As a part of Visible Ink’s Enterprise program, we support young and emerging visual artists to scale their work to suit large sites and submit an Expression of Interest. This year five young artists worked with Jugglers and Brightsiders to submit their EOI to Brisbane Canvas. They were successful in their designs being incorporated over two sites during the Brisbane Street Art Festival.

We’d like to introduce you to the artists that have turned out some amazing designs during this program, including Sam Bradley, who uses traditional signwriting techniques to create custom calligraphy and lettering.

You first got involved with Visible Ink through the Visible Ink Emerging Visual Artists (EVA) program, what was that like?

I really enjoyed the opportunity of working with The Brightsiders team (Jordan & Jordy) and Emily of Frank and Mimi fame. They were all extremely welcoming and made the whole project an important and valuable learning experience. The time spent spraying and brushing up the Jugglers driveway poured metho on my creative fire and painted my greymatter full colour.  It’s been surreal seeing these professionals work and teach up close, the techniques, tricks and attitude they taught will always be remembered.

I’d also like to thank everyone at Visible Ink and Jugglers Art Space (shoutout to Pete) for giving us a place to scribble and learn. And of course, a big thanks to Imogene Peach and Ashley Peel for their contributions and motivation in bringing our mural to life!

What are you currently working on, project-wise?

Currently I’m putting together a series of T-shirt screenprint designs for Velvet Couch Clothing, an Aussie streetwear company run by Gerard Ahrens who supports all kinds of creative talent worldwide.

What do you do and why did you choose to go down this path? 

I like to make original hand lettering focused design work combining traditional media with graphics programs. I also enjoy hand painted signwriting. There’s something about handmade letters that add a humanity to the work, no font licenses, the possibilities are endless and hopefully it can’t become obsolete when the robot overlords take over, ha ha!

What would you say led you to where you are today? 

I’ve enjoyed drawing and graphic design most of my life but didn’t get completely immersed until I saw a signwriter gold-gilding a sign at the pub next to a pizza shop I worked at. Now I’m just trying to get as skilled as possible, and make as many (arguably) beautiful things as possible until my inevitable demise. There’s so many talented artists painting walls in Brisbane and obviously on Instagram, that quality inspiration is everywhere you look.

Is there any advice you wish you’d been given before you started in this field? 

Just start drawing. I think a lot of people (myself included) are scared of being bad at something but the great people you see now just pushed through the self doubt of it. I’d recommend buying a ream of A4 paper, as many kinds of pens as you can and copy your favourite art styles as a reference. By the 500th sheet of paper you’ll probably have some good stuff. Also make sure you’re actually enjoying it and taking chances which will reflect in the work.

The best advice I’ve been given is to just keep working consistently and don’t compare yourself to others too much. Everyone has a unique style and once you harness that it’s a secret weapon – no one can do better.

What do you get up to in your down time? 

I love skating, cooking, stand up comedy, hanging out, mashing around town on a bicycle listening to heavy hip hop and learning old school signwriting techniques.

How would you suggest young people get involved in similar opportunities such as EVA?

Keep an eye out online by following your favourite artists locally and abroad, go to events in your city and visit Jugglers Art Space on a Saturday for a paint sesh.

Where can people get in touch with you?

I mostly post work at www.instagram.com/beradsdesign or www.berads.com, check it out y’all. Or if you want to meet Sam in person come along Sunday 15 April, 10am-4pm at Toombul Skatepark – 46 Parkland Street, Nundah – as a part of Brisbane Street Art Festival and funded by Brisbane Canvas to see his work.

We’d like to introduce you to the artists that have turned out some amazing designs during this program, including Lisa Tran Kelly, a multi-disciplinary artist who utilises mediums such as pencil, ink, acrylics, oils and gold-leaf.

As a part of Visible Ink’s Enterprise program, we support young and emerging visual artists to scale their work to suit large sites and submit an Expression of Interest. This year five young artists worked with Jugglers and Brightsiders to submit their EOI to Brisbane Canvas. They were successful in their designs being incorporated over two sites during the Brisbane Street Art Festival.

You first got involved with Visible Ink through the Visible Ink Emerging Visual Artists (EVA) program, what was that like?

I had actually visited Visible Ink briefly a few other times as one of my friends volunteered there hosting workshops. I really enjoyed our time at Vis Ink for the program and found the rooms and materials available awesome. It’s a really inspiring space and making simple things like printing, scanning and art materials readily accessible to youth is a really fantastic idea that can help build the grounds for creative support and motivation. Knowing that I can access this place when I need to is something I’m very grateful to have in Brisbane and gives me a huge sense of hope for the future development of emerging artistic communities within the city.

The same goes for my experience with the EVA program. It was really valuable to have mentors taking us through elements of making Council-level applications and how to scale up our works. It was a great opportunity to be able to meet up with other like-minded emerging artists and work alongside them as well.

What are you currently working on, project-wise?

Currently I am working on a few different projects. I’m creating a mural with Brienne Aspinall for Brisbane Street Art Festival and have an upcoming group exhibition (“Art with Heart”) showcased at Juggler’s Art Space that will be raising funds for the Asylum Seeker Refugee Centre in the same month. So I am creating a series of paintings and gold-leaf wood blocks that represent the values of my Vietnamese heritage and the expectations and sacrifices made for me and my younger brother. As well as this, seeking to explore the extreme differences in lifestyles and times and generally the impact of experience that immigration and assimilation has on the persons involved and our broader Australian community.

What do you do and why did you choose to go down this path? What do you love about it?

