Art
No Order Magazine talks with the artist.
Ella Senbruns is a Sunshine Coast artist who works between mixed-media drawing, painting and murals. With a striking and distant style, Ella’s strong understanding of dynamic, whiplash linework morphs and transforms her images into fantastical and unexpected compositions. These artworks are often surreal, colliding the body with natural motifs to explore the strange no man’s land between beauty and discomfort.
In 2021 Senbruns graduated from a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) at the Queensland College of Art. She has since worked as a studio artist, muralist and life drawing instructor.
In 2021 Senbruns graduated from a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) at the Queensland College of Art. She has since worked as a studio artist, muralist and life drawing instructor.
How did your career begin?
Well, I guess it depends on what part of my career. As an artist in the general sense, I started my career at University. There I exhibited works with my friends through group shows. As far as getting paid as an artist and ‘workin for the dollar’, I got a start assisting other mural and street artists like James Ellis, Gus Eagleton, Brontë Naylor and Blends, who's a writer in Sydney.
Do you have a set process when it comes to making work and is there a part of that process that people may find surprising?
When I am creating artworks for myself, I usually start with small thumbnails which consist of really basic gestures. I’ll do a few sweeping lines across a small section of the page and do four or five of these thumbnails. I’ll sit back from them, spin them around and think to myself ‘what could I put inside of these lines to create a scene or character or some kind of narrative?’ If there are any that I like, then I might start an oil painting or drawing with them. Other times it is completely intuitive, especially with my drawings. I put a very strong emphasis on bringing images out of my head, they are mostly imaginary compositions. I rarely copy a reference photo directly, except maybe for faces.
Inner-city Brisbane, 2022
Is there a memorable moment in your journey as a creative that you didn’t know would impact your career?
I can think of two experiences, a negative one and a positive one. The negative one was from when I was still studying at art school, they didn't really teach us how to support yourself as a practicing artist. I asked one of my teachers if she ever had to compromise her artistic vision to meet a client's needs. She didn't acknowledge the question and segued into another topic. This experience stuck with me. The lack of conversation I experienced at University around practical business skills for artists created this divide between “real artists” and the others who sold their art. It was like the two couldn’t happen at the same time, unless you were in a blue chip gallery and had somehow transcended. A positive experience is every time I have ever watched a writer or muralist who is way more skilled than me pick up a can. There have been times where I have been painting next to kings and I just haven’t been able to take my eyes off the way they hold the can. I remember watching Sofles paint once and I couldn’t believe the insane movements of his hands. I remember realising that there are so many variables to spray painting and ways you can paint with them. I am constantly inspired by watching people paint.
Read the full interview in Issue 03
Published: 16th September 2023