[Just a quick note on linocuts from me. I know for some of you they may more properly fit into the ‘art’ category, but for me, they (and other forms of printmaking) are definitely a ‘craft’ – there are many tools involved, from the blades used to cut the lino, right through to the printing press, which all require highly skilled use. It’s a grey area for sure, but I will be discussing these distinctions more in a future ‘Opinion’ piece. Stay tuned. – JG]

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Grace Gladdish lives in the idyllic surrounds of a flower farm in Tasmania. “Where I live is amazing! I feel privileged to live here. Four years ago we moved from suburban Brisbane to rural Tasmania. We have 43 acres on the side of a mountain with views that go for hundreds of kilometres. The property has a native flower farm which we have added to and are building up to be our sole source of income. It’s heaven on earth! I sometimes have to pinch myself to make sure its real. All of the birds, flowers and scenes in my trees4thewood work are directly inspired by where I live.”

 

 

Currently practising with linocuts and collage, Grace has a long CV demonstrating her considerable talents in painting, collage, sculpture and ceramics. She has also won several awards.

After completing her degree, she spent the next few years teaching art and other art-related jobs. Now she is also the mother of five children, so asked her how she managed to find the time to continue making. “I started Trees4theWood as a new years resolution on January 2nd 2012. I had a baby in 2011 with severe health problems and my mental health required something structured to focus on to get me through. Creative production has always been my “happy place” so I started making lino print Christmas cards for family and friends. Trees4thewood was born out of that.”

She works from her home, in the old dining room – a central space in the house. “It’s annoying when we have visitors but practical when we don’t.” There are other limitations. “I have 5 kids and lots of responsibilities so I work in fits and starts – stolen minutes and half hours here and there. That has definitely impacted my working method.

“I find that lists and ideas books are important, because my mind is always on what I could do, but I can’t always get straight to it.”

“Lino printing is something that fits with this working method because it has lots of stages, and time can pass between each stage without affecting the final product. I ALWAYS have more ideas than I can produce.”

However, she says “The most difficult obstacle as an artist is the roadblocks in my mind that I have to find ways around. What I think about myself and my work are always obstacles to really pushing through with new ideas. It’s a constant battle. Because I am not able to give my full attention to my work, I often get really frustrated too, and this is really counter-productive to making fresh, successful pieces. I often get angry about reasons why I can’t do something, when really I know that they are just excuses, not reasons.”

 

 

 

“My worst experience as an artist has been being pushed or rushed into exhibiting or showing work before it was ready. This has happened twice, and its such a painful memory I’m almost cringing just writing about it! You can’t rush stuff – its ready when its ready, and if its not ready for the world to see, it needs more time to incubate.”

“The icing on the cake for me has always been showing my work and getting a positive response. Art is meant to be seen. It is a form of communication and if it’s not shown to people, its not complete. The satisfaction of being able to produce something, and show it, or offer it for sale is what makes me feel like I have a purpose in life. Its so gratifying when someone loves something enough to want to buy it and live with it.”

 

 

Grace told me she had a wonderfully creative childhood, starting early.

“My earliest memory as a child is playing in my cot with a green texta, drawing on old Christmas cards.”

“I think my mum must either have been brave or desperate – I don’t think I’d let my kids draw with a texta alone in their cots! You never know what might be there when you got back. Throughout my childhood, creative expression was my happy place – I was alone for long periods and occupying myself creatively was my favourite thing. In grade 6 we had to draw the pot plant on our teacher’s desk. Mine was the only one in the class that looked like the pot plant. That’s when I knew I was good at art. My drawing was published in the school magazine, and I still have a copy.”

 

 

 

Not surprisingly, she lists some iconic Australian artists as her inspirations. “I am inspired by so many people, past and present. In particular, I am inspired by Australian women artists. I LOVE Rosalie Gascoigne. I love her work. I relate to her obsessive collecting. I am encouraged by the fact that she was really only able to give full expression to her work once she finished rearing her children and that the need to create didn’t get lost during the parenting years, but was incubated. I also love that she found expression in flower arranging and the Japanese art of Ikebana. Owning a flower farm and arranging flowers often makes me think of her. I love Margaret Preston, although I often wonder why she didn’t do more … she had no kids!!! I love Margaret Olley’s intense focus. These are just the tip of the iceberg.”

Living on a flower farm forms the backdrop to her life. “When I am overwhelmed, I go for a walk and things fall back into perspective. It is a special place. The sunsets are the one of the most memorable things about our home. We face west across the bay and I take a photo of the sunset almost every night. I am a big instagram fan – I post my sunset photos every night.” (She is @gladdish on instagram.)

You can find her linocuts, greeting cards and collages in her Etsy shop, Trees4theWood, and you can find more about Grace and her other work on her VisualArtist page here.