Samantha Hughes is our featured artist for the month of September 2010
Sam is a talented illustrator who kindly illustrated our July 2010 Market poster – yep, the one with those adorable toothy yetis!
What do you love about being an artist?
I love the quiet and the solitude. I love the meditative nature of being alone with myself and the paintbrush and letting my thoughts ebb and flow as the painting comes together. I love the feel of the materials – that delicious creamy feeling of the paint swirling 
underneath my brush, the crispness of paper. I love that my art is an expression of different parts of me – and that people respond to that. Whether that’s giggling at some of my cheekier stuff or sighing at some of my sadder works. It’s such an essential part of my day, even if it’s just a quick doodle on the back of an envelope – I need to create something. I get withdrawal if I don’t play with a pen or paints or something! And I love love love being a part of the amazing and supportive community that we have here in Perth.
Tell us about your work and how it is created etc.
My work is bright, quirky and character based. I spend a lot of time daydreaming before I even put pencil to paper. When I do, I start with a couple of very loose teeny tiny thumbnail sketches and then move on to a larger, quick pencil sketch. Then I start applying luscious layers of gouache directly onto my sketch. I like using very tiny brushes to apply very fine detail. All of my paintings for my solo exhibition were just 10cm x 10cm and some of my brushes were only a couple of hairs thick! The very last thing I always paint is the eyes – the final touch that brings a painting and a character to life. I like each of my paintings to tell a story, to tap into an emotional moment in that story that will make people laugh or sigh or cry.
Where else would we have seen your work?
You might have seen my work another WA design event – Perth Upmarket, or maybe in the windows of Last Chance Studio, you might even have seen it on a cow – as part of the Cow Parade in Margaret River this year, or at my solo exhibition earlier this year.
What do you think of Made On The Left? Has it helped you?
Made On The Left is quite simply Fantastic. The market days have such a great energy, and the quality of work is always amazing. I also love the Made On The Left community – the blog is tremendous! And the team who pull Made On The Left together are all gorgeous and wonderful and so very generous [ed - this is how you get featured guys! Kidding]. Made On The Left has helped give me more confidence – in my work and also in presenting and promoting it to a wider audience. It inspires me to keep creating, and to keep improving too.
What do you dream for the future?
I dream…
Of being able to give up my day job to Create full-time.
Of seeing my name on the front cover of a children’s picture book.
Of many more exhibitions – both on my own and with friends.
Of mastering this shiny new wacom tablet.
Of putting my art on many more shoes.
And I dream of many more blissful, frustrating, exciting and wonderful hours spent in the company of my paintbrush and the odd inhabitants of my imagination.
Thanks to Sam for giving us her time and patience!
To learn more abut Samantha Hughes;
Website: www.samanthahughes.com.au
Blog: samantha-hughes.blogspot.com
Online Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/SamAndSam