By Violet Li
When Sam Michelle first attended the Casey’s Open Studios Weekend, she was painting in the lounge room of her Berwick home.
Fast forward seven years and now, she has a studio of her own nestled at the back of her house in the quiet peaceful town of Blind Bight. The artist will soon have her second experience in late October.
The sweet spot is where arts, nature and life meet. Oil paintings of native flora scatter abundant colours around. Large portraits of wattles, waratahs, banksia, and protea.
A lineup of ceramics and textiles on the shelf shows the alternative creative efforts. Greeneries flicker as you move around the space. Threads of light travel through the translucent ceiling, bathing the room in a membrane of tender cosiness.
A path at the end of the studio goes to Sam’s beloved garden, where she finds her inspiration.
“I grow what I want to paint now,” she said.
“I’ve germinated heaps of seeds, which is really exciting. I don’t know what they’re even going to really look like in real life, but when they grow, then I’ll be like, oh, I’ve got to paint those before they die.
“It’s just this constant inspiration out here.”
When there is not enough happening in her garden, the Blind Bight artist will go to the neighbours, the florists, the local nurseries, and the flower markets to keep her artistic mind flowing.
The New Zealand-born artist has been a full-time oil painter in her home studio for a decade. She paints native flower arrangements in household scenes to tell stories.
It’s a life she chose to follow her passion for the ex-banker.
“I was always drawing. When I went to high school, that’s when I found my passion for art, and it was the question of, do I get a full-time job or do I go to university and study art,” she recalled.
“And I always wanted to keep it more personal rather than a job back then when I was younger.
“But I think when you’re working in a bit of a soul-sucking finance job, it was just so stressful. A few things were happening at work, and I realised that I needed to follow my passions.
“My husband was in finance also, and he stopped to start his passion, which is teaching kids sports. And that was inspiring to me, to see that someone could do it. I slowly went part-time and then reduced my hours. And then made the sweet time.
“So I took a career break. I took a soft chance.”
The fear of having to go back to the banking job had kept her motivated and getting outside her comfort zone, Sam joked.
“Sunday nights at the bank, I always used to be so stressed out. I’ve got banking tomorrow to go to, but then last night, I’m not stressed out because I get to do what I love,” she said.
“What drives you? That’s what I’m saying to my kids, like, come on, I will support you to study whatever drives you, not something that you just think is going to make money.
“Do what you wanna do.”
For Sam, Open Studio Day has always been special for artists.
“You basically stand here and feel judged for the whole time, so I am gonna have some food and drink,” she joked.
“A lot of others come and ask all the questions, which is great. And then you’ll have the old follower on Instagram who just wants to come and have a look.
“It’s a vulnerable experience, but it’s really lovely at the same time.
“I do it for the connection. You’re here by yourself all day every day, so it’s nice to meet people and share tips and tricks.
“When I visit my friends’ spaces, it’s pretty special to be where they create every day. I don’t know if everyone will feel like that when they come here, but I think it’s a beautiful opportunity for people to come and connect with artists.”
Sam will deep clean her house and welcome anyone who wants to connect or just have a look on 26 and 27 October in her Bind Bight studio.
There are 11 other spaces participating in the Casey’s Open Studios Weekend, and art forms include printmaking, painting, wood turning, pottery, hot glass and ceramic sculpting, pottery, UV reactive art and more.
For more information, visit: casey.vic.gov.au/events/open-studios-weekend
