Interview

May 29

Chelsea Tobin

Chelsea is an artist from the Yarra Valley in Melbourne. For Chelsea, art is not just a form of self-expression, but it is also a medium through which she can convey her deepest appreciation and love of story telling through art. The innate creativity Chelsea possesses transcends her artwork, thereby evoking a sense of curiosity in the viewer’s mind, tempting them to delve into her world and get lost in the imagery. Using a blend of acrylic, watercolor and pencil, her works teem with energy, echoing the stunning allure of nature and life. She enjoys testing boundaries by playing with complementary colors and varied textures that interact uniquely on her canvas, painting a magical story. In every artwork, Chelsea seamlessly brings together diverse techniques that challenge conventional wisdom.

The essence of Chelsea's artistry is to make people perceive their surroundings in a novel way. With every stroke, she creates not just art but an unforgettable visual journey for the viewers, a journey full of bright colours, vivid emotions and silent stories. Chelsea takes great joy in immersing herself into the details of her creations, ensuring each piece has a story of its own that invites the viewers to use their imagination. Perfect for children and the young at heart, her art brings together different worlds and sparks curiosity. Take a look into Chelsea’s artwork and experience a visual feast of colour, inspiration and endless storytelling. Chelsea’s art has been sold in Matt Blatt, Stonehouse Gallery and Shop in Warrandyte and Antipodes in Sorrento to name a few. Chelsea’s artwork has also been featured in the Herald Sun. In 2022 her artwork was selected to be exhibited in the Mission to Seafarrer’s Maritime art prize and exhibition and this piece was also sold.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“I am a self-taught artist living in the Yarra Valley in Melbourne. I have been creating art since high school. We had to create a portrait from a photo and change the picture. So I painted a monk and turned him into a punk. This was the beginning of my love of art.”

What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?

“My artwork is a way to express my deepest appreciation and love of story telling. I love to evoke a sense of curiosity in the viewer’s mind, tempting them to delve into my world and get lost in the imagery. Using a blend of acrylic, watercolor and pencil, I like to bring energy to my artwork and combine nature and life in a novel way. I love to use complementary colors and varied textures that interact uniquely to create a magical story. My aim is to make people perceive their surroundings in a novel way creating an unforgettable visual journey for the viewers, a journey full of bright colours, vivid emotions and silent stories. I take great joy in immersing myself in the details of my creations, ensuring each piece has a story of its own that invites the viewers to use their imagination.”

Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?

“I do plan my work in advance but I also let it evolve as I am painting and sometimes the story of my painting change or the characters in my artwork take on a personality of their own and I just run with it.”

Are there any art world trends you are following?

“I like getting inspiration from artisists who layer their paintings and use mixed media in their art style. I love artwork that looks like a dream on a canvas with a lot going on in the picture and small details to find.”

“My artwork is a way to express my deepest appreciation and love of story telling.”

What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?

“I like to swap and change depending on my mood. If I need to calm my mind I tend to go towards watercolours and pencil. If I am feeling happy and full of inspiration I love to use acrylic on canvas with bright colours and patterns. I also like to create my own stencils to use in some of my artwork.”

What does your art mean to you?

“It is a way for me to express my ever wondering imagination and create pieces that get other peoples imaginations working. I love hearing peoples views on what they see in my artwork and their interpretations. It always amazes me how someone can see something in my artwork that is completely different to my point of view.”

What’s your favourite artwork and why?

“My favorite artwork would have to be Off Lead Area. When I have seen dogs off their leads at dog parks its like they go wild and in my picture it is a parallel to when people have a party and can let their hair down and go a bit wild having cocktails. Its a fun piece of artwork and all the dogs have their own character from the little French Bulldog that is being sensible with his drink to the rambunctious Labrador that has lost all his inhibitions.”