For the tenth edition of our Australian Art Series, we’re joined by Melbourne-based artist, Ali McNabney-Stevens, to chat about growing up global, her tools of choice, and her soft spot for painting the landscapes that live in her dreams. Shop her colour-confident creations here. Click quickly…
Tell us a little about your background, and your path to becoming an artist?
I was born in Lincoln in England. I lived all over the world because of my father’s job (and since then I’ve also moved to Edinburgh, Paris, HK, and London by myself). I went to secondary school at Victoria College Belfast and then did a Foundation Art course at Bristol Polytechnic and then an Honours Degree in Design and History of Art at Edinburgh College of Art. And now, I’m based in Melbourne with my husband J, our three children and pooch Ted.
I have always been involved in art since school and university however it wasn’t until my children were born that I decided I really NEEDED my art to give me of a sense of self. So I started to do evening/weekend classes and attended life drawing class religiously. The more I worked at it, the happier I was. I then teamed up with Julia Green of Greenhouse Interiors and she and I have been agent /artist ever since.
Where do you do your best work – tell us about your studio or painting space?
I work best in the morning in my studio at home. Radio on, door closed, several cups of coffee and usually a donut is thrown into the mix.
What materials do you work with, and what do you love about them?
I work with acrylics, inks, oil pastels and oils. Every medium is brilliant really, but overall oils would have to be the most luxurious. They give such a luminosity and richness of colour that it’s hard to beat.
Tell us about your creative process. Where do you find inspiration?
I start predominantly with mark making to begin with, and then I continue to work over old works until each painting starts to resolve itself. I love landscapes made from my memories the most, I think.
Colour is clearly important in your work. How do you approach a canvas in terms of colour?
Generally I just start with any colour that takes my fancy and then the process of the painting seems to dictate what colour should be applied next. At the moment I am working with more subdued colours and within that palette, varying tones, so I am concentrating quite hard when mixing the paints to get just the right shade or hue.
