Collection: Zena Blackwell

Whimsical AF

My work has been described as whimsical and eye-popping and is fundamentally about childhood.  I’ve always painted but it was only after having two children in my 30s, and leaving London after nearly 20 years, that I feel I truly became a painter. Having my time and energy drained from me somehow enabled me to totally embrace the medium. I guess silly things like confidence and listening to other people held me back in the past….I mainly use photos of my kids as a starting point (but don’t consider them portraits) and my process is really quite organic - I never plan any of my paintings (planning totally bores me!). My proudest moment was coming 1st in the Cardiff MADE Summer Open a few months after I started painting properly.

"Fun fact: Together with my best mate, I co-founded an underground live music and party night for 10 years in London (pre-kids) where acts such as CharlieXCX, bloc party, The xx, Grimes and The Killers did some of their first gigs.  The name of it was a big swear."