The Wildflower Press
Tessa Wilson from The Wildflower Press invites us into her space and shares how she stays inspired and the amazing work she did last year to raise money for the Australian bush fires.
Hello, who are you?
My name is Tessa Wilson and I am a 23-year-old freelance artist and graphic designer! I was not born in Florida but grew up here and have a fierce affinity for the beach! I love a good nature walk and am easily convinced to go out for dessert, coffee and other yummy treats. I am married and have a rescue cat named Flynn.
Tell us about your illustrations, what inspires your work?
My illustrations are often described by others as whimsical. I really love capturing what makes something colourful and love offering a new perspective on something that others may have seen many times. Florida’s wildlife is something that is very inspiring to me, so I can often be found sketching the things I see on nature trails as well as in my backyard! I also find a lot of inspiration from textiles and patterns.
My process for creating a piece of artwork stems from experiences and observations that I have throughout my day or even in my dreams! After I get a vague idea of a new piece, I gather visual references, colours and other imagery that I want to include.
What is your process of creating? Do you always plan your pieces before you begin, or do you often just let your imagination flow?
There is a bit of planning when the start of a new piece is happening, however, as I work on the new project new ideas form as well as some problem solving. You want your artwork to have depth as well as composition which are two things I work on establishing throughout the entire process.
Describe your workspace for us. Where does all the creativity happen?
When it comes to my workspace, it has to be clean! If it’s messy, then my mind feels all cluttered and I am unable to focus. Granted, my studio is in a shared space with our guest bedroom but we make it work! I have my vision board hanging up right by my desk and surround myself with words and other artworks that immediately make me want to sit and paint. It’s all about creating a space that enables you to create.
What does the average day look like for you?
Currently, art is not my full-time job. I work 40–45 hours a week at a local bakery in the downtown area of St. Petersburg, Florida. It has been such a blessing to be able to use my creative juices in other ways than just paint to paper. I have met so many people through that job which is a means of networking! I usually fill my days off with dedicated time spent in my studio working on commissions and coming up with new ideas for prints.
Can you tell us a bit about the prints you created and the wonderful work you did to help raise proceeds for the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund?
The Australian wild fires feels like a lifetime ago! When that was taking place early January of 2020, the news coverage that we were all witnessing left the feeling so helpless. I wanted to use my talents to create some sort of relief to a place I couldn’t afford to book a plane ticket to! That’s when I got the idea of selling prints to help raise money for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. I raised $2,610 that all went to the Red Cross donation for the Australian firefighters being called to action. I could not believe that my little shop was able to help in such a monumental way and it was truly so humbling and so encouraging! Everything was printed and packaged from the tiny room I was living out of at the time and I am so thankful for everyone that donated!
St. Petersburg, Florida
