We catch up with Melbourne artist Kirsten Jackson, who introduces us to her colourful limited edition prints, available for the first time at T&W in our Australian Art Showcase.

For the past 16 years, Melbourne artist Kirsten Jackson has painted from her studio at home in the coastal suburb of Bayside, where she lives with her husband and two teenage children. Her original paintings are hung at galleries in Melbourne, Sydney and Byron, and she travels to affordable art fairs in the UK and Europe where her abstract work is popular for its vibrant, uniquely Australian take on coast and colour. Here she shares a little about her career and creative process.

How long have you been an artist? I’ve been painting for 16 years and doing it for a living for about 13, after making a move from sales and marketing when I had children. I think that background helped when I was starting out, I can knock on doors and I’m not precious about my art.

Who or what inspires your work? The coast and colour – my paintings always feature pink or blue. As a young girl, I was always drawn to Ken Done’s work, so it was nice to have my work shown alongside his in a recent exhibition.

Two of the prints featured in Kirsten's collection for T&W.
Styling – Jonathan Fleming & Allira Bell. Photography – Denise Braki.

How would you describe your signature style? I only do colour. I can’t draw, not even a tree or a dog . So it’s all about bringing joy through colour. I also include a ‘Happy Face’ painting in each of my collections, in honour of my mother who passed away when I was a teenager. Hers was the first happy face I painted.

Tell us a little about your creative process? I work from home, so I sneak out to the studio whenever I can. I don’t really have a plan when I begin a new piece, I just start painting. I work on canvas with inks, watercolours and acrylics, and my technique just comes from practice.

How do you like to see people incorporate your work into their homes? I love seeing my pieces in a living area as they’re so vibrant. Most people are fairly conservative with their furniture and paint choices, so they’re a great way to add colour.



Your proudest career moment? I’ve won a few awards but I’m not driven by those. The first London Affordable Art Fiar I did in 2014 was a highlight – I sent 16 works and they all sold out overnight. Or when I get an email from a client a week or even a year later, telling me that they love their painting and how happy it makes them.

Any favourites in your collection for Temple & Webster? Fallen for You.

What's on the horizon for you in 2017? More art fairs in Sydney and Melbourne, an exhibition with Michael Bond at Art2Muse Gallery in Double Bay. I’ll wait a while to head back to Europe when my son finishes high school. My work has been really well received over there, helped along by social media. I've even had a family from the Netherlands look me up at my studio here in Melbourne after following my work online.

Shop the Australian Art Showcase, or shop all affordable art at Temple & Webster.