Lauren Webster: Artist: Sydney

Sweet lovin’

Name: Lauren Webster
Occupation: Artist
Hometown: Black Springs
Currently location: Bondi Beach, Sydney

Lauren Webster is a Sydney artist specialising in paint and illustration. At 27 years of age she is a thriving, self-employed, full-time artist collaborating with collaborating with fashion labels, surfboard and skateboard companies, photographers, object designers jewellery artists, homeward labels and interior decorators.

Webster was accepted into the College of Fine Arts (COFA) and studied Fine Arts with a painting/drawing major. She also took a traineeship at MCA for 1 year which gave her great skills but wasn’t exactly what she thought a career in art would be since most of her time there was spent in an office. Out of this she started to grow and own her own style and social media pushed Wester’s profile and brand. Some fans have permanently sealed their love for her work by getting tattoos!

Almost Real hung out with Lauren in her amazing, creative apartment in Bondi.

The first thing I did when I woke up this morning was…Tried to figure out what day it is… this took a lot longer than it should take a person to do. Then I finished a painting, dropped it off to it’s new home and raced down to the beach for a little surf.

When I was a child I wanted to be…A ballerina, a cowgirl and an artist.

The studies I took to get where I am…I lived in the art room and the dark room in high school, so that must have helped. In my final years of school I was part of a group selected by the National Art School to take part in an intensive drawing course which I did in some of my school holidays… Nerd alert! Then I went to the College of Fine Arts and studied Fine Arts with a painting/drawing major.

I’m inspired by…Music, travel, retro aesthetics, album art, vintage fashion… actually, all of the things I give my time and attention to inspire me in some way. I don’t really bother with much that doesn’t excite me.

I admire…My mum for unwaveringly doing things her own way and teaching me to do the same. She thinks that she’s a black sheep, I think she’s a rockstar.

The tools I can’t live without…As long as I have something I can scribble down a few lines with I’m happy. Oh and maybe a camera so I can also shoot those things I want to scribble.

The instruments I use… I mix it up but mostly pens, paint, ink, spray paint, paper and timber.

I’m most creative when I’m…Dancing in the mirror! If walls could speak…

My favourite book…Books full of blank pages are good! I’ve always been into those.

The website I hang out on the most… To be honest I don’t really spend much time on the interwebs… The MonsterChildren site is always good for a visit.

I’m currently listening too…On repeat this week is: Royal Headache, Kurt Vile, Stevie Nicks, Blood Orange and Palms

The obstacles that have come my way…I can get obsessively caught up in my art which means that I don’t have much headspace left to deal with grown up life things. Or any other life things for that matter. My balance is pretty out of whack lately.

My favourite place in the world…In good company

I would like to travel…All over! If we’re being specific Mexico springs to mind.

My travel essentials are…Sketchbook and camera.

One thing I would like to do but haven’t got around to it yet… Playing music again. I used to love playing guitar and singing when I was younger but I got pretty carried away with my art and music went by the wayside… I miss it so much and would love to get back into it!

The highlights over the past 12 months have been…I have worked with some really great creatives and brands over the last little while which has been a blast. Just recently I collaborated with McTavish Surfboards which was a real highlight and lots of fun. Also, earlier this year I worked on a collab collection with fashion label Backstage which launched at Australian Fashion Week. I got such a kick out of teaming up with these guys and all of the awesome people I’ve crossed paths with over the last year!

The latest project I’m working on…I’ve just wrapped up painting some new works for a group show that opens this week. Phew, just in time! I’m also mid way through collaborating with two awesome creative companies based up in Byron Bay, both making really cool design pieces for the home. These projects will roll out soon and will be something really fun and quite different for me. I also just started working on the artwork for a skateboard that’s being designed specifically for a skater over in California. It’s going into production in the next few months and I’m really excited that the boards will have my work on them.Oh and before too long I’ll be painting another surf board or two for McTavish. I’m looking forward to that. I have a few other tricks up my sleeve… but I think I’m rambling so I’ll pull up there. Long story short, there’s plenty of painting to be done!

Advice I have to share for those who want to get into this profession… Sleep when your dead! Ha.… Kidding (definitely not kidding). Seriously though, don’t be half-hearted about it.

If you could see your deepest future desires (literally) draw what you would see? Here’s a painting of my future. It’s a haze of road trips to where deserts meet the sea and rascals roam the lands to see as much as they can see.

Lauren Webster: Restless Rascals: Almost Real

Website / Facebook / Instagram

Photographer: Katie Kaars

Interview: Almost Real