Creating images from an inner journey with Cristina Guitian

It was our great pleasure to dive deep into Cristina Guitian's process and projects, a multitalented artist working on murals, installation, illustration and sculpture. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

What was it like creating an interactive installation for WeTheCurious, the Museum of Science in Bristol, do you enjoy making your art 3D and Sensory, what’s the most challenging part for you in this process?

This project was good fun and a big challenge simultaneously, 2 in 1! We had a super tight deadline and I was the only creative in the team. Visualising the local stories of Bristol was great, and I loved coming up with the animations for the interactive elements.

The most challenging, was working out how to prepare the artwork to be cut out as a vinyl, as my hand drawn lines had to be translated into vectors in Illustrator.

You illustrated The book series What is the Issue? What was your favourite part of this project, do you prefer having stimulus or a brief to create from/ for or do you prefer a blank canvas of your own?

The briefs for the books were often explicit but I was given total freedom on how to interpret them. I was sometimes asked to come up with ways of representing abstract concepts of the mind. These were my favourite ones, making me look for new ways of communicating.

I prefer briefs that are well-defined and clear while allowing for creative license, with clients that trust and prioritise my artistic instinct.

What's it like illustrating commissions for such well known companies like Google and Nike to the Guardian and Headspace? scary, exciting etc?

I feel lucky to be often chosen for my playful style, so my most commercial work is often fun.

Once I'm on a commission, the difference between working for a multimillionaire corporation or a small business blurs away. Each project is different depending on the team involved. In the work for Google, I worked with a lovely small team and a super talented animator. Working with other creatives brings my work to unexpected new places.

The Guardian was a perfect editorial project, they had great art direction and attention to detail; with Headspace, I created all of their visuals when they were only a start up. Working for them was exiting, even though they were only small back then, it already felt like we were creating something big.

How would you best describe your creative process?

When am working on a commission, it all starts by researching and gathering information. I then, brainstorm and doodle, to come up with as many possibilities as I can. If I need a change of perspective, I research again, to then get back to generating more ideas, and so on. Eventually, one of the concepts seems to take more shape so, that's the one to finalise.

I normally have some artwork in progress lying around, so I can jump onto it if I need a break. My studio is a mix of a playground with a laboratory, that feeds the commercial work indirectly, by keeping the creativity more alive.

What is your favourite project you have worked on in the last 6 months or to date and why?

One of my highlight projects was last year's ‘Mascarada’: an installation I created for Miista’s AW22 catwalk where the models come out of my painting. The massive 21 m long wall is a cut out mdf structure that integrates the models within, so when the runway started they came out of the painting, few of them wearing masks, part of my art.

The work explored the subject of psychological masks disguising emotional states. It was brought to life by the models interacting with it, so the catwalk became a piece of performance art. Collaborating with another discipline like fashion, was amazing, it brough a whole new dimension to my practice.

What makes you create the work you do? What lights your fire and keeps it burning?

My art feels like something alive and self-sufficient that happens quite naturally. When creating I feel like I'm in the right place. I might experience all sorts of mood swings: great joy, anger or sadness, but overall I feel at ease.

Why do you make art, who do you make art for (yourself, community, to expand ?) what’s your intention?

I make art because I feel a need to communicate further than I can with words. I partly do it for myself, as a cathartic experience and to integrate difficult feelings. But am also looking to connect, and, overall, to encourage people to open up their minds.

Where did it all begin for you ?

When I finished high school instead of going to University I did all sorts of jobs: waitressing, kitchen porter, club promoter, even a kind of door to door sales woman! It all soon became frustrating, I needed something more challenging for my mind, so I started drawing at night time, after my work shifts. I then discovered that drawing made me feel like nothing else did, like I had found the place where I belong.

What inspires you the most to create ?

I have a story to tell that I don’t even know what it is and I can't express with words. When I create I feel like am telling little fragments of this tale each time. I also feel an impulse to bring out to the surface things that seem to be hidden or left behind by society, highlighting the beauty in the ugly and the forgotten.

Where about did you grow up, do you find where your living has an effect on the realms and themes in which you create from?

My family are from the Canary Islands but I grew up in Madrid. My roots are divided between these such contrasted places, even if they are the some country, their culture is very different.

Moving to London after studying was exciting and strengthened my inner world. I developed my imagination through drawing lots, and eventually I found my own visual voice. My work is definitely influenced by London, it’s layers of history and the diversity of such a multicultural hub. It's also shaped by my Spanish background and a constant search for roots.

What's been your most challenging part of being an artist?

Being an artist is simultaneously a blessing and a curse: even though it's uplifting, so much energy goes into it that it can feel unbalanced. Finding a way to focus in your practice while keeping your finances and personal life stable is the key.

I'd rather make a living from art so I can spend more time doing it. I've experienced that professional success comes in hand with strong pressure to deliver though. The feeling of losing the creative freedom is hard. But embracing the pressure is the key to overcome it: if you make sure to produce what is requested, you also can find new unexpected ways to develop more freely. You grow.

If you could say one thing in regards to your art, art in general what would it be?

Art is about transcending: for the artist when making, and for the viewer's experience. I create to go beyond my state of mind and to gain a deeper insight on life, even only for a moment. To me, art is successful, when the viewer is transported to another dimension by looking at it.

What's your next big project ?

I have couple of group exhibitions in London coming very soon. I am in conversation about a solo exhibition in Tenerife, in the island where I am from, so fingers crossed on this front.

I recently started running the workshop Visionarios, to help people visualise what they wish for in their lives. So far it has been a great success, so I am hoping this is only the beginning

With exhibitions in Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Madrid, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney and Tokyo, where has been your most favourite place to share your work?

I loved doing an art residency in Rio de Janeiro. Nature is so strong there, that the connection with it is different to any other place I've been in. I feel my art relates quite well to the uplifting Brazilian energy.

Your style, under your alter ego Cristina Reyes, plays in the realms of absurdism and realism , what is your biggest inspiration for these such abstract ideas, does it start with a dream you had, a random shower thought, a metaphor you want to explore, a message you want to share?

This is the kind of work where I dig in my subconscious without a clear direction and see what arises. I create images from this inner journey that help me navigate my own emotions. The content in itself is not intentional, I allow myself to be as free as possible, and the shape of what am doing reveals itself as I go along.

How did you develop your unique style?

To me, a style is something that develops naturally as a result of doing something for a long time. Mine, took shape from drawing and testing plastic techniques and approaches. After years of experimenting, a particular graphic identity eventually was born.

CHULO’S COLAB WITH PINK TANK CREATIVE. ARTIST JESS BRACEY TAKES ON THE GOLDEN PEBBLE.

We teamed up with Frank from Pink Tank Creative to bring to life these organic flowy style murals at Tokyo Head Spa in Surry hills and St Leonards.

We asked Frank some questions about this project….

Who is Pink Tank? 

Pink Tank Creative is a brand and design studio in Sydney. We work with a range of clients across different industries — helping them in the areas of brand strategy, naming, creative direction, visual and verbal identity, packaging and illustration.

What is the inspiration behind the mural designs at all the Tokyo Head Spa locations? 

Tokyo Headspa is a chain of boutique authentic Japanese hair care treatment centres using a range of traditional shampoos, conditioners and essential oils. When tasked with developing a brand for them, we created a visual language of free-flowing loose shapes, designed to represent the smooth pond and river stones found in Japan. These organic shapes, both as a solid or outline, create a stylised Japanese look and feel which is designed to sit seamlessly in the Salon Lane environments. 

How was your collab with Chulo?

We engaged Chulo to bring our visual to life for the interiors of Tokyo Headspa. Creating rough designs, we worked with mural artist Jess Bracey to help translate our vision in the environment. We worked with Jess on-site to help make the internal murals come to life. The client has been overwhelmed with how good the work is, and the clients high-standards have ensured we use Chulo again for the different locations. We look forward to working with Chulo and Jess on many more projects to come!

ASK THE ARTIST

We asked Jess about the project…

Who is Jess Bracey?

