Chelsea Baker

Tell us a little bit about yourself?
Growing up, I lived in all different areas of Queensland. From the country (Mungar, Maryborough), Beach (Palm Island and Gold Coast), City (Brisbane), Smalltown (Townsville). Finally, I've placed down roots in regional Toowoomba with my childhood crush now Husband, our two kids and cat Floss. I have a passion for collecting seedpods from all over Australia and transforming them into original designs. A relative newcomer to this whole artist gig, but a long time collector of nature. Every seedpod I paint is an original design due to the unique shape of each one.

What is your favourite drink (tea, coffee, chai latte etc)

Tea! Oat Chai Latte to be precise.

If you know me, I have a (possibly unhealthy?) obsession with tea. To be exact, T2 tea. I don't drink alcohol or coffee, which is how I justify my tea expenditure to my husband and anyone else that looks at my T2 wall. And yes, I really do drink every one of these teas.

What inspired you to start painting?
I studied a Bachelor of Multimedia (Design), a Bachelor of Environmental Design and finally, my Masters of Architecture on the Gold Coast. I was fortunate enough to learn about Biomimicry throughout these degrees and experiment with the concept in my assignments. I would experiment with painting organic shapes/patterns on driftwood sticks I had collected in my free time. I eventually collected seed pods and just like that, a tradition was born. Painting on disregarded treasures in nature that are often overlooked in daily life.

What advice would you give other artists/creatives starting out?
Try not to get overwhelmed with what you should do that will 'sell'. Find something you truly love and have a passion for and you will find a niche that people will love you for it. If you are struggling to keep motivated, find a special someone that will keep you going.

You can read more about Chelsea Baker here.