I have been a huge fan of Kerri Shipp for years and recently, I had the honour of catching up with her, the talented Australian artist and stylist behind Driftwood Interiors.
Driftwood Interiors specialise in creating bespoke artwork to create spaces that truly reflect your style and personality. Contemporary accents, vintage pieces and natural textures are the trademarks of their design philosophy.
I’ve always loved art and design, but it really wasn’t a viable career path when I was young. So I did the sensible thing and became a financial planner. But it was never really me. When my eldest daughter was a year old, I (along with the rest of my office) was made redundant. I took a local painting class and that was it – I never looked back. I started small with an Etsy store, and it all went from there.
Everything! I find inspiration in so many places, but nature is definitely my biggest source of inspiration. I’ve always been a big reader of design magazines too – they’re great for colour trends.
My favourite part is definitely the painting side – it’s why I started this business and I love nothing more than taking an idea for a new painting and translating what’s in my head onto paper. The most challenging is trying to do everything as a small business owner. I’ve found great help along the way but there always seems to be so many areas that need attention at once. My goal for this year is to delegate more of this to experts in their field so I can focus on what I do best – create.
Thanks Anh, so glad you like it! My first collection was actually my blue and white ginger jar /Chinoiserie collection. My mum has a huge collection of antique china and I thought they would be beautiful subjects to paint. They were very popular and were featured in Martha Stewart Living Magazine – definitely a dream come true.
Start small, and develop your own style. Don’t be copying what other people are doing – do what you love and go from there. Etsy was a fantastic place to start back in the day, and although it’s changed a lot over the years, it’s still an inexpensive way to dip your toes in the water. Social media is a must to get your name out there, so I’d suggest creating as much as you can and share it with your audience. It’s a great way to see what works and what people respond to.
I have big plans – watch this space! But I plan to keep creating what I love, as I find people really respond well to art that’s created with passion and heart.
