Discover Art Inspiration:
Interviews with Emerging Artists

We’re inviting artists to share one meaningful person, place, and object behind their art inspiration — and these are their stories.

We’re interviewing artists, building a living archive of authentic art inspiration — direct from the voices of today’s most exciting emerging artists. From the UK to the US, we explore the people, places, and objects that have shaped their creative journeys. By asking each artist three thoughtful questions, we uncover the personal stories and moments of art inspiration that fuel their work.

3 questions on inspiration

Vesela Sultanova

Graphite, Charcoal, Oil Painting Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

My father, whom I lost at the age of nine, shared and nurtured my love for nature, for science, and for the cosmos.My mother who believed I was an artist even when I was a child.The books, which were my companions.Michelangelo Buonarroti, who has asked me more questions than anyone else, from the Sistine Chapel: like the image of the Creation of Adam,with God and the angels shaped like a brain on one side, and Adam, depicted with a navel, on the other.The artist Boris Georgiev.My drawing professor at university, who taught me that paper does not grow tired, not until I lose the light in my drawing.The teacher who led me through the history of art, and the one who taught me perspective, who opened the door to the world of Alice in Wonderland.My professor of painting, who showed me the culture of the brushstroke upon canvas, and that art must pass through pain.Pain purifies, clarifies the mind, and connects you with the spirit.All those who have hurt me,and in doing so, gave me cause to reflect and grow.The wisdom of the ages:from Hermes Trismegistus, Lao Tzu, the Teacher Petar Dunov, and many more, I cannot name at this moment.And most of all - to the Creator, who gave us the soul, love, and the sacred chance to carry Him within ourselves.Life, which took away the opportunity to paint for 23 years.I couldn’t repeat what I’ve said - I no longer remember it.

Place

Our beautiful home, Earth. The light in England is warm. The sun gilds the world just as it does in my home country before sunset. This creates a wonderful atmosphere of coziness and warmth. There is an incredible magnetism in the landscape, and when you add the beautiful sky, every moment becomes unique!

Object

The place where light meets shadow.

Emma Woolley

Oil Painting, Charcoal Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

The person who has most inspired my work is my mum.She passed away a couple of years ago, and I didn’t paint for a long time after that. It was like the colour drained out of everything for a while. But eventually, it was painting that helped me find my way back to myself. My Wonder Series came out of that time, I think I was trying to be close to her again, in whatever way I could. She was kind, thoughtful, gentle but powerful, and totally intuitive. So much of the softness, strength, and emotion in my portraits comes from her. Even now, when I paint, I feel her there — in the quiet, in the way I look at a face, in the way I hold space for feeling.She wasn’t an artist, but she taught me how to really see people. And that’s everything.

Place

The place that’s most inspired my work is Moseley, where I was born and raised.Growing up there in the 1980s and 90s, it was this wonderfully bohemian, creative, slightly wild corner of Birmingham. The kind of place where you’d bump into artists, poets, musicians, all just going about their day. It wasn’t showy, it was just in the air. My childhood was full of music, creativity, and community. My dad sang in a folk group, and his friends were all playing in bands or painting or writing. There was always someone doing something inspiring.Moseley taught me how to see beauty in character, to notice the magic in the everyday. It gave me this deep love for people, for stories, for expression. That energy has stayed with me and completely shaped the way I work. It was a place full of heart, and I carry that with me every time I paint.

Object

The object that’s most inspired my work is my dad’s old Yamaha FG180 guitar.It’s the guitar he played all throughout my childhood, he was an incredible guitarist and used to sing Paul Simon songs to us, filling the house with music. That sound, that feeling, is stitched into so many memories for me. After he passed, the guitar became even more precious, not just because it was his, but because it holds his presence. It’s beautifully worn, irreplaceable, and completely full of soul.That guitar reminds me where I come from, a home filled with creativity, expression, and emotion. It reminds me to lead with feeling in everything I make. In many ways, I think it’s become a symbol of why I paint at all, to connect, to feel, to remember.

Darcy Whent

Mixed Media, Acrylic Painting Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

One of the most notable figures who has inspired my work is Paula Rego. Her fearless approach to storytelling, particularly around themes of female experience, power, and psychological complexity, has had a lasting impact on how I think about narrative in art. I admire the way she confronts taboo subjects with tenderness and rage, often using fairy tale or folkloric frameworks to speak to very real emotional truths. Like Rego, I’m drawn to the tension between innocence and violence, and the way domestic spaces can become sites of both safety and control. Her work gives permission to be raw, political, and deeply personal all at once.

Place

A place that has significantly shaped my work is my family home in Wales, particularly the surrounding rural landscape. It’s a space layered with memory, grief, and imagination. The fields, horses, and overgrown gardens often reappear in my work—not as direct representations, but as emotional textures that ground my exploration of childhood, motherhood, and identity. It’s a place where time feels folded, and I often return to it in my practice when exploring how the past lingers in the present.

