We first discovered Luiza's beautiful work in a chance social media encounter when her artwork was shared by Heather Fox, another amazing artist who has been previously featured on the East journal.
It was certainly love at first sight and we have been obsessed with her work ever since!
Our creative team have been following her journey and creative projects for the last 18 months and even invested in several pieces (including some amazing limited editions!) along the way; so it only seemed natural to ask Luiza if we could feature her amazing work on our store and if we could interview her for our first Journal back after our long break (due to the Covid craziness!)
We have been so happy to see how well people reacted to Luiza’s Christmas Cards so we know you will all love to read the below interview and discover more about her work and lovely world.
As a creative team, we are constantly in the search for new sources of inspiration and Luiza's work provided us with that much needed dose of joyful colour palettes and an unshackled use of lines, shapes and textures.
Her simple yet unconventional handprinted wall art and greeting cards evoke scenes of daily life enjoyed in a serene and carefree way, and to share and discuss her work within the team has lighten up our days.
Join us in conversation with Luiza, where we get to know a bit more of the artist behind these effortless and cheerful designs full of character.
When did you discover your love for art?
"I’ve been drawing from a really young age, art was my favourite subject at school and I completed an MA in Contemporary Fine Art in 2010, so I can confidently say art is a huge part of who I am. After my first son was born I needed a creative outlet that I could do in a small space at home, and I taught myself how to linocut. This is where my love for printmaking began - almost 10 years ago now. However, there’s been a lot of stopping and starting, having 2 more children, and quitting my part time job during that decade, before I took the plunge to do this full time."
Which techniques do you use for your prints?
"My go-to technique is the jigsaw method which means I carve into a lino block, cut it apart and then put the pieces back together inked up in different colours.I don’t strive for the technically perfect finish because those misalignments and wonky effects are what make the prints so special."
You can’t plan that stuff, it just happens!
And when it does, it is magic to see.
Where do you find inspiration?
"Inside, outside, on the ground, in the sky and all around me. I lean towards documenting the ordinary objects of the everyday, so shadows, fruit on the table, wilting flowers, vessels and pots and moments in time all play a big part in my prints. I love the bric ’n’ brac section in charity shops and I take photos when I’m out and about, store them in my phone and use them for inspiration later on."
There is beauty in everything,
you just have to look hard enough to notice it.
What does a day at your studio look like?
I usually start my day by packing orders. Once the clean and tidy work is out of the way I can get my inks out and get messy! If I’m riding a creative wave, I will look through my sketchbook or the photos on my phone and pick something that inspires me that day or I continue with any commissions that I have to complete.My days in the studio are relatively short as I’m only in there 3 days a week between the morning school drop off and afternoon pick up, so I try to cram in as much as I can. No day is the same, and there is a lot of stock count and tidying up that goes on too.
How did lockdown and the pandemic affect your relationship with your work?
"I quit my part time job just before lockdown hit and although I had a baby and two children to homeschool and look after during the pandemic, I found that I needed the time away from the chaos of the day to go off and do my own thing. I made a lot of art work during that time, and looking back on it now, I sometimes wonder how I managed it all."Playing around in my studio with ink and making new prints left me feeling refreshed and kept me sane.
As we get into the swing of the new year, Luiza's designs remind us of the importance of being present and the value of simple moments, which interconnected, make an incredibly colourful and complex work of art.
Click here for her Etsy shop, here for her Instagram account and here, here, here and here for the lovely cards and prints we have in stock at EAST.
Leave a comment below and let us know which of these fabulous prints is your favourite!
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