I’m a visual artist who's first love is capturing people’s homes and businesses in ink-sketched form for people who love personalised keepsake style artwork either for themselves or to gift to loved ones. I'm studying Creative Arts and Health through university of Tas feeding into my passion for art, health and supporting my neurodiverse child. I have recently begun expanding into custom client projects ranging from custom paintings for office spaces to indoor and outdoor Murals, which I'm loving!

When Chulo asked me to collaborate on the Tokyo Head Spa murals I jumped at the opportunity to work with Pink Tank. It was a beautifully therapeutic experience working in such a zen environment.

How did you execute this job?

Starting at their Surry Hills location, Frank and I used chalk and our eyeballs to map out the same lines as the design brief. Then I got to work with filling in the stone colour, whilst leaving space for the gold. At the second location in St Leonard’s, I decided to use the Mural Maker app using 2 devices. This method takes a little getting used to but is well worth the learning curve as it ends up being a much quicker and easier process. I highly recommend it. I took time and care with the smooth lines at each location to end up with a clean and organic result and I'm so proud of the outcome we achieved.

What’s your fave aspect of this project?

The final result! Standing back after a day's work and seeing the gorgeous gold and stone shapes in the space. The simplicity of the design is gently impactful in those beautiful calming spaces. Happy dance time! Look forward to working with Frank and Pink Tank again.

KELLY SPENCER - Connection back to our innate colourful nature

Kelly Spencer is a multidisciplinary visual artist from the lush lands of Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Kelly’s creative essence exuberates bold, bright, and zesty colour palettes along with authentic hand-crafted typography. Kelly's art is centered around, flora, fauna and all-around good vibes with even greater messages. Her work is often in service to create a platform to promote the conservation of our natural environment. 

Not only are Kelly's illustrations oozing with talent and play but they exist multidimensionally, within the realms of murals/street art, illustration (editorial, promotional, books), sign painting, apparel graphics, festival & gig branding, installation, identity design, and much much more. 

As an artist, Kelly has collaborated with clients such as Trade Me, Red Bull, Design Assembly, Boon Street Art, PangeaSeed Foundation, Ministry for Environment, Black Dog Brewery, Good Buzz, Rhythm & Vines, Department of Conservation, Creative HQ, Framingham Wines and more. 

as well as being a featured artist in street art festivals throughout the world, speaking at a handful of conferences for her talents and perspectives. In 2019, Kelly was the curator of the activation of Sea Walls bringing 20 fresh murals to the town of Gisborne from renowned international artists, Artists for Oceans Tairāwhiti NZ, 

What first drew me to Kelly's illustrations was the pure amount of vibrancy, joy and almost homage to the 60's/ 70's groovalicious era of kind messages of peace and love. 

Kelly loves a good cup of coffee the morning, connecting with the community, drinking chardonnay in the sunshine, the sound of tropical rain, scuba diving, and patting other people’s dogs so we thought she would be the perfect artist for our next feature interview! 

Here is what we found out about this creator:

From a young age have you always had a fascination with this colourful almost 70's style? What drew you to draw in this style? Was there someone who you grew up with that inspired you to draw? A mentor, teacher? Parents, grandparents, friends? Where did it all begin for you, did someone start off the journey?

I have been in love with the 60's and 70's vibe at least since I was a teenager. I used to say I was born into the wrong decade, and my mum would be mind-boggled by the retro floral items I'd haul from the op-shops. I can't pin-point why, it's just a part of me. Warmth, botanicals, a time with less electrical cables...

I noticed you have a strong focus on promoting the conservation of our natural environment, what inspired you to give voice to this issue through art, have you always been a big environmentalist from a young age? Do you think being in NZ and its laws to land conservation had inspired this also?

I was born this way. I grew up semi-rurally on an orchard, so I was always around animals and plants, but it's just a part of me. As I've grown older I've started digging into it more - the knowledge of interconnectedness and reciprocity with the rest of nature. The rest of the animals. 

Your portfolio includes murals/street art, illustration (editorial, promotional, books), sign painting, apparel graphics, festival & gig branding, installation, identity design and more, what’s your fav medium and why?

Murals are for sure my favourite. I love being outdoors, using big brushes, riding boom lifts in the sky, and interacting with the world.

Your typography skills are amazing. How did that talent come about? Have you always been good at writing and lettering or is that something you have dedicated a lot of time to? As a kid did you ever do those letter exercise books where you have to trace out different fonts? What inspired your curiosity around this?

I really was "that" kid. My report cards would praise my tidy hand writing (which was a good balance to other less-complementary attention based observations). My classmates would ask me to make title pages for them. I would spend so much time making the headers that I'd forget to add the content. I didn't really realize that type/lettering was an avenue to pursue til halfway through my career though.

I am not sure if you know of the famous illustrator Beatrice’s Potter, she used to talk to her illustrations and feel like each drawing was almost her friend, do you feel any unique connection with a certain one of your illustrations?

I talk to alot of things - animate and inanimate - it might be because of that interconnectedness I mentioned, or might be cos I have some screws loose. 

Were you the type of kid that enjoyed drawing for hours and imagining your own worlds in which your characters exist? Did you ever imagine you’d be doing this as a kid?

I mostly recall either drawing dancing girls with a range of cool outfits, or designs for houses. For this reason, I thought I'd be a fashion designer or architect. I studied the former, because the latter required too many extra years at Uni, before deciding that illustration was my jam.

What is your intention with your art?

To encourage humans to slow the f*ck down and learn to live in harmony with our natural environment.  

What is your favourite project you have worked on in the last 6 months or to date and why?(do you have a photo of it?)

I worked on a 47m collaborative mural with 5 other NZ female artists in the middle of this year which was pretty special because we were able to sink into harnessing our witch magic, working in sync on the design, and spending a week together painting, eating, and connecting. Good, deep, wahine ( woman) vibes. 

 Where did it all begin for you, did someone start this spark?

Drawing is something that came with the package, but the career choice started in 2008 on a boat, in the Caribbean, where I met a girl who was traveling and working as a freelance designer. A lightbulb moment happened when I decided I would do the same so I could build a creative career and still maintain the freedom to create my own schedule (or lack thereof) and to travel. I didn't have a grand plan, I just went with it, but I'm so grateful for where I am now.

What inspires you the most to create?

Travel, breathing space, adventure, and looking really closely at flowers.

What's been the most challenging part of being an artist for you?

No challenges that I feel have been exceptionally heavy. I would appreciate it if people would quit assuming that we (artists) do this as some kind of penniless glorified hobby, but I trust that general society will get there eventually.

If you could say one thing in regards to your art, art in general what would it be?

Without it, we collapse.

You can also support this incredibly ultra talented artist by following her artistry on Instagram @kell.sunshine or checking out her website here.

For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist click through here, also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign. 

Written and curated by Bella Abraham @Bella.bea.poetry

LIDIA TOMASHEVSKAYA- THE WONDER IN THE MUNDANE

Let me introduce to you the very talented, colourful, fruity, and self-taught Israeli illustrator, Lidia Tomashevskaya.

Lidia intertwines the poetic essence of metaphor, purpose, and intention within each of her illustration creations. Lidia's art is dancing with whimsical wonder, rich with layers of meanings and oozing with an invitation for the viewer to be welcomed into a world where anything is possible. So of course, we thought we'd interview her to share a little bit about what inspires her and her art journey.

We all know where we grow up and where we live have a massive effect on how we create and what we create from and for, especially the lens through which we view this beautiful world, and for Lidia this is no different.

Lidia is a Russian-born, Israeli illustrator. She believes that Israel makes her illustrations "brighter and fills them more with colours, flowers, and plants, also keeps them a bit weird and crazy". Lidia's mum had a massive impact and inspiration on her from a young age, her mother " never had a professional artist’s career but she draws incredibly well". Lidia started to draw by looking at her Mom’s drawings, and her mom’s positive reinforcement helped Lidia draw more often. Lidia's love of drawing started as a child, drawing animals, and princesses, to now illustrating an array of images that ember depths of wisdom and expansive ideas.