Object

As for an object, a small ceramic horse I’ve kept since childhood continues to inspire me. It’s chipped and faded, but I return to it again and again in my drawings and paintings. It represents both play and fragility—something once loved and handled, now slightly broken but still standing. For me, it embodies the kind of emotional layering I try to bring to my work: objects that carry memory, narrative, and symbolic weight all at once.

Ann Litrel

Watercolour Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

People who have inspired my art have been primarily artist throughout history! The work of Dutch artists Rembrandt, Ver Meer and Van Gogh, Japanese artist Hokusai, and American artists Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth have been enduring sources of inspirations and study. My current series has led me to the beautiful travel paintings of Edward Lear, which he executed in watercolor and pen and ink. Theses little known works are harbored largely in collections found at Harvard and Princeton.

Place

The bucket list of Georgia natural wonders which has inspired my current painting series includes Providence Canyon, known as "Georgia's Llittle Grand Canyon," the Altamaha River, Georgia's own untamed "Amazon," and Amicalola Falls, the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi. This project excites me because many Georgians are unaware of the spectacular natural wonders that exist right in our very own state!

Object

My studio loft in Downtown Woodstock was directly across the street from the old Woodstock train depot. A beautifully designed building with a red-tiled roof, its colors and lines inspired me to create a painting series in the style of four famous artists; I painted the Depot in the styles of Monet, Van Gogh, Hopper and Wyeth, creating a multi-dimensional look at this lovely structure. My clients loved seeing the different interpretations of the Depot, and enjoyed choosing a print of their favorite.

Julia Glatfelter

Mixed Media Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

My husband, Hohyung, has absolutely been the most notable person. He helped me to pivot from making with a scarcity mindset to making with joy and abundance. For me, I've learned that the only way to allow the work to breathe and be as it should be is to not demand sales from it. Instead, I've sought other work to compliment my artist lifestyle and it's been such a relief and transformation for my practice. Hohyung's steadfast encouragement and love has created a safe space for me to take risks I haven't taken before. He has taught me to learn that failure and discovery and trying new things are all worth it. Nothing is wasted. That has been huge for me.

Place

The Children's Art Centre in Boston's South End has a special grip on my life and artwork. In 1920 it opened its doors and in 2019, I was the last art teacher in the space before it ended art programming. After saying goodbye, I self-published a children's book about the story called The Little Glass Treasure House. It tells the story of Charlotte Dempsey, a woman who taught in the space for 40 years. Since then, I have connected with her extended family and the story continues as we sift through her personal untold biography!

Object

Is it clique to say that the materials themselves are my most notable objects? I discovered making (with real intent and strategy) in High School. Creating images was a way to process my world. It soothed and calmed me like nothing else. Through making with tactical materials - I've strengthened myself, my spirituality and my practice.

Matt Higgins

Oil Painting Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

I've had so many professors that have helped me along in different ways, this is what inspired me to pursue education. Michael Moore, a retired professor at PAFA taught me so much about the philosophy and spirit behind the creation of art. Kate Moran, a graduate critic of mine was always brutally honest and sincere about my work and always pushed me to be "more specific", a phrase that still sticks in my head today. Two undergraduate professors Jaime Treadwell and Kate Stewart were extremely supportive in my development and have been very supportive in my teaching career as well. Jon Redmond, an incredible observational painter taught me so much about direct painting and painting from life. Last but not least, Brian Magargal, my high school art teacher pushed me to see talent I did not know I had at the time and helped me believe in myself as an artist. So many people! I'm sure I am leaving someone out, I feel very fortunate for all the help I have had along the way.

Place

I am really drawn to the landscape, mountain ranges, horizon lines, etc... The ocean and any open space is always inspirational. More specifically memories of trips to the Southwest, Arizona and New Mexico have been big inspirations for my current work.

Object

I don't know if it is an object but the circle as either a geometric shape, a sun, or a moon has been what my work has mostly revolved around the past two years or so.

Gwen Wiess

Gouache Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

While many people influenced my art making, my father probably had the largest impact. There were plenty of times during my life where I strayed away from making. He was always there to gently nudge me back towards that avenue by reminding me of the things I used to do so naturally as a child. "Do you remember sketching paintings at the art museum?" "Have you been drawing lately? You seemed stressed. That always seemed to help." "I see you living in a bright studio in a city with all of your painting supplies in a mess in the corner."He knew (and still knows) that a creative path is the one that best suits my journey. Both of my parents, truly, have walked arm in arm with me even when the route is dark and the map is lost. Both my mother and father have always been there to emphatically support and gently critique, for which I'm so thankful.

