What a Wonderful World with Cover Artist Tara Spicer
Staying relevant in a thriving hub of creativity like the Sunshine Coast could be seen as a challenge for some artists, but not for our summer cover artist, Tara Spicer. Jodie Cameron delves into her wonderful, whimsical world.
A Sunny Coast dweller for the past 20 years, Tara, her husband, two adult children and their loveable Kelpie-cross adore their beachside life, so when we decide to meet at her favourite local café – which just happens to be my favourite local café – we share a laugh and the connection is instant. Tara’s eyes twinkle with vivacious delight as she shares her passions (she wears a lot of hats!), and I am instantly charmed by her infectious giggle and warm bubbly energy. Tara’s playful sense of humour and spirited presence come across in person just the same way her art depicts her out-of-this-world ideas. Life imitating art!
A fine artist working largely with oils, Tara’s art immerses the viewer in a world of allegorical surrealism – where the subject of the artwork and the various elements that form the composition are used to symbolise a deeper moral or spiritual meaning. Her strong, confident feminine heroes and funky-hatted, wild-haired subjects appeal to multiple audiences because of their relativity and relatability. From the paper-plane obsessed to the teacup and wonderland enthusiasts, her love of opposing concepts and creating masterpieces that challenge the juxtapositions of our minds are what make Tara’s art unique.
“I have always been inspired by other artists and my own kids have been an awesome influence, but it’s more the illustrated books I read as a child that come out through my art,” Tara said. “I like to incite wonder by blending realms and opening up people’s minds to the creation of whole new worlds – where you get to step inside and experience a deeper connection.”
Tara is philosophical in her approach to life and emphasises the need to plan for both life’s challenges and its uplifting moments (inevitable for us all) to truly appreciate its magic and wonder.
“I like to use my paintings as a portal to magic and wonder rather than focusing on the mundane, which is ironic because I can often be inside for hours painting,” she said. “But for me, it’s a sacred process.”
An avid reader, Tara channels her love of learning into exploring the psychology of how people perceive her art. What makes her work truly special is its ability to encourage viewers to step beyond their habitual thought patterns, opening their eyes and minds to consider whether opposing objects or ideas might merge.
“I’ve read a lot about cognitive dissonance, where you hold two ideas that simultaneously oppose, and I love this because my art has no moral themes or political statements – I just like to engage viewers with a sense of, ‘Oh could that be possible?’” Tara said. “I love mixing it up and revisiting old world ideas. Being in a state of flow can often feel like daydreaming, where I question how I can make something feel modern.”
Tara has recently diversified her offerings by creating a range of innovative wallpaper, making her art more accessible and attracting a new audience of art lovers who might not have previously encountered her work. Each roll is printed digitally, but retains the details and brushstrokes of the original fine-art painting.
“I’m working with a new wallpaper that’s really easy to remove by simply spraying it with water,” she explained. “The technology has come a long way and it’s making seasonal updates more accessible to people who might be renting or seeking a more free-flowing art finish, but on a grander scale.”
A handy installation page on Tara’s website allows viewers to see how her art will look as wallpaper and serves as a way for Tara to offer some of her limited-edition artworks on a larger scale. Or if you’re looking for a more mural-esque look and have time on your side, Tara can digitally manipulate images to fit in and around your space, from feature walls and elongated voids to deep stairwells that feel as though you’re climbing up through the artwork.
Tara has a degree in Sports Science, and when she’s not in her studio she runs a massage therapy business geared towards rehabilitation and supporting athletes in preparation for marathons and triathlons, as well as offering energetic healing and teaching yoga.
“I get bored doing just one thing – some days I’m working on every business, literally changing hats all day until I fall into bed, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she laughed. “Whenever you’re in a flow state, that energy is always coming through, redirecting and shifting to new spaces.”
Tara’s work is nationally and internationally recognised, most recently as a finalist in the Clayton Utz Art Awards at the contemporary Lethbridge Gallery in Brisbane. She’s also an active member of the local art community, recently donating her showstopping piece Parisian Summer (this issue’s cover image!) to raise money for The McGrath Foundation as part of Studio One Noosa’s Pretty in Pink fundraising exhibition and auction.
“It was such a unique opportunity to be involved in the exhibition; everyone was very excited watching the bids! And being given the opportunity to meet Glen McGrath in person was truly heartfelt and memorable,” Tara smiled. “I love the sultry summer energy of Parisian Summer – it’s a girl with her feet in the water, but it’s not just any water, it’s luxe candy pink water that’s screaming ‘dive in!’”
While her love of the ocean and Paris is mixed into Parisian Summer, this piece has the deeper symbolic meaning of women emerging into their own and coming from their own depths. Just as Tara is inspired by the books from her younger years, she aims to connect her audience with elements of their own childhood.
“My aviation work, for example, connects people to that era before mobile phones – when in the middle of summer you could stick a stick into the tar on the road for fun. I want to conjure up the smell, images and memories, as well as the spaciousness associated with that,” she explained.
As we wrap up our time together, I feel like I’ve known Tara for much longer than the hour we’ve been chatting, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of her art adorning the walls of local businesses and cafés.
“Art is one of the few services or products where you’re selling a connection, and when someone recommends me that’s absolutely priceless and so special to me,” Tara said. “I do love the idea that my painting might be hanging as the focal point at a dinner party with everyone sitting around it; I like to imagine what they’re talking about.”
DIVE INTO TARA’S WORLD!
Check out Tara’s work via her website or in the real world…
Access a selected range of original work, plus keep an eye out for future exhibitions!
136 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington, Brisbane
Clayton Utz Art Award Finalists
Riparian Plaza, Suite 648/71 Eagle Street, Brisbane City
