Romanticise your life!
If you’ve been looking for a stroke of inspiration to romanticise your life more often, then we’d suggest taking a note out of Brisbane artist Shanae Duncan’s book. Shanae creates vibrant works that span across various mediums including illustration, animation, projection, and photography, to celebrate the people, places, and objects that make life so invigorating.
Her debut solo exhibition titled Fluorescence was, as she described it at the time, an expression of her current art practice and a product of past emotions and memories she’s unpacked. Held at Sure Studio in 2022, the exhibition featured paintings, ceramics, and visual installations that celebrate the small things in life that make us smile. Since then, her work has continued to be showcased at a variety of Brisbane’s most popular creative hubs and venues.
We sat down with Shanae to chat about all things art, creative process, and inspiration.
How would you describe your art style?
I would describe my style of art as very playful, bright, and experimental through various mediums. I take inspiration from abstraction and the beauty of everyday life.
You work across so many different mediums; do you happen to have a favourite?
I love working across various mediums including digital, painting, collage, and ceramics – it allows me to challenge my practice and evolve as a creative. Choosing a favourite medium is difficult because it changes all the time, although I love how forgiving working digitally can be. It allows me to make mistakes, go back, and pick at things until I’m completely happy with the final product.
What’s currently inspiring your work?
My work is currently inspired by so much. Right now, it’s a mix of my latest travels, artists I follow, a colour combination I saw on the street – it can be anything, which keeps it fresh and exciting.
All your pieces are bright and colourful, has playing with colour always been something you’ve gravitated towards within your art?
When I feel overwhelmed or bored with my work, I always fall back on my love of colour. I developed a very distinctive style early in my practice and find it hard to completely stray from it.
Do you have any pieces you’re really proud of?
I’ve recently been lucky enough to produce a few public pieces for Brisbane City Council and Felons Brewery. It’s fun to see my work on a larger scale and see how it affects the space around it. I’m also very proud of my work when I reflect on my entire art practice and can see it as a whole collection – I look back on my work and can remember what I was processing at that time in my life as creativity has always been a form of release for me.
Are there any new styles or mediums you’re looking to explore further?
I would love to paint a large mural wall! After making a few public works last year I would love to create more. I really love transferring my digital pieces into something physical.
