit your work and sell it, but her love for the finished piece is where she set the bar.