Place

When living in Prague, I stopped making work a while and have never felt more disconnected from my creative self. Moving home happened quickly - my life changed drastically in a matter of 10 days. The whirlwind that sent me home ultimately sent me down the path of rediscovering the creative part of my being. Navigating the space of my heart still being in Prague, but my body in a very familiar home became a puzzle that I chose to figure out visually. So, really, I think that place of "in-between" was the most influential space in my creative journey. I had the familiarity of home to allow me to feel comfortable to create, but the emotion and experience from a life I left behind in Europe to draw on when learning how to make for myself again.

Object

I was always scared of ruining sketchbooks early on in my artistic career, thus, I rarely ever used one in my practice. Now my sketchbook provides an amazing place for growth and experimentation. It teaches me to not take my work so seriously. This is a lesson that has impacted not only my work, but my life. Now I am able to bring my sketchbook in public with me while traveling or just waiting - something I could have never imagined I'd do before. This practice adds another layer of enjoyment and curiosity within my every day. A lot of the work I make now exists in my sketchbook and no where else. I'm constantly thinking about the blank pages left and what I can do with them, making my sketchbook a never ending source of inspiration.

Julia Everett

Oil Painting Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

Can I have two and say my parents? They always inspired me to follow my dream. I loved drawing and painting as a child and always wanted to be an artist when I grew up. Looking back on my school reports my teachers reinforced this by saying that art was all I was interested in. My parents had lots of art books that I used to look at as a child and I was fascinated by the Impressionists and Pre Raphaelites. I am actually distantly related to John Everett Millais. My Mum had a large Turner sunset seascape print that fired my imagination and looking back it must have been a great influence on me. Even as a child I knew I wanted to go to art school. Growing up in the land locked Midlands I always wanted to be near the sea so I chose to go to college in Brighton to do my BA in Fine Art. I never could have done this without their encouragement and support.

Place

Hastings is a wonderful seaside town full of artists, writers and musicians and has the most amazing creative vibe. There's always something quirky and interesting going on from the Green Man Festival and Pirate Day to the Coastal Currents Art Event which showcases artists studios as well as staging exhibitions throughout the town open to all. So for me the inspiration and encouragement I find from living in Hastings has been the best thing to happen to my painting in years!

Object

A sponge! I paint with oil on canvas and often use the paint straight from the tube and mix it on the canvas with my fingers to get a blurry look. With my calm seascapes I like to blend the paint with a sponge to achieve a gradual ombre effect. I don’t draw or sketch before hand, I start work straight on to the canvas as I like to experiment with colour and paint to see what happens. With my more complex sunsets, I tend to layer the paint, starting with a first layer of neon acrylic which can shine though to give light to the picture. Then when that’s dry I build up the oil paint on top to give contrast and texture and blend it with a sponge to get the finished effect I want.

Abi Whitlock

Acrylic Painting Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

The person who has been the biggest inspiration for my work is probably the artist Alyssa Monks. She's an American oil painter who creates works that feature women in the shower or bath. The way she manages to capture the feeling of water on skin, slick, wet hair and misty steam on glass is truly incredible! Finding her work really made me want to refine and hone my own style and skills when it came to being able to create the look of water by using simply paint alone!

Place

The most memorable place that inspired my paintings is probably Northern Cyprus. Both my family and I used to travel there a lot during childhood summer holidays and would spend much of our time at the beach! Swimming underwater there as a young child felt so magical and nearly dream-like, especially considering that the sea was both warm and clear so it was very much like being cocooned in a secret, safe, watery dimension all by yourself where no one could come and get you. I really try to capture that same feeling in my work now. I do this by using vivid, almost otherworldly colours to recreate that sense of child-like wonder that being submerged sparks within you.

Object

An object that comes to mind that has inspired my love of colour and light is my sister's big bag of marbles that I used to play with all the time as a child. I have fond memories of tipping them onto the carpet, spending hours arranging them, and making complex patterns on the floor. I always used to love the way that the sunlight shone through the vibrantly coloured glass and stained the light into a spectrum of rainbow hues.

Amelia Josephine Lovell

Oil Painting Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

The most notable person that has inspired my work so far is my mother. Although a predictable answer, I would not be where I am today without her. Having believed at college that the arts would not lead to a successful career I moved towards A levels such as maths, physics, and history. It was after not achieving my desired results that my mum took me to our local art college. I lugged my huge fraying portfolio case (my notable object), which my late granddad gifted me, towards the unexpected administration team. They accepted me on the spot after a short interview with the tutor Jade. I was very apprehensive up until the first day of college when I began the best year of my life at Kingston Art and Design College (my notable place). I not only started my creative path there but I made lifelong friends that are constantly inspiring me, especially my best friend Sophie. I have my mother to thank for this and I will always be beyond grateful for her not giving up on me.

