“I find the beach a spiritual and healing place”: Lauren Esplin

Tyger Gallery’s exciting Summer Showcase features the brilliant work of Lauren Esplin.

When life is hard it can feel small and constricting, with no room to move and precious little space or air to breathe. That sensation is why we talk about feeling like the walls are closing in around you.

But can you remember where you last felt the opposite of that set of feelings? Where you felt a world of space, with ample room to move, fresh air to breathe deep into your lungs, and nothing between you and nature around you?

Lauren Esplin’s beautiful paintings may feature abstracted ocean views and sun-kissed beach lovers, but what they capture is something else entirely - a sea breeze to blow out the cobwebs, waves to wash away your troubles, and that glorious and breathtaking feeling of awe as you stand before a wild and vast ocean.

Lauren is one of the amazing artists featured in Tyger’s Summer Showcase, bringing a touch of the beach to country New South Wales.

Her distinctive style is the marriage of two elements. The first is an emotional response to the coastal environment communicated in a sumptuous colour palette and free brushstrokes. These items combine to form an abstracted backdrop charged with feeling.

On top of this she carefully overlays detailed figures representing some recognisable aspect of coastal life that capture a moment and a feeling.

“I am inspired by coastal environments and my experience of them. The way they make me feel. The way I remember my experiences in or by the ocean,” she says.

“I find the beach a spiritual and healing place. After facing large setbacks and disappointments in my life I have often been drawn to the ocean to literally wash away my problems and cleanse myself.”

“There is something beautiful about being faced with our insignificance in terms of our size compared to the sea. We are a drop in the ocean. We live in a hyper fast and increasingly built worlds and yet many escape to nature for their weekends or holidays. My belief is that many do this to heal. Our connection with nature is something we need to protect, even if only for selfish reasons.”

Lauren works from her home studio in Sydney’s Northern Beaches - a light-filled space with concrete floors and recycled furniture.

You’ll often find her painting while wearing over-ear headphones, deeply immersed in music as she creates her ocean scenes.

“ I am always listening to the same playlist,” she says.

“It is Joy Crooks radio on Spotify. It features mainly a collection of female artists whose songs are beautifully poetic and incredibly emotionally charged. Their music helps me tap into my own emotions.”

“The fact that I listen to the same playlist means I know all the songs really well so I am not distracted by them. They have just become part of my practise.”

In addition to being highly sought-after, Lauren’s work is immediately recognisable. A distinctive colour palette, that abstracted ocean, and those sharply defined beachgoers. It’s a clear vision expertly translated onto canvas.

“For years I experimented with different styles, trying to find something that felt natural and interesting for me. My style emerged naturally through that experimentation and persistence and has been refined as I progress,” she says.

“Of late, I’ve noticed my abstract landscapes becoming more abstracted and my detailed figures more exact. In saying this, I think it is important to note that I paint all my figures freehand. I don’t sketch them or use a grid, which gives them a freedom and authenticity. I feel the figures would look stiff and calculated, and the connection with the background would be lost otherwise.”

Lauren has three works available at Tyger as part of Summer Showcase - Paradise, Summer Sun, and The Lookout - and they are absolutely stunning examples of her lovely work.

She says she hopes the paintings help people get in touch with the feelings they have with the sun on their back, the wind in their hair and gentle waves washing over their feet.

“I hope my art sparks an emotion in viewers. That it taps into their own memories of times by the sea. Whether it be surrendering to the sun's warmth or wading waist deep through waters.”

“There is a reason we flee to the sea for our weekends and holidays. It is both a healing and contemplative environment and a joyful place, and it’s this feeling I want to bring into our homes.”

Summer Showcase runs until 3 January at Tyger.

Don’t forget we’ve got extended opening hours this December! From this week we’re open Thursdays 12-4, in addition to our normal Friday to Sunday 10-4 opening hours.

We’ll also be open for Yass’ Christmas Late Night Shopping evenings on 14 and 21 December.