I especially love how Lidia sprinkles symbols of fruit and nature within her paintings, Lidia notes that she just "likes how they look, like the rich colours and feeling of abundance that they give". This got me thinking about the use of fruit within art in general and how often, artists use certain symbology like fruit to invoke certain feelings or ideas without having to say it directly, it's the subtleties that swing in depth. To me, the use of fruit in Lidia's work represents an offering from nature, an almost childlike playful energy, bringing it a vibrancy, that adds to the unique architecture of her style. So, next time you're looking at an art piece that piques your curiosity, maybe ask yourself what about it stands out the most and if it is due to certain symbology like fruit, animals, symbols, or words that the artist uses.

Every artist has a tale of not only how they found art but how art found them!

Many artists are either self-taught through experimentation, and curiosity or taught through traditional methods from fine art degrees.

Today, digital art is more available than ever for anyone to create art not just people with art degrees. With apps like Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop, we can combine multimedia, photos, illustrations, and graphic digital art to create our own unique hybrid styles of art. So, I was curious how Lidia’s love for passion and her unique style came about, considering how she, like myself is a self-taught artist

Here is a little sneak peek into our interview

Q: You mentioned you're self-taught so where did it all begin for you, did someone start off the journey? Your style is incredibly unique and feels incredibly inviting and authentic, how did you first develop your style? What artist inspired you? Who were your teachers?

"Thank you so much! As I’ve mentioned my mom was my first teacher, but I never took drawing seriously, mostly as a hobby, but once I opened Bechance for the first time I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the illustrations I saw there, then I bought my first "Illustration Now!" book during the lunch break at Zara clothing brand where I worked, and in the evening of that day I decided to try trace my drawing in adobe illustrator(I’ve made a graphic design course so I knew the program). I think other artists are my teachers as well because if not for them, I wouldn’t be interested in illustration. I think my style is the result of the fact that I had to develop my technique by myself, without professional help, I had to invent ways that helped me to draw what I had in my head."

Q: Why is this your favourite medium? Does your art start on a page and then turn digital? Maybe a concept of them or is it always digital?

I work in Adobe Illustrator and then I add textures and small details in Procreate, first I’ve always started with a sketch, but after I had a long period of only digital illustrationS, but now I am incorporating sketches into my process again, and I think it works better for me now, but I can definitely work without them.

Q: As an artist and poet myself, sometimes each art piece I create I have a poem that accompanies it. either I write the poem first or I write a poem after the art I created, which in poetry terms is called an ekphrastic poem! These two mediums intertwine in almost a tango. I know that you mentioned that it is very important to you that your illustrations have a meaning, and that they include metaphors as if it is editorial, you note that a lot of your art will still have a twist and will be deeper than just a decorative piece. Why do you feel like that is important for your artistic process? Are you also a writer? If so, how do you feel these two art forms weave within each other for you?

I think this is beautiful! I used to write too, but at some point, I’ve stopped, to concentrate more on illustration. It depends on the task that I have, usually if I draw for the client I include metaphors. Sometimes I draw decorative pieces ( for myself mostly) when I want to unwind and just have fun. But I myself prefer art with meaning so I want to create art with meaning as well, but sometimes beauty is the only meaning.

Q: I have a question about one of your art pieces that I would love for you to share what inspired it and a little into the deeper meaning and story behind it.

This is an illustration from 2019, when I started to make illustrations on topics that could be interesting, on social issues, articles, etc. This one is about difficulties that girls in India confront growing up, I wanted to show the contrast between the normal and destroyed childhood

Q:What is your favourite project you have worked on in the last 6 months or to date and why?

My favourite project is the illustrations that I created for Tales of Crowns and Thrones ( for Penguin Random House)

Q: What makes you create the work you do? What lights your fire and keeps it burning?

Art is the only thing I once felt I was good at doing, not that I have more self-confidence, but I still believe that this gives my life more meaning

I think art helps me to communicate with the world since I am an introvert.

I loved hearing all about the amalgamation of what made up Lidia's journey! It sparked curiosity in me, to truely think about what I am inspired by at the moment and what I crave to draw and why.

Until this interview with Lidia I was unaware what Behance was so, for those of you who also didn’t know like myself: Behance is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud and is used by creative specialists across the world to showcase their online portfolio of work from graphic design, illustration, fashion, photography, advertising, fine arts, game design, and much more. You can check out a lot of Lidia's work here on Behance.

You can also support this incredibly talented illustrator by following her artistry on instagram

For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist click through here, also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.

Written and curated by Bella Abraham @Bella.bea.poetry

OX KING- STEVEN NUTTALL. Human nature exhibited on the walls of our streets

Let me introduce to you Steven Nuttall also known as OX KING, an incredible mural artist who is deeply inspired with a vision to build connection back to community and our streets again through the medium of bold colours, stunning portraits woven with an ancient form of story telling.

AN INTERVIEW WITH OX KING

You are a UK artist; how do you feel like growing up in UK has affected the style in which you paint and draw? 

I think the more influential impact on my style and subject matter came from moving to Australia during my teenage years more than any specific British influence. That process of transition really impacted the sorts of things I drew and the styles that inspired me. I found that the culture in Australia was a lot more influenced by America and Asia than the culture in England. Access to anime influences and American cartoons really shaped my love of bold graphic styles where previously I would draw in a more realistic classical style.   

At what age did you start making art? Was there someone who you grew up with that inspired you to draw? A mentor, teacher? Parents, grandparents, friends? Where did it all begin for you, did someone start off the journey? 

I always loved to make art from a very young age, my mother always had a huge selection of craft supplies from projects that she worked on and having access to that really shaped my love for creating. Both my parents were very supportive of my creative interests and it was something that was encouraged in school as well. I found that making art was something that I was good at in the small primary school I attended so I think that pushed me even further down that creative path. 

Where did the name OX king come from? What is the story behind it? 

I have had a few names that I went by over the years, For some reason, people always misspelled my last name and so I went through a few other pseudonyms to try and correct this. Ultimately they were all too complicated and I wanted something super simple and easy to remember so I landed on OX, as the letters are also symbols used universally. When I started writing Graffiti the two letters weren’t enough for a full piece so I added the King to the end as a reference to a character from Dragon ball, a show that massively shaped my style and use of bold color pallets growing up.  

Do you prefer working larger or smaller? Why?

I actually like both because of the amount of control it gives me. Intermediate-sized work often frustrates me because of the limitations over what I can and can't do with certain materials. Something super small that can fit on a desk allows me a full range of motion and precise control over the image while seeing everything in context of the overall work. Large scale murals offer that same control in a different way. I'm able to do the same work I do in the studio but it is like I have been shrunken down and can clamber all over the painting making sure the details are clean when viewed from a distance. 

Ultimately I like painting walls more than anything, just because I get to travel and work outside, there is a lot of problem solving that has to happen to a deadline when painting a mural which I enjoy. Painting in the studio drives me a bit crazy sometimes, too much time alone without a deadline can just freeze me up creatively I think.  

I notice a lot of your murals and illustrations specialise in portraits, what excites you the most working with the human form?

I think it is part of human nature to be drawn towards the human form. The human face is the first thing we learn to identify as children and we have a powerful connection to identifying its subtle emotional range. I started painting portraits as a challenge because of this innate ability to recognise the face which we all possess. If you paint a face wrong there is an uncanny disconnection that happens between the work and the viewer. Portraying another person is fascinating to me for this reason. I still have a lot to learn and can pick out a million flaws with every portrait I paint so the pursuit of mastery is exciting and a road that has no real end in my opinion.

How do you get vision for your artworks?

Working primarily as a mural artist I am mostly informed by the wall that I am painting to be honest. There are a lot of limitations and restrictions that I have to work around depending on the location, shape of the wall, material I am painting on etc. From that information I work out what I can and can’t achieve with the space and use that as a starting point which will inform the concept. 

From there I generally think of what I want to paint immediately for the most part, I get a general impression of the shapes and colors that will work in the space and use that as my major inspiration then slowly refine that vision into something more detailed. 

If I don't get that initial flash of inspiration from going to the site and talking with the people involved with the mural and area, the production of the work will be a bit of a torment for some reason. I rarely explore various options for the work I make so if that initial vision is not there I generally move away from those projects. 

What’s your fascination with the balance we strike between the traditional and the artificial in a modern urban context?

