Calling all creatives! Welcome to the October edition of our "Artist of the Month" blog series, a dedicated space for celebrating the remarkable talents we've had the honour of working with. From stunning painters to innovative illustrators, this series is designed for everyone who appreciates the beauty of art. Whether you're an artist looking for inspiration or an art enthusiast who loves the creative process, you've come to the right place. Join us as we explore the world of art and get inspired by this month's outstanding talent.
This month, we are delighted to feature Alice Macmillan, a skilled printmaker and Scottish artist from the Outer Hebrides. Inspired by the breathtaking natural beauty of the islands, Alice's work captures their essence with remarkable depth. We recently had the pleasure of catching up with her about her artistic journey, creative influences, and the distinctive process behind her craft.
Q. Where have you found inspiration lately?
A. I always find inspiration from my home in the Outer Hebrides. Lately, I have been working on a collection of patterns and prints inspired by our island’s lochs.
Q. Is there a piece of art or a project that you are particularly excited about right now?
A. I have been experimenting with domino paper patterns recently. These patterned papers were first made in France circa 1700 and used as bookend papers and to decorate boxes, trunks, etc. My new collection features five patterned domino papers that will eventually become wallpapers and fabrics.
Q. What kinds of tools or references do you like to use when creating artwork?
A. Most of my work starts as a block print or lino print so my lino carving tools are always close at hand!
Q. What artists or artworks (from your life or art history) do you admire or consider influential to your work and why?
A. One of my all-time favourite artists is CF Tunnicliffe. He was an English painter of birds and wildlife but he also created beautifully intricate wood engravings. I use his work as a reference in my own practice a lot. I also love Audubon’s birds and always come back to his prints when looking for a good composition.
Q. What advice do you have for other new or aspiring artists?
A. My advice would be to carve out some sacred time every single day that is dedicated to work. I am a self-employed artist but I have to work around my life as a mum to a two-year-old so I know it isn’t always easy! Making some time to work every day, even if it’s just for 15 minutes, is so important. It all stacks up!
Q. Professionally, hat has been your biggest achievement so far?
A. I think my biggest achievement in all honesty, is taking the leap in the first place to become a full-time artist. It’s such a hard profession for non-artists to understand and there isn’t a huge amount of encouragement out there to give up a salaried job to follow your artistic dream! There are so many ways to earn a living as an artist now though (with the help of the internet) that the starving artist image is actually a myth.
Q. What is your first memory of creating art?
A. My first memory of making art isn’t actually of me making but of taking in the possibilities. I remember being given a caddy full of art and craft supplies as a very small child and being totally overwhelmed by the colours and textures!
Q. How do you spend your time when you’re not creating artwork?
A. When I am not in creation mode I am usually doing the behind-the-scenes stuff of fulfilling orders, planning collections and the dreaded admin. I love being a stay-at-home mum and being able to work around my family. It’s a challenge but such a privilege too.
Q. What work do you most enjoy doing?
A. I love pulling that first print and seeing how it looks. The funny thing about relief printmaking is that you can work on a block for months but you never really know what it will look like until you print it because the print is a mirror image. It’s always an exciting moment for me.
Q. What is your dream project?
A. My dream project would be to expand my art business into homewares and offer a range of wallpapers and fabrics that complement my art prints. I dream of exhibiting at Decorex one day!
We’re thrilled to collaborate with talented artists like Alice, whose passion and creativity continue to inspire us all. To explore more of Alice's work, be sure to visit her website and Instagram. And don’t forget to check back next month for another exciting edition of "Artist of the Month"!