Why I Don't Just Paint on Canvas (And Why You'll Find My Artwork on Surfboards, Clothing and More)
I don't believe art should only live on a wall.
That might sound unusual coming from a contemporary artist, but it perfectly explains why you'll often find me painting onto surfboards, designing wearable artwork, creating textile paintings for the home and exploring new ways for people to experience the ocean through my work.
Because for me, the artwork has never been about the surface. It's always been about the feeling.
Me with one of my printed surfboards on Fistral beach - now sold and in Belgium!
When someone stands in front of one of my textured seascapes, I want them to feel transported back to a shoreline they love. To reconnect with a memory, a place or a moment of calm.
Sometimes that happens through an original painting. Sometimes it happens every time they roll out a yoga mat. Sometimes it's wearing a jacket that carries a favourite coastline.
Or carrying a surfboard that tells their own story. The medium changes. The connection doesn't.
Examples of my wearable art on display at an exhibition
My Life Has Never Followed One Creative Path
Looking back, I can now see that every stage of my career has quietly shaped the work I create today. I studied photography because I was fascinated by composition, perspective and storytelling through imagery.
I spent twenty years working in fashion, product development and design, learning how colour, texture and materials influence the way people experience an object. For ten of those years I worked within the surf industry, surrounded by people whose lives revolved around the ocean. At the time those careers felt separate. Now I realise they were all preparing me for the artist I've become.
My paintings bring together every part of that journey. Photography influences how I compose a coastline. Textiles create physical depth and memory. Fashion taught me how beautifully art can become part of everyday life. The ocean connects it all.
My beloved hand painted jeans
Why I Paint on Surfboards
Surfboards already tell stories. Every pressure dent, repair and scratch represents time spent in the sea. Painting directly onto them, or adorning them with print of my work feels like continuing that story rather than starting a new one.
Some become collectible artworks. Others are bespoke commissions celebrating favourite breaks, travel memories or milestones. They're artworks with a life already built into them.
Curious about my Surfboard Art? Click here..
‘Rising Tide at Fistral’ Upcycled Surfboard Original Painting - now sold
Why I Create Wearable Art
I've never lost my love of fashion.
Creating wearable artwork feels like returning to an earlier chapter of my career, but with a completely different purpose.
Rather than following trends, I now create pieces that allow people to carry a place they love wherever they go.
Whether that's a jacket, trainers or another bespoke commission, they're designed to create conversation and connection.
If you’d like to find out more about my Wearable Art Commissions click here.
One of my first ‘Wearable Art’ jacket pieces at Polzeath
More Than Paintings
The same thinking has naturally led me to create cushions, blankets, yoga mats and other pieces inspired by my original artwork. They're not merchandise. They're another way of bringing the calm of the ocean into everyday rituals and spaces.
Because connection shouldn't only happen when you walk past a painting on the wall.
It All Comes Back to Place
Whether I'm painting onto canvas, clothing or a surfboard, my intention is always the same. To help people reconnect with somewhere they love.
Because I've realised my work isn't really about painting onto different things. It's about discovering different ways for people to experience the same feeling.
Gemma
x