I have an undergrad in Psychology and am currently completing my Masters in Social Work. I’ve always practised art on the side and have had opportunities to combine both interests plenty of times through an art residency with Brisbane City Council and work for the Queensland Eating Disorder Day program.  For work I am a disability support worker and occasionally fulfil speaking roles for The Eating Issues Centre.

While I love art and it is a huge focus in my life, in choosing what to study I have always wanted to use the privileges I have to learn skills and techniques to help the people most disadvantaged in society. I love building connections with others and making a positive difference in the community and hope to eventually build a career that combines artistic practise with these principles.

What would you say led you to where you are today?

Mental health and recovery are themes that go hand in hand with creativity so it can be a natural relationship. And while I’ve studied in the human services fields I feel like in many ways my non-art-related study has really driven my thirst for practising art as I’ve had to work hard to create and pursue artistic opportunities while still focusing on study, placements and support work roles. I have always been greatly inspired by my grandmother who is a brilliant artist and art teacher and who has taught me the value of practising art and immersing yourself in the world because with an artistic perspective beauty and meaning can be found within everything.

Is there any advice you wish you’d been given before you started in this field?

I think one of the biggest things that has come up in commissioning is determining pricing point as an emerging artist starting the first few big, important jobs. There isn’t a union that sets the minimum rate for producing an art work or large art job so I’ve struggled with pricing my work fairly and have finished a few jobs feeling exploited in the past. I’ve been lucky to have professional artists as friends and mentors who I can contact for guidance in this area but I wish I had been aware earlier of how to assert myself and had some better reference to inform my commission prices. I would definitely say before agreeing to a price on a large job to seek advice and perspective  from others in your industry.

What do you get up to in your down time? 

In my down time when I’m not studying or painting – music, playing Zelda, or being outdoors swimming in some body of water. I love playing music. I have a harp, electric guitar and ukulele I love to dabble with and an old piano I’ve played since I was seven.

How would you suggest young people get involved in similar opportunities such as EVA?

I suggest to look out for opportunities via ArtsGuide Brisbane, local galleries in your area and art universities. There are so many great opportunities out there it’s always worth getting involved and putting yourself out there.

Where can people get in touch with you? 

You can find my artworks @themoongallery on Instagram, on my website  lisatrankelly.wixsite.com/website or Facebook @themoongalleryartbylisa. Lisa’s upcoming mural as a part of Brisbane Street Art Festival and funded by Brisbane Canvas will be open for viewings Sunday 15 April, 10am-4pm at Sherriff Street, Petrie Terrace.

As a part of Visible Ink’s Enterprise program, we support young and emerging visual artists to scale their work to suit large sites and submit an Expression of Interest. This year five young artists worked with Jugglers and Brightsiders to submit their EOI to Brisbane Canvas. They were successful in their designs being incorporated over two sites during the Brisbane Street Art Festival.

We’d like to introduce you to the artists that have turned out some amazing designs during this program, including Imogene Peach, Brisbane based artist and real life peach.

You first got involved with Visible Ink through the Emerging Visual Artists (EVA) program, what was that like?

The Emerging Visual Artists program was a super great experience. Having other artists want to lift you up like that is a true rarity in the art world and to have the fortune of such established and incredible artists there to support you and teach you their little secrets was incredibly uplifting and rewarding. I gained such great exposure, opportunities, and also learnt a lot of really valuable skills using new mediums, responding to artistic briefs and transforming works into large scale formats.

For anyone wanting to get involved with similar programs like Emerging Visual Artists I would suggest, look anywhere and everywhere for inspiration and opportunities, no matter how small or large. Humble beginnings are where all great things start. Instagram is also always a great place to network and share your artistic platform.

What are you currently working on, project-wise?

Currently I’m working on a show that explores my personal growth and struggles with gender identity, body image and performative femininity through experimenting with various iterations of the human form. It includes many portraits of friends of all identities and walks of life, using acrylic, markers and a little aerosol as my main mediums. It embraces the fluidity of the human form and experience. I also have had the incredible opportunity to work alongside some other amazing artists for the Brisbane Street Art Festival this year and will be completing a fun mural for them in April.

What do you do and why did you choose to go down this path? What do you love about it?

I have been producing art for a long time, but have only just found the confidence to embrace it fully after some tough times really made me realise creating is really when I feel the most comfy and myself. I currently do commission based works for a whole walk of different clients. The thing I love the most about this is the special connection you gain with someone by drawing them and the huge spectrum of different clients I paint for is always exciting as each work is something different to the one before- it really makes the whole experience fun and inspiring each time I get a job.

What would you say led you to where you are today?

I think what really led me to where I am now was through the power of positive thinking and mindfulness. I have a rough history with mental illness and found that the best way for me to express my tumultuous relationship with my brain was not so much through words, but with my hands, really getting in touch with what I love doing and holding on to that so tightly. Art has played a huge role in my recovery and still does everyday I pick up a pen or brush. The strength of other friends and the ones I love who have really been pushing it up hill and have come out on top has inspired me to take every opportunity I can and to always keep creating.

Is there any advice you wish you’d been given before you started in this field?

I think the best advice I have been given in regards to art is to believe in what you do and always do it with agency. Self doubt has always been my biggest obstacle, but listening to the positive feedback you’re receiving and accepting that you are deserving and worth this is a HUGE step in the right direction.

What do you get up to in your down time?

In my spare time (which I have a lot of) I love to annoy my cat, take care of my garden, craft anything and everything and enjoy the present with the ones I love.

You can get in touch with  with Imogene via Instagram at @imogenepeachart and also on Facebook by the same name. Or swing by and check out her mural work Sunday 15 April, 10am-4pm at Toombul Skatepark – 46 Parkland Street, Nundah – as a part of Brisbane Street Art Festival and funded by Brisbane Canvas.