I think it is the process of painting murals itself that informs that fascination. I often work in areas to make them more beautiful, or more accurately, less bad haha. The mural itself is an artifice, all art is in a way, it is there to depict a vision of reality or fantasy that is untrue but can inspire thought of the real. When placing art into a location it is a strange juxtaposition of the real and functional with the artificial and fantastical.

I paint a lot of flora for this reason. In an urban environment where the majority of my work is placed, depicting the natural world to change the look of an area is comforting but ultimately is a fabrication of something much more complex and beautiful that exists outside of these spaces. And so I like to depict these very real and foundational aspects of the natural world in very unnatural color schemes as a reminder that while these images represent the natural world they are a mere illusion created by man's interference.   

I am not sure if you know of the famous illustrator Beatrice’s Potter, she used to talk to her illustrations and feel like each drawing was almost her friend, do you feel any unique connection with a certain one of your pieces?

I actually used to live about a half an hour drive from her house funnily enough. I do have connections with my work but maybe not in the same sense. I like to put a lot of iconography into my work that has personal meaning to me, certain symbols reference specific ideas for me but at the same time I like to leave these messages intentionally vague so the viewer can project their own story and meaning onto the work so they can also have a personal connection with it hopefully. 

Certain works are particularly special to me but I think it is more because they symbolize times in my life and the time I spent painting them and what happened while I was in those specific places. 

When you get stuck on a mural or design what helps you the most to come back to it with fresh eyes? 

Time, if I am getting frustrated with creating a concept, I find it is because I am too close to the work and can't really see the forest from the trees if you know what I mean. Stepping away from work and just forgetting about it for a while is the best way for me to see it how others might, this tends to help with making decisions and changes that I would otherwise be unable to see. 

Where do these characters come from? Which one is your most favourite, which one would you most likely have dinner with? ( do you have a picture reference of them?)

It's a bit of a mix of influences, sometimes the characters are based on real people, others are completely original and some are a mix of the two. I think one of my favorite characters is based on Eliza Emily Donnitorne who I painted for a project in Newtown. She is said to be the real life inspiration for the Charles Dickens character Miss Havisham. I had no reference images for the real woman and so I created this character as a representation of both the real woman and the fictional character, however, I don't know how much fun she would be to have dinner with.  

If I had to choose a dinner partner it would have to be the character of Hestia a Greek goddess of hearth and home that I painted for a celebration of Greek independence in Marrickville, I think the food would probably be amazing haha 

What is your intention with your art? 

Generally, I like to think of my murals as monuments to the area, the same way a statue or fountain might act in a town square. Something that represents the local area and acts as a landmark for the residents, something to become part of the history and visual identity of a space. 

After finishing art school I was quite put off from work in the context of a gallery space, it feels a bit excisional to me and not really the audience that I would like to make work for. Mural work is often in a space where you don't expect to encounter art and I wanted to make work for people to pass by when they have to go to work or something. Whether people care about the mural or not I like the idea that it is something they pass by in their day to day life and maybe have some sort of relationship with even in the smallest way. 

What's your next big project ?

I have a few things on at the moment but the mural I’m most excited about is a project to commemorate Richard Gill, An Australian conductor, teacher and public personality that sadly passed away in 2018. The work is in reference to the infamous street orchestral performance outside of his house by local musicians who wanted to honor him with his favorite song before his passing. The concept is quite challenging as I hope to do justice to this great man, so I am both nervous and excited about it. 

What’s your perspective on the difference between street art vs Mural art in your experience?

In my opinion there are 3 broad classifications of public art in the modern era: Graffiti, Street art and Muralism. Murals are the oldest of these forms in the classical sense, originating in ancient frescos and the paintings of European churches. However graffiti and street art also have a long history and cultural impact before they were really considered art. Graffiti is the base of modern practice and a big influence on my work. Graffiti laid the foundational stones and pioneered the technology, methodology and materials that most public art is made with nowadays. The illegality of graffiti is in a way the central ethos of the movement, and is almost more like a sport than any particular artistic expression, it subverts ideas of ownership and grants a voice to those who are often overlooked in a capitalist society. 

From Graffiti came street art where the messaging of these ideas became more of a focus with the intention of subverting the social norms all while maintaining the illegality and rebellion of Graffiti. The popularization of street art however began to blur these lines as these “anti-authoritarian” artist began to be commissioned and commercialized entering the spaces that they previously rallied against, in reality becoming muralists under the banner of fake rebellion. 

I think Muralism stands to the side of both of these movements as it adopts more of a classical approach to its creation, relying on permissible spaces and commissioned work, using many forms of technique despite being so heavily influenced by the mediums that graffiti created recently. 

There is a place for all of these forms and they will intermix in a million shades of gray in between so there is no clear cut answer, it depends on the artist and their intentions as to which family each work belongs to.  

How would you best describe your creative process?

My process is pretty refined at this point. As I mainly work on commission projects there is always some sort of structure or goal outlined for me at the start of any major work. I do not take any particular instruction for what I will actually paint but I will often work with a client on a broad intention of the work and themes of the project as a starting point. 

Communication is very important so I like to take a long time speaking with whoever is involved so we all have the same expectations. I hate making any major changes to my concepts so I find that being on the same page before I put pen to paper is the solution to this. I haven’t had to change a concept in years now so I think this is working pretty well. 

Once everyone has a clear idea of the goal I will go away and create a full color plan of the mural so the client knows exactly what will be painted before I start and I can use this as a guide for painting. I generally do all of the creative work in the studio as improvising on a wall stresses both me and the client out a lot of the time. Having a fleshed out plan also really allows me to enjoy the painting aspect when I get to the wall and I can focus on refining technique rather than working out creative problems. 

 What is your favourite project you have worked on in the last 6 months or to date and why?(do you have a photo of it?)

One of my favorite projects in recent memory was working with a community recycling center in Thornleigh, there was a lot of creative freedom and the atmosphere around the project was super positive so that was a fun one for sure. 

Mural art at Thornleigh community recycling centre

What makes you create the work you do? What lights your fire and keeps it burning?

I think the physicality of painting murals is what keeps me interested in the work. Getting to travel around and work with different people in different places really keeps me involved and excited. Playing around on industrial equipment and painting massive walls is just fun so fighting to find interesting places to paint is always a massive motivation. 

Why do you make art, who do you make art for ( yourself, community) to expand ? 

I think originally I only made work for myself but over the years working in such a public medium I have changed the way I approach art and it is almost exclusively for the community and strangers at this point. I just want to make work that lives independently from me in a space and can be enjoyed casually by people who are in the area by happenstance. 

There is something cool about someone liking a wall I have painted and I will never know about it. It's just between them and the work. That's what keeps me going I think. 

Where did it all begin for you, did someone start ? 

I experimented with a lot of mediums in the past before I landed on painting walls and it all really stemmed from going out with mates to paint abandoned places for fun. It's those early times that really made me fall in love with the medium and pushed me to focus on painting walls full time. The comradery of that early scene was exciting and I try to keep that same kind of passion today. 

What inspires you the most to create ? 

I think at this point it's mostly painting things at a large scale, there is still something so inspiring about having such a colossal task to undertake. Going to check out a huge wall that is bare and looking shabby and imagining what it could be is very inspiring. The slow process of turning that idea into such a huge reality is challenging but incredibly rewarding. 

What's been your most challenging part of being an artist?

Probably the business side of things and having to spend so much time working alone. A lot of my practice is super boring organizational stuff, half of a mural's production is just me sitting in the studio getting paperwork done which can make it hard to keep motivated and excited about the work. It requires a lot of time working on things alone which can be tough to maintain for long periods of time. I have always really enjoyed spending time alone and focusing on a project but the older I get the more I miss spending time with people so getting out and working on walls in public really helps balance all that out for me. 

If you could say one thing in regards to your art, art in general what would it be?

Haha, I don’t know, that's a big question but I guess the main thing is that art is for everyone and doesn’t have to be too serious. I have known a lot of people that see art as alienating and something that they “don’t understand”. I think if you like or don’t like certain things everyone's opinion is as valid as any art critic so get out and enjoy what inspires you and have fun with it. 

