Mindfulness is having a bit of a moment right now — and we’re here for it. Whether it’s through journalling, creating a mindful home, or mindful art, like today’s artist, Sheree Smith.
We chat all things art and mindfulness with Sheree from Sheree Smith Art. And she shares how the bright and colourful brushstrokes that make up her abstract paintings, act like a meditative process to quieten the mind and allow her to just be in the present moment.
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A creative at heart, Sheree began selling her paintings when she ran out of wall space in her own home.
“I have always loved art and being creative,” Sheree tells us. “Whether it was sewing, making or decorating. I have always loved being busy with my hands and playing around with colour.
“Jervis Bay on the beautiful South Coast of New South Wales is where I call home. I live here with my husband, 2 kids and a fairly significant indoor plant collection!
“Art was my favourite subject at school and when my husband and I purchased our first home, I made art to fill our blank walls.
“I quickly realised I only had so many walls to fill before I ran out of space! This is when I started sharing my work on Instagram.”
Sheree turned to a mindful art practice as a way to cope with a busy life and stressful work.
“Adult life, work and kids came along and put my creative aspirations on the back burner for a long time.
“I started painting again at the beginning of 2021. It was my way of carving out some time for myself, as a means of self-care and personal growth,” Sheree explains.
“My career has exposed me to vicarious trauma, working with people with complex needs.
My art practice has become a mindfulness exercise for me… a form of art therapy.
“After a mentally draining day at work, I enjoy exploring the simplicity of repetitive mark-making, each one capturing a moment in time.
“The repetitive nature of the strokes acts like a meditative process for me, where I can switch off my brain, quieten my mind and just be present in the moment.”
Her colourful collections are incredibly popular, selling out many times over.
“I enjoy working with vibrant colour palettes that bring smiles to faces and joy to the observer. I love that my art brightens up spaces with the power of colour and simplicity,” smiles Sheree.
“My paintings represent lines of experiences, adventures and explorations that are etched into our memories.
I enjoy working with colours that bring me joy, that are uplifting and full of happiness. It’s a juxtaposition to the horrible things I experience in my day job.
“When I started sharing my work on Instagram, I really hoped to just sell a few pieces to cover the costs of supplies. And, allow me to create a few more of course!
“This quickly escalated and they sold quicker than I could paint them. It was, and still is, a lovely problem to have!”
Sheree’s abstract art has a distinct and very recognisable style.
“I love painting in my repetitive mark-making style. It truly is a mindfulness activity for me. I enjoy the patience and resilience required to paint in this way,” Sheree says.
“My style is something I love. The repetitive patterns… the simplicity of shapes and forms. I like neat and I like structure.
“Inspiration comes to me from fabrics, sewing and the natural environment too. The bush out my back window… the trees standing tall in lines.
“I have just returned from travelling around Australia with my family and I am full to the brim of inspiration from this beautiful country. The colours, the rock formations, and the ocean… truly breathtaking!
“There isn’t much planning involved before I start a piece — unless it’s a commission of course!
“I tend to start with some leftover paint colours from previous works as a base layer before I start mixing up some colours for the line work. I choose colours I feel like working with on that particular day, and just go for it!
“More often than not… it just works!”
Full of inspiration and ideas, Sheree has big plans for the future of her art.
“After many months of travelling around Australia and a long break from painting, I’m so looking forward to picking up the paintbrush again to see what flows out onto the canvas,” Sheree says excitedly.
“I have really missed painting. I’m keen to get some new works underway while I am fresh and full of inspiration from my recent travels.
“What I love the most is that I paint because I want to. I currently pursue my art career on a part-time basis. I’m very fortunate to have a great Monday to Friday job that I enjoy… most of the time!
“The pressure of having to bring in consistent, regular money from my art would kill the joy of painting for me. So I’m quite happy to keep it a part-time thing and enjoy the fun and joy it brings me.”
We really enjoyed our chat with Sheree and hope you did too. To see more of her beautiful mindful art creations, visit her website, take a look at her collection with Greenhouse Interiors, or check out her Instagram page.
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