Originally trained as a graphic designer, Sydney-based artist Holly Firth takes a leaf out of her Indian heritage to celebrate her love of nature. Drawing inspiration from Mughal miniature painting and traditional hand-block printing she uses mainly watercolours to paint fine yet vivid designs which summon up feelings of joy and jubilation.
Fascinated by traditional artisanal processes, Holly travels back to Bagru, a small village outside of Jaipur, India, the home of traditional block printing, to observe and learn the generations-old methods used to produce textiles with repeated motifs. With respect and admiration for this timeless craft she is working to design and produce textiles for the modern home which embody the culture of art.
While her designs are triggered by her daily interactions with people, nature and traditional arts, Holly often finds that her most successful creation are when she is in total thoughtlessness. “It’s like I have no memory of doing the painting. I just did it out of joy.”