You can support OX King by following his artistry on his website: www.oxking.com.au and on instagram : @theoxking

Check out  his work here. Or feel like having your own little mural in your house why not support OX king by purchasing on of his prints he collaborated with us on here.

For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here , also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.

Written and curated by Bella Abraham @Bella.bea.poetry

JOHAN POTMA– MONSTERS, MADNESS AND MAYHEM

If you are yet to know the intriguing illustrator behind these incredible monsters let me introduce you to Johan Potma. 

Johan is a devotional Dutch painter and illustrator of all things wacky, wonderful, and absurd, he describes his art process as playtime! 

If Johan wasn’t cool enough already he is also based in Berlin, the capital of funky art. His work dreams within the artistic play of acrylics and collages on hidden treasures he finds, like old wooden surfaces, box lids, signs, and cigar boxes. All the unique materials he uses tell part of the story of his characters. The stains, old nails, dents, and cracks; shape the experience of creating the quirky nature of all sorts of monsters, freaks, and oddballs acting out his inner imaginations. 

Johan mentions 

“I just love the textures of the old stuff I paint on, the material with all its imperfections and history tells part of the story I am putting on top. So for example, if I am painting on an old wooden box lid with some hinges still attached to it, I will have to work with those features and make it work. Maybe these hinges are in the way a bit, or I can play with it all to have them be part of the story....this is stuff I learned as a young skateboarder. Play with what you have. An obstacle can be enjoyed if you choose to. In a way I organize for little problems to be in the way of me making this painting. Having to problem-solve my way to the finish. Much like everyday life."

After interviewing Johan a little bit about his process, his hometown, inspiration, and future hopes for his art we thought we would share with you a little more about the sparks that contribute to the magic behind this artist!

From a young age, Johan has had a curious fascination with characters and monsters, he mentions how the comic books, superheroes and animated TV shows that surround his imagination made a big impression on him as a whole. As a young skateboarder, he had a plethora of contact with certain styles of visuals, which he wanted to chase. One of his older skateboard buddies studied illustration and inspired Johan.

I believe art is kind of like skateboarding once you see the half pipe, you determine the desire to fly into the unknown and take the leap to go for it or you hang on the outskirts of abnormality, and Johan chooses to dive in, wheels rolling! 

As an artist and illustrator myself I am extremely fascinated with the artist process especially when we are looking at illustrators and how they come about their unique characters. I talk to many of the characters I create, similar to how the famous illustrator Beatrice Potter, used to talk to her illustrations, she felt like each drawing was her friend. 

Alas, I was curious to see how much of Johan's process would resonate with this notion, especially with such naughty creatures like these monsters. Johan stated “ I can definitely understand talking to your artwork. I will speak for the character as it is being created, and comes to life” mentioning how he will make funny noises for these monsters. hearing him/she/ it speak in his mind as if each one is slowly coming to life the more you draw it.

He notes

“To me it is the beauty of creation. I love not knowing what will happen on the journey of making the painting. But for me, it doesn't end with talking to my paintings, I talk to my dog as well, and I will sometimes talk to objects, I live outside of Berlin in the countryside and when I leave the village on my way to Berlin I will say "Bye” and My kids do the same!”

 After all this talk about talking to your art, it made me wonder,

who came first, the artist or the idea?

I am especially curious where Johan's creatures come from, I feel like monsters are a very different kettle of fish, unlike dragons, mermaids, and ogres, they don’t follow a similar structure or stereotype that you see in all the movies and books. There are so many places you can take MONSTERS, they can be so different, so rare, and unique, so I put the question to JOHAN, asking him where he discovered the idea of these monsters before he drew them. He mentions “ I have no idea where the characters come from, it often feels like they are all already there and come out through me. I open up to them and they come. I will start moving around the pencil onto a piece of paper and somehow create these guys from out of nowhere. When I am in the zone it is as though it all happens effortlessly. That's a great feeling. It is not always like that but I think every person who works creatively knows this feeling”

There were a couple more questions I asked Johan, so I thought I would share his answers verbatim as they highlight so much of the unique architecture of his style and his innate creativity.

What is your intention with your art? 

If there is an intention it might be to self-reflect on the stuff going on in my life. Art is great as self-therapy. It enables me to express on a subconscious level whatever is going on inside me maybe. I am always trying to have it be an extension of me, my perspective on things. So, in the end, I can have a dialogue with my audience as well as with myself. If it touches someone in any way, that is the highest compliment. One of my work studios is in one of my shops/galleries in Berlin. If I am there and I witness someone laughing because of something up on the wall, or a print, that I made, I then know why I do what I do...that is a fantastic feeling...more than the success, the money or whatever. Also, this art for me is about the process more than the end result. I just love to create, feel honored to be able to do so. Looking at a finished painting can be nice but in the end, it is always about the process of getting there.

What's your next big project ?

Right now I am working on my third children's book project. The previous one where written by others and then I did the artwork. this time I wrote the story myself and wanted to try to do the whole thing by myself. the last 3 years I went to some stuff and in many ways, this book came off it. Something I realised later when a friend of mine, after reading it, told me so. I do remember that writing the book was the closest thing I ever experienced to something like a religious experience...the writing was very energetic and intense.

So, you’re a dad of two, have you noticed that having children has changed or inspired the type of art you create?

Changed not so much I think, but they inspire me to always to keep doing what I do. 

So all of your work is on recycled material, what is your main reasoning behind that? 

I just love the textures of the old stuff I paint on, the material with all its imperfections and history tells part of the story I am putting on top. So for example, if I am painting on an old wooden boxlid with some hinges still attached to it, iI will have to work with those features and make it work. Maybe these hinges are in the way a bit, or i can play with it all to have them be part of the story maybe....this is stuff i learned as a young skateboarder. Play with what you have. An obstacle can be enjoyed if you choose so. In a way I organize for little problems to be in the way of me making this painting. Having to problem-solve my way to the finish. Much like everyday life.

How would you best describe your creative process?

Playtime

What is your favourite project you have worked on in the last 6 months or to date and why?(do you have a photo of it?)

My upcoming children's book. Because it is personal, creative and I love being in the middle of it's process. No idea yet what the finished book will look like...I love that.

What makes you create the work you do? What lights your fire and keeps it burning?

In a sense, my work highlights the beauty of the third-place winner, the misfits, the beautiful average etc. Stop chasing shallow wins. In the end, all you need is a little bit of love and some good experiences. And as hippy-esque as that may sound, it is what I believe to be true. As with many things in life, it is all about perspective and I am trying to show you mine, for whatever good it does. Because in the end that is what I hope it does, something good.

Why do you make art, who do you make art for ( yourself, community) to expand?

I make art because I love doing so. I love seeing what comes out of the process. I love learning along the way. As to who I make it for? Sometimes it is for a client, sometimes for a friend and sometimes it is for me, this is always changing and that's how I like it.

Where did it all begin for you, did someone start the journey? 

skateboarding was the start of a way of thinking that is still in me and although I am not actively riding anymore, I still love playing. If I see a skateable object, in my mind, I am on it.

What inspires you the most to create? 

Freedom, to be able to thoughtlessly create and go with whatever comes on your path during the process. Going with what works and struggling along the way, finding solutions to problems arising while creating. In that regard, it is much like life itself.

What's been the most challenging part of being an artist?

maybe excepting the unknown, the future as an artist is very uncertain. In a city like Berlin, there are more artists than there are pencils...that can sometimes be very intimidating. So much talent out there. But I discovered early in my career that I would be fine as a poor artist. I just knew I wanted to do it and was having a great time although money was not part of it, and that can become scary. I just stuck to it and kept doing what I love and somehow it kept getting better and better. I am unbelievably grateful for what it became and is. I never dreamed it would be what it became...to me, that is truly amazing.

If you could say one thing in regards to your art, art in general what would it be?

Thank you art! Love to have you in my life:)

You can support Johan by following his artistry on his website and on Instagram,

Check out  Johan latest work here.For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here , also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.