Place

Where I first started my artist career, Kingston Art and Design College.

Object

My huge fraying portfolio case was gifted to me by my late grandad, Jack Lovell. This portfolio case has come to every interview with me since I was 10 years old and is the most notable object that has inspired my work so far. As a now 24-year-old you can imagine the state of it. I believe that it brings me luck and it will always be a treasured item for me.

Zoe Hawk

Oil Painting, Gouache Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

Reading Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" when I was twelve had a profound effect on me and my life as an artist. Bronte's writing from the perspective of Jane— first as a fraught young girl, then as a young woman — and the powerful use of metaphor in her storytelling was deeply influential in how I approach narrative in my work. I believe that my early fascination with the settings, characters, and mood of her book can be evidenced in many of the choices I make in my paintings.

Place

In 2018 I had the opportunity to attend an artist residency at Cow House Studios in Ireland, and traveled around the country afterwards with my sisters. I was so captivated by the landscapes I encountered, that I've probably made more work based on Ireland than any other singular place I've visited. Anytime you see a mossy forest, a rocky landscape, a stone structure, a cliff, or the ocean in my paintings, it was most likely based on an Irish landscape.

Object

Perhaps it's not a singular object, but from a young age I've loved vintage clothing. My fascination likely began with some clothes from the 50s and 60s given to me and my sisters by a family friend to play dress-up with, and from looking at photographs of my mother in her youth wearing pretty dresses and her majorette uniforms. I now not only collect vintage clothes to use as a reference for my paintings, but also have a library of clothing catalogues from the 1940s through the 70s to use as inspiration for my characters.

Marita Wai

Cyanotype, Printmaking Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

Anna Atkins! She was the first woman to work with the cyanotype process shortly after its invention in 1842. She happened to be a family friend of John Herschel, who invented it. Anna Atkins was a botanist and used cyanotype to illustrate thousands of British plants. She is credited as the first person to produce a book with photographs. When I first came across her it was, everything fell into place for me. I love the historical aspect of this process and how it has been used as a way of teaching people more about the plants around us.

Place

This would be Hornby, the island of my childhood. It is an incredibly special place. It is a very small Gulf Islands on the West Coast of Canada, one of many but for some reason it has attracted quite a unique, creative population. Many of the inhabitants of the island are artists, ceramicists, jewelers or create something with their own hands. I think there is something really special about the process of making something with your hands. I’m trying to spend more and more time here. I find it incredibly inspiring. The pace of life is slow, the nearest supermarket two ferries away, not much to do on a friday night but watch the stars slowly populate the sky and it is a blissful contrast to London. Everywhere you go you are in nature surrounded by forest, sea or sky. Everywhere you look there is so much beauty.

Object

Flowers! It has to be flowers. They are my main inspiration. I base whole collections around just one flower. I grow them, usually as many varieties of one species as I can. I photograph them. I research their medicinal properties, their histories and then I print them- on repeat. Over and over until I feel I have captured their essence. If I have to choose just one flower, it would be the Morning Glory, Ipomoea. They have featured heavily in my work. I love their fleeting nature, the flowers only last a day so you need to be quick to catch their blooms before they fade. You need to be paying attention to nature to be rewarded.

Danny Folkman

Gouache Artist
Emerging artists on art inspiration

Person

I don't know if I could pick a single person, but overall, the rich history, architecture and landscapes of the US, particularly the West Coast, continue to be my biggest inspiration. I sound like a broken record now, but there's truly no place like Southern California. The quality of light here is unmatched anywhere I've ever been, and the landscape has anything and everything an artist could ask for - natural and manmade.

Place

Los Angeles, California. There is a certain magic in the air here that has never faded for me since I was first introduced to this place years ago. Perhaps part of that is because we've grown up seeing it in the movies, and so it quite literally feels like living in a movie set every day. But most of the people here are active in the arts in some capacity, and have come here to follow a dream, and that energy exists everywhere you go. It's also the most visually-stimulating place I've ever been, and as a painter, I think most of us are clearly visually-stimulated people. The palm-lined streets, distant hills, art deco and Spanish style architecture and those infamous SoCal sunsets are irresistible to paint.

Object

Object? That's a tough one. I'm not sure that you'd count it as an object, but the freeway is perhaps my greatest love. Not only do I find them visually compelling with their bold shapes and sharp edges, it's what they represent that I identify with the most- and that's the open road. Freedom, possibility, and exploration. What waits beyond the horizon to be discovered. I consider myself a wanderer by heart, and so I feel very much at home in my car, windows down, music blasting, on my way to who knows where. As long as it's not where I started. I don't want to imagine what might become of me if I didn't have a change of scenery every so often.
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