Kirsten Hocking (PACT Art Collective)

Over 12 months, the PACT Art Collective, four Western Australian artists Alex, Laura, Kirsten and Emma met weekly in Hyde Park to paint "en plein air", to celebrate the park, highlight current challenges it faces, and inspire a conversation.

PACT Collective: (left-right) Alex Kyriakacis, Laura Peden, Emma Nolan, Kirsten Hocking (photo credit: Josie Nolan @art_amidae)

Kirsten Hocking

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am an art nut. Art is my way of being in the world. It has taught me how to be fully present in deep observation of the things around me and to deeply appreciate the beauty in seemingly ordinary things. I also love travelling, fine wine, long conversations with friends and spending quality time with my wonderful family.

What does your work aim to say?

The paintings in this exhibition express my deep love of Nature and my fascination with the rhythms of the natural world. I originally started this body of work as a way of paying my respects to the trees that were under threat. However, over the 12 months, my focus changed. I became interested in the seasonal relationships between the trees, the water levels and the wild birds that populate the park. I found myself increasingly “looking for wild” and venerating the intrinsic wisdom that I found in this complex web of relationships.

Who or what are your biggest influences?

That is a really hard question to answer! I am a melting pot. I am truly inspired by a number of women artists in the contemporary Australian art industry, such as Cressida Campbell and Mary Tonkin. John Wolesley is an Australian landscape artist whose work I love. Outside of the contemporary Australian scene I am enthralled by the Old Masters, the English Arts and Crafts movement of William Morris and Co, the Impressionists, and also scientific and botanical illustrations. Honestly, there are thousands of incredible artists out there and I find something to

learn from all of them.

Kirsten Hocking (photo credit: Josie Nolan @art_amidae) and artwork.

How has your career developed or evolved?

I have a full time art practice. I also work freelance for the WA Education Dept and teach painting at Tresillian Arts Centre. Prior to working full time as an artist, I worked as a high school art and photography teacher. And before that, I worked in the complementary health industry as a kinesiologist, aromatherapist, and remedial massage therapist. This is where my long term love of plants and nature really took root (pun intended!).

Describe your studio or workspace.

I work from home in a studio that my husband built for me in our garage. It is flooded with natural light from skylights. It’s well insulated and heated/cooled, so I can spend all day in there comfortably. My window opens onto our macadamia tree, so in season, I hear cockatoos crooning noisily. I have three separate workstations set up and move around them as needed. The whole place gets very messy as I progress through series of works. At the end of a series, I have a big clean up and start all over again!

Describe your dream project

I love self-directed work and enjoy doing my own research and following my intuition. A dream project would be something about the natural Australian landscape, well-funded with a good amount of collaboration with colleagues but also sufficient time to work independently. I’m following my nose all the time, so can’t be any more specific than that!

What is the best piece of advice you've received? My former arts lecturer, who is an artist I greatly respect, once told me not to worry about finding a style. He told me to focus on responding honestly to the subject in front of me and making the best work I can. And that is advice I try to follow in every painting.

How do you overcome creative blocks?

Fortunately, I don’t come across these very often. My father always used to talk about “filling the well” so I read a lot and follow up what I am interested in and look after myself physically and spiritually and that seems to keep my creative well beautifully full.

How do you stay motivated in your art practice?

I feel very, very lucky to be able to make art full time and that is enough motivation to keep me at my easel, brush in hand. I know what it is like to have to squeeze art making around the edges of running a full time job and raising a family. I am very appreciative of this stage of my life. I find the more I work, the more I am motivated.

How do you balance your personal life and your art practice?

Careful planning. There are only so many hours in a day, so I try to stay very clear on who and what I value and then make sure that I give time to the people I want to be with and the things that I want to do.

Connect with Kirsten:

Website: www.kirstenhockingarts.com.au

Email: kirsten@kirstenhockingarts.com.au

Instagram: @kirstenhockingarts

Exhibition Poster: