This month dot-art speaks to artist Samantha Madgwick.
Born and raised in Liverpool, Samantha is a self-taught oil painter. Deeply inspired by nature, she is drawn to creating moody landscapes and seascapes.
A natural overthinker, Samantha finds solace and calm in the act of painting, with each canvas becoming a space where she can zone out and quiet her mind.
Can you describe your style of art?
Contemporary moody landscapes and seascapes.
Which medium do you work with and what do you like about it specifically?
I work with oil paint. I love using oil paint, the slow drying time give me room to blend softly and build layers to help create the moody fog I like to add to my paintings.
Can you talk us through your process? Do you begin with a sketch, or do you just go straight in? How long do you spend on one piece? How do you know when it is finished?
I like to start with a sketch. I always use a reference photo but mostly for the composition, I don’t get too caught up on if something doesn’t look quite right or the colours look slightly off. The time I spend on a piece varys due to size but it is typically a couple of days over weeks as I always paint multiple layers.
Knowing when something is finished it tough, I don’t think I ever know but I take a lot of breaks. I feel like taking a step back from a project help you stop overthinking every little detail.
When did you begin your career in art?
I have always loved any sort of crafts but I started oil painting and taking it seriously in 2023.
Who or what inspires your art?
The outdoors but specifically trees, I’ve always loved trees (which sounds a little odd) but they have a quiet strength and calmness that I find inspiring.
Why is art and creativity important to you?
Art is important for me because it gives me space to escape and breathe. My work life can be quite intense, but when I paint it lets me step away. It’s a way to slow down, breath and calm my mind..
What do you gain from being a member with dot-art?
I am new to the social events but I love meeting all the other members and hearing how passionate they are about their work. Dot art helps me make those connections.
What does it mean to be an artist in the Liverpool City Region?
Being an artist in Liverpool honestly means the world to me. It’s my home, I was born and bred here and the city has shaped so much of who I am. There’s something really special about Liverpool’s energy: the people, the sense of community, the creativity that seems to be everywhere and I feel lucky to be part of that.
What are you working on at the moment?
I am working on a personal commission at the moment and along side that project, I am working on a mini collection called ‘Nap Time’, it is made up of a number of 10x10cm painting depicting small wildlife taking a nap
What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
The best advice I’ve heard and what I follow is just start, get anything down on the canvas and you can make the changes later. You can’t progress and learn if you don’t start.
Discover more of Samantha’s work on our online shop!