BETH CARRIAGA
In their art Beth excavates the tender anatomies of landscape where magic pulses beneath moth wings and mortality whispers through flower stems. Their paintings are not mere representations, but intimate cartographies of entanglement: the trembling negotiations between human perception and more-than-human worlds.
In their work, the countryside erupts as a dreamlike playground—a luminous stage desire trembles like dew, where death seeps through petals and leaves, where nature performs its wild, untamed dance of becoming.
Below you can read their insights into the ‘Painting from Children’s Art’ workshop series.
© 2024 Beth Carriaga, made during the 'Painting from Children’s Art’ workshop block
THE INTERVIEW
What inspired you to join these workshops as
the visiting artist, and what were your expectations beforehand?
Lucy’s work is what inspired me to join the workshops, so I was excited to be a part of them. I think the way they use colour side by side is really wonderful, and I wanted to know more about their practice and how they laid paint down. I also wanted to look deeper into children’s painting, as I find them quite joyful to look at.
© 2024 Beth Carriaga
How did these workshops contribute to your
artistic growth and development?
These workshops were fantastic in allowing us as a team taking the workshops to be guided by paintings we were excited by. I honestly did not know much about composition and colour theory and the workshop introduction was super helpful in introducing me. They allowed me to be more confident in watercolour to let the paint slip and slide throughout the page, without feeling I had to control it too much.
© 2024 Beth Carriaga
Can you share any specific skills or techniques you learned during the workshops that you found particularly valuable?
I found Lucy’s technique of blotting watercolour with tissue really helpful as they allowed different textures to emerge on the page, and to dull colours I found too bright down.
Did the workshops provide a supportive and engaging environment for learning and creativity? If so, how?
Lucy’s encouragement throughout the workshop provided support and it was fun to share what we were making, as well as getting advice. It felt very relaxed and lovely as everyone was committed to the work they were doing.
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© 2024 Beth Carriaga
What aspects of the workshops did you find
most enjoyable and rewarding?
I think the accessibility of the workshops was great. I couldn’t attend two of them the whole way through and Lucy provided a recording of it, which was fab to look through in my own time and pace.
In what ways did the workshops help you
overcome any creative challenges or obstacles you were facing?
I think I definitely get stuck on filling in a page. I think backgrounds are very tricky. But through conversations, flicking through previous children’s works, and especially the workshop on different brushstrokes, I felt more secure in coming up with background ideas.
How has your perspective or approach to your
art practice changed as a result of participating in these workshops?
I think the setup of a morning 11am-1pm session was perfect, and I feel encouraged to start days with a little watercolour.
Did you find the workshop content relevant
and applicable to your artistic goals and interests?
For sure. I love the delicacy of watercolour, and the vivacity of children’s paintings. It was great to see such playfulness in their work, and to be able to talk about it with other people on the course as well as Lucy.
© 2024 Beth Carriaga