Written and curated by Bella Abraham @Bella.bea.poetry

GET TO KNOW THE ARTIST - CÁTIA MARTINS

Here at Chulo, we wanted to showcase the creatives with a Q&A to dive a little deeper into the Artist's inner workings - Today we spotlight artist Cátia Martins

If you don’t know Cátia already, let me introduce you to this whimsical illustrator who dives into her artistry with as much curiosity as she does with her clothesmaking brand Catielier. For an artist in her 20’s she illustrates with as much depth and wisdom as you would find hidden under and within all the nooks and crevasses of the unforgotten beauties and treasures found in the world.

Something I really admire about Cátia, is that she is incredibly conscious of the impact her clothing creations make and how she goes about making them. She dreams in abundance about the impact that her art can create for those who come into orb of it. Inspired by artists like Studio Ghibli from a young age she has found her own authentic style. Let's take a deep dive into what makes up her and her style!

So, you are a Portuguese artist; did you grow up in Lisbon? How do you think it has affected the style in which you illustrate? I notice you create a lot Manga inspired art, what about that style excites you?

Yes, I did grow up in Lisbon, but I grew up in the suburbs and didn't actually explore the city and all it has to offer until I was much older, I think my style is affected by mostly what I was exposed to through video games, cartoons, books and so on, sadly I really disliked the place I grew up in, so all of those "tools", as I see them, were my main form of escapism and inevitably influenced my style and life path in general. Being Portuguese affects the kind of stories I tell, the themes I explore, my connection to the land and sea, a deep relationship with food and artisan practices, but I don't think it affects the "aesthetic" look of my work.

As for the my work looking a lot like Manga, it was not intentional, and I actually try to distance my work from it, I don't really read manga besides the classics which are incredible bodies of work regardless of whether they are manga or not (Akira, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Tekkon Kinkreet, the works of Satoshi Kon...), I'm just very influenced by Studio Ghibli and japanese culture in general and I think it's so ingrained in my mind that is really hard for me to deviate from it! 

From a young age have you always had a fascination with this style of manga/ studio Ghibli, what drew you to draw in this style? Was there someone who you grew up with that inspired you to draw? A mentor, teacher? Parents, grandparents, friends? Where did it all begin for you, did someone start off the journey? 

I had incredibly supportive parents, they really paid attention to the things I loved and really fed my soul and my hobbies by buying me books and drawing tools, being present and taking me to the cinema, museums or to the forest/seaside, which were the only activities that got me excited to leave the house (kind of still are?)... I saw Spirited Away at the cinema when I was 6 or 7 years old and that was it for me, my fate was sealed. I made my dad take me 4 more times after the first time I saw it and my entire life has revolved around animation and illustration ever since, although it would not cross my mind that I could make a career out of it until I was an adult, the career options in Portugal back then seemed very limited (a world without internet/social media, as it is today).

I am not sure if you know of the famous illustrator Beatrice’s Potter, she used to talk to her illustrations and feel like each drawing was almost her friend, do you feel any unique connection with a certain one of your illustrations?  

 I LOVE her work! I had the chance to see her original sketches back when I was living in London up until recently! I feel like I am always drawing spirits that come to me and ask me to bring them to life or tell their stories, my characters feel very alive to me.

Were you the type of kid that enjoyed drawing for hours and imagining your own worlds in which your characters exist? Did you ever imagine you’d be doing this as a kid?

I drew a lot, but I mostly played with my toys for hours, I could create story after story without end, and I also took a lot of pictures once my dad got a very powerful 2 megapixel digital camera, I took pictures of my dolls to create (very poorly made) stop motions on his computer. I used my doll house and the back of board games, which were usually black, as the stage in which scenes took place. I had no idea what I was doing was trying to create a stop motion, I just wanted to see my dolls move to tell a story. 

 What is your intention with your art?

Honestly just to be happy, my art gives me a sense of purpose and hopefully the final product affects whoever sees it in a positive way, whatever that means for each individual, the same way Studio Ghibli has affected me. 

 Why do you make art, who do you make art for (yourself, community)?

 I honestly make art for myself, because I genuinely don't know what else I would do with my life if it wasn't for this, but if what I do can have an impact on others, wherever they are, whatever community they belong to, and help other people see that this is an option and you can make a living out of your "silly childhood thoughts", that would be wonderful. I know I'm still in my 20s and I am very young but look at the impact that Studio Ghibli had in Japan, it contributes so much to the economy and so many people visit the country to go to the museum or to visit the recent park they opened, I would love to have an impact like that in the culture and arts/animation industry in my country, which desperately NEEDS more attention... whether or not that will happen remains to be seen! 

“Earth without art is just “eh”.”

— unknown author

I saw that you are also a fashion designer, do you ever illustrate a character and think "I like their outfit, I’m going to make it in real life”?  

Yes! Absolutely! That is exactly how it goes most of the time, ahah! I don't consider myself a fashion designer, the word fashion sounds so weird to me, I am more of a clothes maker and dyer that likes to explore the craft, I am obsessed with materials, fibres and natural dyes, I need to understand a garment from the hands of the person and soil in which the cotton/linen that created the fabric was planted to the moment it is finished in my hands. Garments can be so special, so magical and so powerful in a person's life, a single piece tells so many stories and carries so much energy from the people involved in the process, but sadly most people don't look at clothes that way these days, although there are some designers/artisans out there trying to create awareness in the industry, that gives me hope for what making clothes will look like in the future.  

Do you have any goals within your clothing designs? Do you prefer to work with certain fabrics or materials for certain reasons? 

 I would love to expand Catielier and produce more when I have the budget for it, but the way I like to do things is very slow and precise, I prefer to work with undyed organic fabrics and dye them in my studio with plant material, it is important to me to consider the garments' environmental impact before, during and after its life, so all of this ends up being quite expensive to maintain... I don't know if I will ever have enough demand to keep the brand going, so for now I work on one of a kind pieces upon request, which I really like because each person follows the process of the garment and can give feedback along the way, but it takes a lot of my working hours if I have too many requests and I have to pause working on my graphic novels/animations when that happens... I'm still trying to figure out the best way to make Catielier work and balance it with the rest of my projects!

 What inspires you the most to create? 

I just love to draw and create to begin with! I don't know where my inspiration comes from anymore but lately I've been very interested in portraying other senses in my visual work, specially scents! Like... How can I accurately represent scents in illustration and animation? How could I trick people to smell something by just looking at it, since my work is mostly visuals? It's easy to hear familiar sounds when looking at something but smelling? Very challenging, I'm very intrigued by it.

 What's been your most challenging part of being an artist? 

 Disconnecting my sense of worth as a human being from my work. If I have a bad year, creatively speaking, I feel absolutely useless, as if I am suddenly not worthy of the life I live if I am not working or creating.

If you could say one thing in regard to your art, art in general what would it be?

Earth without art is just "eh". (I think I saw this on Tumblr about 10 years ago, but it's true! Beauty, functional, inspiring and aesthetically pleasing places/projects/products/works in which you can feel the heart, soul and thought that was poured into them make life so much better.)

You can support Cátia by following her artistry on  Instagram, Patreon, ArtStation, YouTube and TikTok

under the same username:catmartinsart 

Check out  Cártia Martins latest work here.For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here , also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.

Written and curated by Bella Abraham @Bella.bea.poetry

Extraordinary Awaits - The Herradura Hacienda

Love a margarita? Then its your lucky day..

A collaboration for Tequila Herradura and the iconic Pink Hotel, Coolangatta. This project was brought to us by The Zoo Republic, with thanks to artist Kiel Tillman, being the mastermind behind this unique mural and nailing the brief perfectly.

The inspiration of this mural was TECHNICOLOUR COSMIC JUNGLE TEQUILA DISCO. Colour palette featuring a mix of warm dark tones juxtaposed with bright neons, not forgetting touches of sparkle. This colour scheme was designed to create a sophisticated yet playful experience for guests visiting the Herradura Hacienda - Australia’s first margarita-inspired hotel suite.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Cheers to all the endless possibilities that creativity can bring! Now just off to make a margy...

If you are interested in commissioning Kiel Tillman for your next campaign - we’ve got you covered. Get in touch!

For more mural portfolios from Chulo Creative artists stable click through here.

