Recently graduating with a degree in Fine Arts and Art History from the University of Western Australia, Isabella is continuing to develop her predominantly painting-based practice, exploring the human experience through colour, texture and feeling.
Interviewed by Youth Radio’s Ava Pasch, Isabella opens up about her creative journey, the realities of being an emerging artist and why putting your work out into the world is just as important as creating it.
From Cardboard Boxes to the Canvas
Isabella might be an established emerging artist today, but she wasn’t necessarily the kid you’d expect to find painting every afternoon. Growing up, her creativity was more about curiosity, play and making things with her hands.
One of her earliest creative memories involved asking her parents to bring home the biggest cardboard boxes they could find at Bunnings, which she’d transform into cars, houses and all sorts of imaginative creations.
Her first memorable artwork, however, was a drawing of Pokémon’s Charizard. Made with Crayola textures, it was the first time she looked at something she’d created and thought, I made this.
She was so proud of it that she even laminated it!
These early experiences reflect something Isabella continues to value in her practice: the excitement of bringing an idea to life and discovering what you’re capable of creating.
Finding Her Own Artistic Voice
Although Isabella’s work is constantly evolving, she describes her style as painterly, textural and, particularly in her abstract pieces, evocative. Depending on the work, she hopes to create anything from a sense of calm to something more conflicting or confronting.
Her creative process often begins with writing. Through words, she explores feelings that can be difficult to articulate before allowing those emotions to find their way onto the canvas.
She also believes that developing as an artist means looking beyond your primary medium. Photography, collage, fashion, music and the creative practices of others can all influence the way an artist sees the world.
For Isabella, inspiration has come from the people around her just as much as from traditional artistic influences. Her grandparents’ beautifully maintained garden, her mum’s cake decorating and her dad’s practical handiwork have all shaped her appreciation for the ability to imagine something and bring it to life.
Art Is About Understanding Humanity
At the heart of Isabella’s practice is a desire to make people feel something.
Whether someone finds a painting beautiful, unsettling, familiar or completely unfamiliar, she believes every response has value. Art can encourage us to recognise our own experiences in someone else’s work, but it can also introduce us to perspectives we’ve never considered.
As Isabella explains, both responses are important. Relatability reminds us of what we share, while unfamiliarity encourages us to think about experiences beyond our own.
Her recent exhibition, What's Mine Is Yours, held at Ellis Art House in Bayswater alongside fellow artists Chloe and Abby, was an exciting milestone in her career. The exhibition also marked a significant financial achievement, with Isabella selling most of her original works and all of her prints.
For an emerging artist, this was an opportunity to experience the business side of the art world firsthand, beyond the exhibitions and education that had shaped her practice so far.
She was also recently part of Sonder, an exhibition presented through the Mandurah Youth Arts Collective at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, with more opportunities on the horizon.
Navigating the Art World
While creating art is one part of being an artist, Isabella is quick to acknowledge that putting your work out there is another skill entirely.
She believes social media has become an important tool for emerging artists looking to showcase and sell their work. However, she feels that the practical side of marketing, promotion and building an audience isn't always emphasised enough in formal arts education.
With artificial intelligence becoming increasingly prominent, Isabella also believes showing the person behind the artwork is more important than ever. Sharing the process, the story and the human hands responsible for a piece can help audiences form a genuine connection with an artist and their work.
Her advice? Don't wait until you feel completely ready to put yourself out there. Developing your practice also means learning to be visible, accepting feedback and becoming comfortable with vulnerability.
Saying Yes, Even When It’s Scary
Looking towards the next five years, Isabella hopes to continue creating, taking opportunities and discovering where her practice might lead.
One of her biggest goals is learning to enjoy the creative process more consistently, rather than getting caught up in overthinking. She believes some of her strongest work has emerged when she allows herself to create without trying to control every outcome.
She also has an exciting challenge ahead: painting in front of an audience at the upcoming Portrait Arts Festival in Rockingham. Although the prospect of painting alongside other artists in front of a crowd feels intimidating, she sees it as an opportunity to grow and learn.
And when it comes to the pressure of creating something good, Isabella has a simple philosophy: bad art is better than no art.
Not every painting will be a personal favourite, and not every creative attempt will turn out as expected. But sometimes, the work you least expect to resonate with people becomes someone else's favourite.
It's a reminder that growth comes from continuing to create, even when the process feels uncomfortable.
Advice for Emerging Creatives
For anyone with a creative passion who feels too nervous to share their work, Isabella encourages them to take the leap.
She compares putting your art out into the world to running your first 5K or writing an early draft of a novel. You wouldn't expect someone to be perfect at the beginning, so why should creating art be any different?
Learning to share your work, receive criticism and remain open to growth takes practice just like any other skill.
Her message is simple: if you truly love what you do, don't let the fear of judgement stop you. Keep creating, keep learning and give yourself the chance to see where it takes you.
Want to follow Isabella's creative journey? Find her on Instagram at @ijr.artist, and keep an eye out for her upcoming exhibitions and projects.
