Kris Estreich

Mixed media artist Kris has been adventuring & experimenting with creativity her whole life.

She has been a traveller, a teacher, an accidental clothing designer, and a carer. But first and foremost, an artist.

Her work is quirky and playful. She loves to utilise a varied assortment of objects and materials that often surprise the viewer.

Kris’ vibrant use of colour, strong textures, and the small scale of many of her works adds to their whimsical quality.  

My creative space is…

definitely a mess. There is nothing zen-like about it. I have a studio downstairs which really suits me. It is a lot cooler than upstairs, so it is a great space to work in during summer. When I am making handmade papers or undertaking the rusting process on fabrics or papers I set up shop in the backyard and work there as it is a wet and sloppy process. If I want to work with hot wax (encaustic) I require a well ventilated area, so on those days I move operations out onto the back deck. In winter or at night I often sit upstairs in my lounge room with a project and work there too.

Inspiration for my art comes from…

multiple sources. The raw materials are often a starting point; a crooked branch, some tattered cloth, rusted paper, or a miniature toy. Nature, books, ideas, myths and feelings can trigger an idea. An environmental issue may elicit a response in me. When I am working towards an exhibition I have a theme so I am doing extra research. I find this broadens my focus and offers even more inspiration.  

The last piece I created is…

an experimental work using chicken wire and textiles. However,  I usually work on multiple pieces simultaneously. With collage & assemblage, I need to lay them out and wait to find the right item to complete the work. I am always trying out different combinations of objects or textural surfaces. Sometimes they sit around for a while before the right piece finds its place in the artwork.

My favourite tool for creating is…

pens, papers and paint because they are easy and quick to use.

The reason I became an artist…

It seems to me that I have always had a creative urge. Perhaps this quality came from my childhood, where there were very few toys. To create fun and play we had to use our imagination. Tomato stakes became horses, cardboard boxes were castles, a saucepan and a wooden spoon became a drum. One game I used to love to play was called ‘ fish and chips’. Pegs were wrapped in newspaper and weighed on the kitchen scales, then sold to a sibling for a few pebbles. In later years, I have found that making art has really helped me process feelings and deal with the challenges of life.

My art has taught me…

to be grateful for it. I have come across people who have no interests apart from TV, work or shopping. Making art is generally a solitary process; it is like meditation and can be therapeutic and healing. I love looking at art. I’m uplifted by works that seems to touch the soul and bypass words. Art adds depth to one's experience of life. It is a pathway to discover beauty and wonder in life as well as being thought provoking and an avenue through which to engage your senses in unusual ways.    

My biggest artistic challenge is…

promoting myself and getting my art out into the marketplace.

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