Artist Spotlight: Anupa Gardner Peoples Choice Award Winner

Thank you! 🙂 I was really surprised and so happy. As an artist, you submit your work so many times, and often nothing comes of it. This felt like a little bit of validation from the universe. The application process was also simple and easy, which made it even better.

2. Tell us about the work you submitted for Flourish 2025:

My inspiration usually comes from being fully present in a particular moment, place, or feeling. Summer Bright and Brimming were inspired by a quiet pond in the community garden where my husband and I have a small plot. The garden is a vibrant, shared space, cared for by many people and shaped by many stories. In a city with few green spaces, it offers a place to slow down, connect, and enjoy nature together.

Keeper of Plants is essentially a self-portrait. It reflects my role as the person who looks after the plants in the home I share with my partner and our cat. I’ve always wanted a Monstera plant, but our flat is too small for one!

3. What techniques and materials did you use in your submission?

All three pieces I submitted for Flourish 2025 are reduction woodcuts. I enjoy working with the reduction printing process because it lets me build an image gradually and intuitively. Instead of following a fixed plan, I respond to each layer, colour, and stage of the print as it develops. The image grows naturally into something of its own while staying connected to the original idea.

The biggest challenge is that the process is always a risk. Once you carve away part of the block, you can’t go back, so not every risk pays off.

4. Your work has a distinctive style, how would you describe it?

I would like to be more painterly in my approach to printmaking. I suppose that’s where my style comes from.

Earlier in my practice, I focused a lot on composition and structure. Over time, I’ve become more relaxed and intuitive, giving myself space to make mistakes and welcome unexpected results. This change has also given me the confidence to work on a larger scale.

Colour has always been important in my work, but I’ve only recently started exploring its full potential in my printmaking. As my process has become looser, I’ve become more confident in using colour and layering. I’ve learned to trust my instincts and take more risks.

One of my favourite parts of the process is the unexpected surprises along the way. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don’t, but I’ve come to accept that as part of making art and simply keep going.

5. What draws you to printmaking as a medium?

I enjoy the tactile nature of the process and the physical connection I have with the material. I like the fact that I can feel the block as I am carving the wood. For me, printmaking is a meditative practice that encourages me to slow down, allow for mistakes, and become fully immersed in the process. The repetitive and labour-intensive act of carving feels cathartic, and I appreciate the time it gives me to reflect and process ideas.

6. Can you walk us through your creative process?

I’m usually inspired by a particular moment or place that stays with me. I spend time taking in that feeling, then I might make some sketches or take photographs. From there, I create a loose oil pastel drawing. I like working with oil pastels because they help me draw more freely and intuitively.

I then simplify the drawing into basic shapes and lines that can be transferred onto my woodblock. That’s when the carving begins. I try to carve with the same freedom and energy that I have when I’m drawing with oil pastels, so the finished print keeps that sense of movement and spontaneity while still holding on to the feeling that first inspired it.

7. What themes or stories do you explore in your work?

I think my work has a celebratory feel. I’m often drawn to shared spaces in nature and the sense of connection they create. Dancing figures are another recurring theme in my work, as they express joy, movement, and togetherness.

8. How do you stay inspired and motivated in your practice?

I often feel a bit lost when I finish a project, and I sometimes struggle to keep the momentum going between projects. I’ve learned to listen to my body. Sometimes I don’t feel like making anything, and that’s okay. It’s important to give yourself time and space. Taking that break helps me recharge, notice things again, and eventually feel inspired to create.

9. What advice would you give to other or emerging printmakers?

Be persistent. There will be setbacks, rejections, and moments when things don’t go as planned, but keep going. Continue making work, applying for opportunities, and trusting that each piece helps you grow.

Most importantly, find your own voice. Stay curious, experiment, and create work that feels true to you.

10. Finally, how has being shortlisted for Flourish 2025 impacted your practice so far?

I feel like I have gained more confidence in my own abilities and trust in the work I create. It feels wonderful to have my work recognised and validated. It has encouraged me to be more ambitious and to challenge myself more with the projects I take on.