Artist Interview with Cara Sanders: Take a Peek Inside this Artist’s Home Studio

WORDS BY AMY DAVIDSON
IMAGES COURTESY OF CARA SANDERS

Gold Coast-based artist Cara Sanders (Owlet Art) shares imagery of her home studio and lets us in on some of her best tips for setting up a ‘space for making’ of your very own.

Cara, you have such a bright, inspiring space. How did you go about setting up your home studio?

Basically the furniture all landed in my lap when I decided to make painting my priority this time last year. I found the easel on the side of the road a few houses up from mine, and the trestle table is a Gumtree score. Stoked! The universe has a way of unfolding as it should.

What’s a good tip you have for others who might want to make a creative space?

I fill my studio with plants to keep it fresh, mainly for the aesthetics and I genuinely just like plants. I always have a cheeky polaroid floating around, taking me back to moments in time. I also have stacks of sketchbooks and diaries, keeping me inspired and on top of deadlines!

How do you go about organisation?

My brushes are kept in a canvas wrap from Art Shed (my local). I have a big easel which I clip my work onto and I have an art sheet to cover the floor when I am throwing paint around. I have a shallow container where all my paints are stored, and I keep my charcoal in a curry tin to stop it getting crushed.

Tell us what is on your studio walls, and which artists inspire you.

On my walls are pieces I have started to collect from artists I love. It’s important to support other artists if you hope for others to support you. The Aboriginal piece with the turquoise and red is created by Judy Prosser from Broome, which is my home town. These colours always keep me grounded and are a reminder of my roots. The dotted lady is created by Nikki Porta and purchased at RAW Brisbane, which is a platform that exposes emerging artists. The masks on the wall are a sketch for an album cover for a local band, BOATKEEPER. Next to it is a sign that says ‘paint what you feel’, because I find as an artist we put a lot of expectations on ourselves and we sometimes paint what we think other people want. On my desk is a watercolour butterfly, created by yours truly.  I kept this from my first exhibition – it’s something I can’t let go of.