Mia Laing – October Artist of Month 2022

Mia Laing – October Artist of Month 2022

By Jane

October 19, 2022

Award winning Artist, Mia Laing, Perth Artist, WASA, West Australian Society of Arts

I’ve been a full-time artist since 2012 when I was blessed with a purpose-built studio in the backyard. Previous to this, I had a corner in our children’s playroom and when my two daughters were young, I regularly found scribbles added to my work, Banksy style…..mysterious and unsigned.

Prior to my marriage and kids, in my mid-twenties, I had a year at Claremont Art College, which I recall with mixed feelings of fun and frustration.

Strawberry Thief

I entered art school with a portfolio of children’s illustrations and all I wanted was to be a children’s illustrator, which, unfortunately, was very frowned upon at art college. Trying to unlearn detail and become loose and painterly was hard, and I still haven’t achieved it!

For many years I worked hard to break into children’s book illustration, coming close to being published on a few occasions, but it remained sadly just out of reach. It was at this point of time, when I was feeling a little despondent, that I booked a term of oil painting at Claremont Art School (which was by now just offering short-term courses), fell totally in love with oils and stayed for five years under the guidance of D’hange Yammanee, whose technique and teaching I am so grateful for.

Happiness Blooms From Within

I joined WASA at the very start of my full-time art practice and have mostly been a member ever since. I’ve built up an incredible network of close friends and peers, many of whom are also members, and I received one of my earliest prizes, an honorary mention, at one of my first WASA exhibitions.

I still work in a style affiliated with illustration and highly detailed, whimsical, and fun pieces are some of my most joyous times painting. A few are now licensed to an Australian greeting card and homewares company, Lalalandshop, which has been a great experience. I enjoy creating a story or narrative and feel there is an illustrated book in me yet, except it will be created in oils, not the watercolour and gouache of my younger days.

A Mother Load

With my family all grown. I have worked hard to turn my art into a thriving small business and work daily to keep it growing. I’m represented by four galleries and online with Bluethumb Art which helps keep the sales ticking over. I try to paint every day and keep a healthy balance between my painting time and business logistics…it’s not easy! I regularly enter local and interstate art awards and you can find me daily on Instagram at mialaing_artist, occasionally blogging on my website http://mymiasart.com and once a month I send a newsletter to my email subscribers with art news and new paintings.

Please come and join me!
My Mia’s Art website – http://mymiasart.com
My Bluethumb Gallery
mialaing_artist.

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