GET TO KNOW THE ARTIST - LIDIA TOMASHEVSKAYA

Here at Chulo we wanted to showcase the creatives with a Q&A to dive a little deeper into the Artists inner workings - today we spotlight artist LIDIA TOMASHEVSKAYA.

Tell us a bit about what keeps your creative juices flowing, do you search for inspiration or does it come naturally?

I think mostly lyrics of my favorite songs, nature, fashion trends, social media, patterns, works of other people, traveling

What's been your favourite project to date and why?

The Illustration that I've created for Yo Yo Ma's Bach Project in Prague, because Prague is one of my favourite places and it was a great experience to illustrate my feelings and impression of this amazing city  also I am a huge fan of Yo Yo Ma's music

Tell us a bit about your process, do you start off searching for reference and sketching?

After receiving the brief I am creating board with references on pinterest, than I am sketching till something looks like a good starting point to me, than I am making general work in illustration and finalizing everything in procreate adding the textures

What made you want to pursue a career in the arts and do you have any tips for up and coming artists looking to do the same.

It feels like I have no choice, I always loved drawing. It was my greatest hobby, I did it while studying, on the lectures in university where I've studied teaching, at my meetings before shifts in Zara and at my job as a waitress, My advice is to draw and to dream:)

Check out Lidia Tomashevskaya’s latest work here. For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here , also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.

WELCOME TO THE ARTIST CREW - KENTARO YOSHIDA

Here at Chulo we wanted to showcase the creatives with a Q&A to dive a little deeper into the Artists inner workings - today we spotlight newest member, KENTARO YOSHIDA.

Tell us a bit about what keeps your creative juices flowing, do you search for inspiration or does it come naturally?

I do observations and keep collecting photos of what I like or things that catch my eyes in my dairy life. I often mix these references with my memory and experience. 

What's been your favourite project to date and why?

My recent favourite project was collaboration with Tooheys New last year. As a beer lover, it was an honour to work with national beer brand like Toohey New.

Tell us a bit about your process, do you start off searching for reference and sketching?

Depends on the project, but I do take some time for researching topics & motifs if they are given. Otherwise always stuff starts from super rough sketches on paper.

What made you want to pursue a career in the arts and do you have any tips for up and coming artist looking to do the same.

I simply love drawing since I was a kid so I would like to keep on going what I love to do for now.

I don’t have much to say to young artists but hope they keep drawing / making stuff everyday as that’s how I have made myself as full time artist.

Check out Kentaro Yoshida’s latest work here. For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here , also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.

Rockdale Plaza mural by artist Joe Whyte

Our latest project with Rockdale Plaza has been a true masterpiece! Joe Whyte has drawn inspiration from the iconic places, landmarks and people from over the years, surrounding the local area, this artist's work is a true testament to the beauty of our surroundings.

Joe Whyte’s ability to bring life to the walls of Rockdale Plaza with his unique vision and artistic flair has left us completely in awe. With his mastery in being able to tell stories through paint so effortlessly we knew he would be perfect for this job.

Mural painted on Gweagal (Gwiyagal) Dharawal clan land.

If you are interested in commissioning Joe Whyte for your next campaign - we’ve got you covered. Get in touch!

For more portfolios from Chulo Creative Artists stable click through here.

WELCOME TO THE ARTIST CREW - NAOMI VONA

Here at Chulo we wanted to showcase the creatives with a Q&A to dive a little deeper into the Artists inner workings - today we spotlight newest member, Naomi Vona.

Tell us a bit about what keeps your creative juices flowing, do you search for inspiration or does it come naturally?

All my works are directly part of my personal life experience. I like to create double meanings, play with words and I really love to quote songs, books or movies that I love. Lots of my artworks are titled and directly inspired to them.

Every artwork is basically composed of three elements: my life background, my inspirations and subconscious, that is also the glue that puts all together

My artworks are the perfect mix between my passion for photography and design. The fascination for the past is the key, the flashing colours are the portal. I like to imagine that I have an imaginary portal that brings me into the past every time I desire, and my artworks are the visual proof of my time travel adventures. Pop Art, Dada and Surrealism are the historic art movement that inspires me, but I also love tons of contemporary artists. I don’t have a preference among the artists, but I mostly enjoy collage artists, illustrators and photographers.

What's been your favourite project to date and why?

The most important project that I have worked on so far is definitely “Selling Lies”. It’s a visual project born in 2017, when I wanted to participate in the Instagram challenge "100 days project".
The idea was to transform entirely a fashion magazine into a visual diary, creating a bridge of communication between the meaningless ads and my personal point of view about the fashion industry. The final result is a personal, fun and controversial art project. This personal research is now an art class called "From Fashion Ad To Protest", where I encourage my students to create their own art journal using a fashion magazine. During the event I also teach my layered technique, giving advice and tips on how to manipulate existing images.

I have completed the magazine in 2020, and I entirely covered every page of it (boring ones included!). Now I am working on a new magazine and sharing the “making of” videos of each page in my Instagram account. I also enjoy the fact that this idea became a collective project, where my students are also participating in creating their own meaningful art journal using a found magazine. It’s truly satisfying to see so many people all over the world appreciating the idea and working on it with me :)

Tell us a bit about your process, do you start off searching for reference and sketching?

I always try to not think too much of what I am doing, I want that the picture in front of me helps me to find the solution to the rebus. I don’t know any of the subjects, so my fantasy is free to decide what to do.

Most of the time I use existing images as a canvas, so this is my main source of inspiration. I basically incorporate abstract patterns and colours on found images, reinventing their look and meaning (specially if they are vintage portraits).

What made you want to pursue a career in the arts and do you have any tips for up and coming artists looking to do the same?

I have always been an art lover - I did art high school and then the Academy of Fine Art in Italy. Eventually the school years path led me to build a career in the art field. I have to say that at the beginning it is really hard, so I always recommend that anyone want to start to have a “whatever” job during their first stage of their career. We need to pay the bills first, and art doesn’t meet these needs immediately. It’s a gradual progress in time, and it’s not a marathon as well. The important thing to keep in mind is to be constant, consistent and tenacious, and things will come in your way for sure :)

Check out Naomi Vona’s latest work here. For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here , also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.

Fuel the effort - Nutri Grain

This project was brought to us for Nutri Grain’s TV commercial. With the wining formula - animatic storyboards by artist Rob Elliot.

This TV commercial we see a 12 year old trying over and over again to land a kick-flip. The effort he puts in is fuelled by Nutri-Grain his mum feeds him every morning - to fuel the unstoppable.

You can view the produced commercial HERE .

Rob is a distinguished expert in visual communication and storytelling, with a reputation for creating exceptional storyboards for film and television productions worldwide. With years of experience as a visual storyteller, Rob possesses the skill to transform a vision into reality.

If you are interested in commissioning Rob Elliot for your next campaign - we’ve got you covered. Get in touch!

For more portfolios from Chulo Creative storyboard Artists stable click through here.

St John Ambulances newest team member

We were asked to find the perfect artist to create a selection of illustrations of our native Australian Wombat for the good guys at St John Ambulance, for their junior ambos booklet.

The final images were nothing short of being adorably perfect.

If you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign - we’ve got you covered. Get in touch!

For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here.

GET TO KNOW THE ARTIST - MIKE DELMAR

Here at Chulo we wanted to showcase the creatives with a Q&A to dive a little deeper into the Artists inner workings - today we spotlight artist Mike Delmar.

Tell us a bit about what keeps your creative juices flowing, do you search for inspiration or does it come naturally?

Inspiration is a massive blessing when it hits. Sometimes it hits like a log and you can’t think of anything else except the things it inspires. Sometimes it’s sneaky and when you’re stuck on an idea for days, you wake up with a screaming lightbulb above your head demanding you do something about it. And sometimes it comes and goes only to be forever forgotten. I keep a log of the things I plan, which is pretty hilarious to read back: random keys words I’m sure meant something profound at the time; juvenile musings; grandiose concepts beyond my capabilities. But I’m sure bits and pieces of them all eventually end up on a page somewhere somehow.

What's been your favourite project to date and why?

