Ella Boylan
Q. What early memories connect you to your love of art?
A. I have always been drawn to anything creative; I’m not
sure if I labeled it art. My grandma had the most chaotic and fascinating sewing room; fabrics, carving leather,
and tins full of buttons piled up everywhere. To me, that was heaven; I loved spending time in there looking at everything and watching her work away. I got my own sewing machine at 10 and was sure I was going to be a fashion designer.
That light has dimmed in me over the years, though
he need to be involved in a creative process hasn’t.
I found my groove with acrylic paints as my favourite
form of expression during my time studying art at
Flinders University.
Q. How did the rugged landscapes of the Eyre Peninsula
influence your early connection to nature and art?
A. It’s hard not to be spellbound by the landscapes that
I grew up amongst. I spent a lot of time outside as a kid.
I grew up on a farm out from Wudinna, SA. My brothers and I spent a lot of time camping, riding horses, and building fortresses made from trees and farm junk. Over the summer we spent 6 weeks every year at Venus Bay
at our shack. We love the ocean and have the fondest memories of all the things we got up to in that beautiful little seaside town. It’s impossible for me not to be influenced by my environment; it’s vast, breathtaking,
and buzzing with life. It’s only now, as an adult, that I realise how magical my childhood was. Mum and Dad
did well, I’m lucky.
Q. Your style blends abstract and realism. How did you develop this unique approach?
A. I don’t remember trying to find my’style’’; I have always just painted the way I paint and do what I think looks good, representing things the way they look to me. My style and look of my paintings have definitely evolved over the years as I have had more practice and my eye for certain details has developed, but at the soul of it, my style evolution has been effortless to me as I have just done my own thing.
Q. Were there specific artists or art movements that inspired you early in your career?
A. I find links between the contemporary landscapes
I’m creating today and work from the impressionist movement in the mid to late 19th century. The small visible brushstrokes and the capture of light, especially in what you can find in Claude Monet’s work, are something
I relate to. I did two research assignments on Monet’s
career over my secondary and tertiary education; perhaps he’s having more influence than I realised.
Another major inspiration of mine that I need to mention
is our incredible number of indigenous artists scattered around Australia. Their connection to this place is so strong; the paintings tell stories of this vast country, the secrets and history of our land, and have far-reaching generational links amongst their people. I especially love the work coming out of the APY lands; there are some art
groups doing great things out there.
Q. How do your experiences and emotions shape the artwork you create today?
A. As a landscape artist, my experiences play a huge
role in what I want to paint; a ‘place‘ is far more multidimensional than just a ‘scene’. Places hold energy; they have smells, textures, changing light, weather, etc.
All those human senses have an emotive ripple effect on how you feel about a place. It has been nice to spend 6 months exploring WA and spending time getting to know these places you see in my newest collection, ‘West’.
Q. What role does colour play in your work, and how do you choose the palette for each piece?
A. I don’t choose a palette prior to painting so much.
The colours are simply what I see or have seen in a place. Nature never gets it wrong, the palette works if it aligns with the real deal. Although my paintings do tend to be more saturated than the real thing; I’m not sure why
I do that. Perhaps that’s the drama queen in me.
Q. Grief and loss have played a significant role in your life. How has art helped you manage these emotions?
A. Tragically, I lost both my older brother Luke (22), and my husband Jay (27) in sudden separate accidents. I’m not sure I have the words to convey what that time was like. Both times my world completely shattered. I’m an introverted extrovert; I wanted to shut the world out; there seemed to be no way forward. A safe place for me to spend time was creating; immersing myself in a flow state of painting eased the heartbreak momentarily.
The creation process allowed me to move that very
sad energy in me. In time, I began sharing what I had
been making, and an audience and collectors grew. Grief
is not linear; still today I mourn for the life that Luke and Jay didn’t get to live out. Their absences have been the biggest lesson in that tomorrow is never guaranteed. They’ve taught me to make the most of the opportunities and experiences I have, to be present and soak up
every moment.
Q. What do you enjoy most about teaching art classes
and sharing your creative skills with others?
A. Often in an art class, there’s a statement from someone who says they ‘haven’t painted since high school’ but they are totally immersed in the act of creating. For me, it’s
not about creating the most incredible artworks but to
get people back creating. I feel like we are losing that connection to creatively as generations go along. We all had or know the grandmothers that were mending clothes, knitting blankets, planting gardens, baking from scratch, etc. The world is moving so fast, and everything is
made so convenient today that we aren’t afforded the
time or need to be in a creative meditative state.
Q. How have your travels around Australia influenced your perspective and the themes in your artwork?
A. I could paint WA for the rest of my career. I took 1000’s of reference photographs during my trip; subject matter when you are an Australian landscape painter is endless. This ‘West’ series is moments over the first half of my
trip. Looking forward, I am beginning to pull together
a collection called ‘Red Earth’, which tells a story of
how that red dirt landscape around Karijini, Broome, Kimberley’s, and Coober Pedy really intoxicates you;
being out there is a similar feeling to seeing the sun
rise up over the ocean.
Q. What are some of the most memorable locations
you’ve visited that have inspired your work?
A. From ‘West’, the most memorable locations would
have to be Cape Le Grande National Park and perhaps Lucky Bay in WA.
Q. Does working in the open air differ from creating
in your studio?
A. Yes, while being in the landscape, feeling the energy
of a place is invaluable. Gosh, my studio is nice! Haha
Truly, I much prefer the controlled environment of my studio: private, bug and wind free. Next trip, I think I will focus purely on being immersed in the place, collecting photographs, and then leave the painting for the studio.
Q. Looking forward, what are your aspirations for your
art and the messages you wish to convey through it?
A. I am going to continue working away on capturing Australia. For me, landscape painting is really where it’s
at. I feel very lucky to spend my days imagining myself amongst the beautiful colours of this country, so I would like to continue that. Opportunities for sharing my work seem to present themselves along the way, I’ll keep chasing those open doors.
