With paintings that feature a calm, earthy colour palette and an exquisite level of detail, Alissa Wright is a contemporary artist you are definitely going to want keep an eye on.
We sat down with this talented painter to learn more about her stunning works.
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Alissa has always been surrounded by art — both at home and in the workplace.
“I have not known anything other than being an artist. I grew up in a very creative family. My father was jeweller, inventor and teacher and my mother was a beautiful painter,” smiles Alissa.
“At university, I studied Fine Arts and Illustration, but it really came together for me when I merged 2 talents together. I have an eye for interiors, so I used this instinct and my passion for art to work with interior designers, creating prototypes then artwork for residential and commercial projects in Australia and abroad.
“Alongside this, I worked as a creative director for an art and interiors company. This work lead me to travel worldwide, sourcing products for homeware and furniture ranges.”
The Brisbane based contemporary artist takes a lot of inspiration from nature and her travels abroad.
“I grew up on the Gold Coast but am now based in Brisbane. Living where I do allows me to spend a lot of time out in nature, exploring the coastal regions and afar,” she says.
“I am constantly taking photos for reference in nature as this is the main source of inspiration for my artwork. Travel has always been important to me too.
“It has always been a passion of mine, as well as learning about different cultures. I am fascinated by the contrasts found in different parts of the world. From the people and the way they live, to their different traditions and beliefs.
My artwork has always been the driving force throughout all my creative journeys.
Alissa’s distinctly earthy colour palette gives her art a uniquely raw feel.
“Art is definitely an expression of who you are. It is how you see things, yourself as an artist, and then in return, how people see you,” Alissa says.
I love being able to tell a story and show feeling and emotion through my art.
“I have always felt very calmed by neutral tones and the colours that are found in nature. My instinct for an earthy colour palette inspires the love for playing with pattern and detail within my work.
“I am obsessed with different fabrics, too. They’re so inspiring to me and I’m constantly collecting them for their patterns or texture. It’s another reason I enjoy travel so much. Many cultures have fabrics that represent their history and stories.”
The level of detail in Alissa’s paintings is quite incredible.
“I love to layer many washes of paint to create the depth that you see within the painting. I enjoy challenging my style in different directions and often create artworks that can be very different from each other.
“My paintings are created using a mix of oil, gauche, acrylic and inks. My process is a reflection of my training in illustration.
“I have worked on many different projects throughout my career and have learnt to become very adaptable within my craft. It is always an honour to be trusted by clients to deliver exactly what they want and to explore different possibilities when doing this.”
As Alissa plans to focus on her art full-time, we can only imagine what amazing things are to come from her. Thank you so much to Alissa for taking the time to share her beautiful paintings with us. You can discover more contemporary artist pieces on her website or on her Instagram page.
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