I love print works. I always romanticise my days working for the Roundhouse more than 15 years ago (god that makes me feel like a dinosaur). Band posters, party posters, wall art. Total freedom to stick anything on a poster and print a whole suite of merchandise for it. That said, I never was very good at cataloguing my work back then, so I’m sure most of it aint as cool as I remember it to be.

Tell us a bit about your process, do you start off searching for reference and sketching?

I can be pretty arrogant and do a lot of stuff from memory, or my imagination, but it always pays to reference. You can only really get to the essence of an image by understanding the subject matter to the best of your ability. Thumbnail sketches, layouts, grid work, drafts. They all contribute to the final product in a way that improves it somehow. Warm ups are also huge. I’m lucky I work in a role where I spend a lot of time concepting, and doing fast impressions of ideas, so I get to flex those muscles regularly. You gotta pay your dues with those things. 

What made you want to pursue a career in the arts and do you have any tips for up and coming artists looking to do the same.

I’ve never been much of a wise man. Never been very good at strategy or logistics. I dream a lot and spend a lot of my time trying in vain to get to the essence of banal and theoretical questions. I get lost in history and pop culture and pretend I’m an anthropologist. It’s sort of pathological in a way, but growing up I always knew I needed to channel it somehow, it was just plain sight for me. When I grew up and thought I should get serious about life I deviated from the path and tried law. I just felt empty not creating. I had this niggling voice calling me back to image making. Being where I am now, doing what I’m doing, just feels right. If I had any advice for up and coming artists, or anyone for that matter, it’d be listen to that voice. Its worth it. All that shit people say about not doing what you love is exactly that: bullshit. 

But maybe I’m an idealist.

Check out Mike Delmar’s latest work here. For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here , also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.

Sydneys hottest live gig venue - The Underground UTS

From the ashes, The Underground UTS venue has come back playing host with SXSW Sydney to give us a killer new live gig venue, and we were lucky enough to paint it - props to artist Blu Del Sol.

An exciting transformation that has taken place, a classic uni bar with a lively atmosphere. It’s also home to some of the hottest events on campus, from DJs and live bands to festivals, end-of-session parties and themed events (you can even host your own!). Nothing we love more than supporting your favourite local and international artists live at The Underground. You know, like the good old days - pre Sydneys lockout laws - you get the vibe.

📸 @activateuts

Head over to our Instagram page to check out the process of creating this mural HERE

Check out Blu Del Sol’s latest work here. For more mural portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here. Get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning a mural artist.

WELCOME TO THE ARTIST CREW - CÁTIA MARTINS

Here at Chulo we wanted to showcase the creatives with a Q&A to dive a little deeper into the Artists inner workings - today we spotlight newest member, Cátia Martins.

Tell us a bit about what keeps your creative juices flowing, do you search for inspiration or does it come naturally? 

It depends, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and have to sketch an idea I just saw in my mind before it vanishes, other times if feels like I don't know what I'm doing and so I just go out for a walk and observe people and situations around me, or just spend hours sketching nonsense until something good shows up. I try not to stress out when I don't have good ideas, it will eventually come back to me!

What's been your favourite project to date and why? 

I am currently working on my first graphic novel, E-cells, and it has been my favourite project by far because I've had the ideas for this project in my had ever since I was a kid and in a way I just want to make my inner child proud. Sounds cheesy, but it's true!

Tell us a bit about your process, do you start off searching for reference and sketching? 

I only have references for anatomy/poses, it usually starts with an image of a character in my head and then me trying the best way to bring it to life. I draw on my sketchbook, then proceed to do the linework on an A3 paper sheet, color it with my home made watercolors and also color it digitally. I like having original sketches and watercolor pieces, digital art can feel a little empty on its own, for me of course, that's just my personal opinion.

What made you want to pursue a career in the arts and do you have any tips for up and coming artists looking to do the same. 

I didn't want to pursue a career in arts, it just happened. I've been drawing my whole life, and suddenly people were asking me if I sold merchandise with my work on it, I was very young when this happened and still in school, so I started making money from my work even before I graduated, and it just kept going from there. It's a wonderful life but the downside is that you never know if it is going to last, one day you could book a huge commission, the other day you find yourself with no clients and no costumers, and I sure had phases in which I struggled a little, it's risky, but I would be doing exactly this even if I made no money from it, I'd just find some kind of job to cover my needs and keep doing it no matter what. So my advice is, keep doing it because you really want to, don't let the lack of success make you give up, and on the other hand, if you are having a very successful phase in your career, don't take it for granted and be open to always improve, don't get caught up in the "I'm a great professional artist" narrative because it will keep you from evolving, there is always something to learn in this life path, you will never know enough or be so great there is nothing to improve. 

Check out CÁTIA MARTINS latest work here. For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here , also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.

GET TO KNOW THE ARTIST - ETTOJA

Here at Chulo we wanted to showcase the creatives with a Q&A to dive a little deeper into the Artists inner workings - today we spotlight artist ETTOJA.

Tell us a bit about what keeps your creative juices flowing, do you search for inspiration or does it come naturally?

I have several primal inspiration sources, which can vary from time to time, but they follow me through the life: city environment (people, cars, city animals, architecture, life in the city, cultures or lack of culture ), nature ( abstract part of it like the decay or growth, reborn) and the last one is time. The time frightens me and inspires to move forward. To picture it through the static illustartions I'm trying to make them move, creating gifs/ short animations. When painting murals, I am experimenting with the technique which I call "giffiti". Sometimes I use it in editorial illustrations too. Visually it could look as a pattern, or repetitive character, thus creating a feeling of motion, as futurists like Giacomo Balla used to do.

What's been your favourite project to date and why?

My favourite project is always the next one :) But if I need to choose one, it'd be a series of animated trolleybuses from 2019. These were the real trolleybuses, which rode in the city. I've painted 6 of them, portraying some retro design products. This was the project where all my favourite elements met: surface design, muralism/streetart, my love for the industrial design objects, and giffiti. I've painted 12 frames on each of the trolleybuses. Anyone could photograph them and see a little animated story.

Tell us a bit about your process, do you start off searching for reference and sketching?

At the beginning I'm trying to visualize the idea. If I don't visualise it in a second after I've heard the task, most likely I'll get the image while I'm trying to fall asleep, or walking in the city. Then I'll get back to the paper/tablet, try to sketch it just to realise it's completely different from the one I've imagived:) And the rest of the process is basically trying to get the art to look as close as the initial idea.

What made you want to pursue a career in the arts and do you have any tips for up and coming artists looking to do the same.

Art lets solve tasks independently and understand a little bit about society, world, myself.

For a tiny second it helps to feel the existence. 

Dive into yourself, remember what you liked to do when you were a kid, the themes you liked, adapt it and make it work for your now-self. A tip - to be consistent. 

Check out ETTOJA latest work here. For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives mural Artist stable click through here , also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.

Stories in paint by Grant Molony, Russ Molony & Jason Goulding

Our recent mural for Hubspot in Sydney city. We sat down with Grant Molony to listen and learn more about their story behind this mural.

This mural portrays an emotional cultural connection, tell us a bit about the story and your inspiration?

The Whale is very important as a symbol of connection between coastal mobs through the migration story. My brother's dot work is showing travel and significant sites along the coastline like breeding grounds. It is built off a black base to show the night sky with stars a very important navigation tool.

How do you create such a harmonious and balanced artwork while collaborating with two other artists - Russ and Jason ?

I think it has been built over years of working together basically coming down to complete trust in each other's work with a common goal of producing something we are proud to put our name to. 

Before putting paint to wall, how did you want your design to deliver in the space?

We wanted the design to flow and exaggerate length while still being readable with the elevator bays becoming an invitation to interact with the work. This will be a piece where you continually notice small details rather than viewing the work once and taking it all in. 

Tell us your favourite go-to techniques/processes with creating such an intricate and detailed mural?

Layering is the foundation of all our team's work. It allows both room to breathe while giving the viewer opportunities to discover new intricacies each time they view the work. In this mural I especially love how the work reflects off the glass to both appear to float and perfectly mirror the work.

Check out Grant Molony latest work here. For more mural portfolios from Chulo Creatives Artist stable click through here. Get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning a mural artist.