Meet the Artist: Fiona Smith

Australia’s unique wildlife have been an endless source of inspiration for Australian artists and none more so than Sydney-based artist Fiona Smith. We spoke to Fiona who expanded upon this idea, her childhood experiences with animals, and how her practice has evolved.

Fiona also told us about the advantages of working with art dealers such as Sarah Birtles Art + Advice who will be representing her at the upcoming Affordable Art Fair Melbourne (2 – 5 September 2021), as well as her background as a journalist and the challenges facing artists today. Read Fiona’s engaging interview below.

Hi Fiona, recently, you’ve been painting a variety of birds, but you seem to keep coming back to magpies in particular. What draws you to magpies? 

When I was a child, we lived on the fringes of the Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park in Sydney and birds and other creatures became my playmates. Birds, bluetongue lizards, possums and fish were all trained to eat from my hands and were a constant presence during those years. The magpies can live to 30 years, so our Big Daddy maggie was there as long as I can remember and well after I left home as an adult.

All the birds were part of our extended family, but the magpies ruled over the kookaburras, lorikeets and butcherbirds. They are highly intelligent, they recognise our faces, they are excellent mimics and often hang about just because they enjoy friendly human company. They come to the kitchen window to sing for us, their voices carolling over the din of cicadas in summer.

These birds are a joy to paint because they cut such a fine, noble figure with their long bodies and powerful shoulders. Their simple black and white plumage also means that it is easy to set them against the patterned backgrounds.

These birds inspire a lot of affection in Australians, most of whom have had a magpie friend at some stage. 

How did you come up with the concept of the highly patterned backgrounds?

It crept up slowly, starting with painting my pets against the patterned cushions on the couch. Then, I used my William Morris rug as the background of one painting of my dog and then put the same pattern behind a magpie. When I hung that maggie painting at an exhibition, there were numerous buyers after it and I realised that I would have to paint some more! The whole maggie-pattern thing started there.

Many of my works include Indiennes-style designs, first inspired by the material on my cushions. I have bought that fabric a few times over the years to make a seat cover for my daughter’s dressing table and cushions. I love the elegance of the designs and the curves.

When it is easier than ever for artists to sell direct, what is the advantage of working with a dealer such as Sarah Birtles Art + Advice?

Social media has become an extraordinary channel for artists. Platforms such as Instagram have given us a way to show our work and create relationships with viewers and potential buyers. But not everyone “does” social media. Plus, even if they do use Instagram and Facebook, there is no guarantee they will see our posts. Working with galleries and art advisors means that my work gets seen by people that I can’t reach on my own, and those people are already interested in art.

Another significant advantage for me is that I can draw upon their experience. Sarah gives me practical business help that includes career planning, marketing and pricing. At the same time, she provides a personalised service to people who want expert advice.

As well as being an artist, you’re also a journalist. How has your writing career influenced your painting?

Working as a journalist (21 years with the Australian Financial Review), there was no time to wait to be “in the zone” or to delay until the “Muse” pays a visit. In churning out thousands of words a day, you very quickly realise that inspiration comes from doing. I may be angsting over my first paragraph, but if I just start putting down words and facts, it will begin to come together.

The same thing happens with painting. I’ll often stand in front of a blank canvas, thinking that I don’t know how to render a particular thing in paint. But once I start, the process of problem-solving puts me into “the zone” and the act of painting becomes automatic.

Journalism also taught me to edit. If something isn’t working in a painting, I will refine and refine and try to push through. If I can’t make it work, then I will do something dramatically different. I’ll slather on a wildly different colour or make a big compositional change. As Ernest Hemmingway once said about editing, you sometimes have to “kill your babies”. You may have to obliterate your favourite part of the painting or story to save the whole. It hurts, but if you have made one beautiful thing, you can do it again.

One of my strengths as a journalist was knowing how to make something a compelling read. There is no point slaving over an article if no-one can be bothered to read it. I think that has fed into my motivation as a painter as well. I want to make work that people are drawn to, work that inspires an emotional connection.

What does a regular day look like for you? Tell us about your studio.

“Studio” is a bit of a joke. We have a full house with our two children (17 and 20) still at home, so I have evicted the family from our dining room and I use that. I don’t expect a visit from Belle magazine any time soon!

I usually do any computer-based work first thing in the morning and the first step in painting is usually to vacuum the floors. I can be distracted when there is dog hair and grit underfoot. I try to start painting at around 10 and keep going – often until bedtime.

I am very fortunate that, because I have been so busy this year, my husband Peter cooks dinner every night and my offspring are pretty self-sufficient. It is only my two-year-old dog Archie who creates a problem. He grabs hold of my painting apron and pulls me away from the easel when he feels it is time for attention or a walk. Sometimes, he sneaks up and gingerly pulls at the strings to undo the bow. Sneaky.

What would you say are the particular challenges of being an artist today?

Money and time are the biggest challenges.

If you are independently wealthy, you can spend as much time as you like painting and have all the materials you desire. Most artists need a secondary income, but having another job means makes it very difficult to develop yourself as an artist.

For women in particular, becoming a parent takes another big chunk out of your available time to be creative. That is why so many female artists only really get started when their children become independent. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to devote all my time to art now. This is the first year that I have been able to be a full-time artist.

What advice would you give to an aspiring art collector reading this interview?

Buy only what you love. A painting will be on your wall, in view, for a very long time. If you don’t think you can live with it for a lifetime, maybe it is not for you. It should make you feel good.

Don’t worry about where it will hang. Unless it is very large, you will find room for it. The best homes I visit are crammed with art and there is so much to look at, but everything has a story. Minimalism is vastly overrated.

We loved spending time getting to know Fiona Smith better and we hope you did too! We can’t wait to see her art up close at Affordable Art Fair Melbourne, 2- 5 September. For more information on the fair, follow the link below.

Main image: Fiona Smith, Pretty in Pink, sold through Sarah Birtles Art + Advice