Lucas Wearne from Neighbourhood Studio
Lucas Wearne from Neighbourhood Studio, takes us through his design journey, showing us that although the life of an artist can be a tricky path to navigate, the creative rewards are bountiful and rich.
Photography: Amelia Stanwix, Shelley Horan & Georgia Blackie
‘It all just came together when I started sculpting, it was fun and exciting, it felt natural, like it was what I supposed to do,’ says Lucas Wearne. Photo: Amelia Stanwix
‘Success for me is simply having the time to be able to be act on my creative urges. Having a space, the means and a platform to share what I make feels really special,’ says Lucas Wearne. Photo: Courtesy of Neighbourhood Studio
‘What drives me is a feeling of excitement I get when I’m able to successfully translate a thought, feeling, or emotion (or a combination of them all) into something tangible, through sculpture - it's a thrill when it works,’ says Lucas Wearne. Photo: Amelia Stanwix
H&F: Hi Lucas, when did the idea first come about to start Neighbourhood Studio - was there a light bulb moment?
Lucas: The moment was probably when I shared an image of the first lamp I made. I was overwhelmed by how positive the response was which drove me to make a handful of other small functional pieces. Shortly after that first collection, I realised this was definitely something worth exploring, I decided to drop everything else and dive in head first!
However, this moment didn’t come out of the blue, it was a long and slow process to get that point. Where I was at that moment was a culmination of all the different things I had experimented with, with varying degrees of success, over the years. It all just came together when I started sculpting, it was fun and exciting, it felt natural, like it was what I supposed to do.
Do you have a disciplined studio routine and any rituals to help keep you focused?
Not necessarily, it’s pretty different everyday which keeps things interesting. I try to balance my time between making orders and working on something just for me or experimenting with new ideas. It can feel quite isolating being alone in the studio, generally I don't mind the solace, I find listening music or podcasts keeps me engaged.
If I’ve lost focus or I’m stuck creatively I'll just take a break from whatever I’m doing, I'll try to think about something else completely and come back to it later. I’ve only got a tiny work space so keeping things somewhat tidy and organised is important - cleaning the studio is another useful thing to do when in a creative rut.
As an designer/maker, what’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way?
Having my art practice as a business full-time for the past few years, I’ve found it can quickly become all consuming, particularly when it comes to keeping an audience engaged or trying to stay relevant in an ever changing consumer landscape. It’s important to have other things going on outside of my practise to keep things interesting and enjoyable for me.
Recently, I got a part-time job in a completely unrelated field as a way to ease some of the pressures, both mentally and financially, that come with being a full-time artist. So far I’ve found it really helpful to be able to take a step back, it forces me to think about something else for a while, which is a welcome relief. It’s added a bit more structure to my week and has allowed me to slow down and take a bit more time to focus on how and what I’d like to do creatively.
How do you define success?
Success for me is simply having the time to be able to be act on my creative urges. Having a space, the means and a platform to share what I make feels really special. Getting recognition and having people enjoy what I create, and even want to put the things I make in their homes is a bonus.
How would you describe your personal aesthetic - does it cross over in your work?
It’s something that’s always evolving, I feel like I appreciate a quite broad and sometimes contrasting range of styles and aesthetics across different eras and mediums.
All of these different influences definitely act as inspiration for my work however they don't necessarily manifest physically or literally in terms of a form or texture, they become more of a starting point, from which I can add my own personal language and style.
‘My personal aesthetic is something that’s always evolving – I feel like I appreciate a quite broad and sometimes contrasting range of styles and aesthetics across different eras and mediums.’ Photo: Courtesy of Neighbourhood Studio
‘If I’ve lost focus or I’m stuck creatively I'll just take a break from whatever I’m doing, I'll try to think about something else completely and come back to it later.’ Photo: Georgia Blackie
“I’m always inspired by the forms and compositions found in the natural landscape, they are functional and beautiful at the same time, which is something I also like to explore through my practice.”
‘I have a diverse range of influences, which at times present themselves in a bit of a mashup of styles.’ Photo: Shelley Horan
Pillar 05 by Neighbourhood Studio. Photo: Shelley Horan
Did you always think you’d be a designer?
Yeah, guess I’ve always been creative and somewhat of a designer or maker, it can probably be traced all the way to back to constructing things out of wooden blocks as a child. Across the journey that creative itch has taken on many forms, and it certainly wasn’t a straight line between building blocks and becoming a sculptor. Looking back, it does feel like there was a certain air of inevitability to it.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I have a diverse range of influences, which at times present themselves in a bit of a mashup of styles. Forms and textures are often modelled on nature, the human form, or the built environment. They are then sort of broken down, fragmented and melded back together.
There’s elements of cubist and expressionist paintings (Picasso, Matisse) - with fragmented, geometric and abstracted figures. The ornamental motifs of the baroque and rococo periods (furniture and architecture) with sweeping curves, asymmetry and intricate details and textures. Brutalist and modernist architecture (Le Corbusier, Oscar Niemeyer) even some Bauhaus squeezed in there for good measure.
My background in landscape architecture has given me a strong understanding of how the treatment and arrangement of form and space can be used to influence behaviour and emotion which I try to experiment with through my sculptures.
Do you remember some of your earlier pieces - how has your work evolved throughout time?
I think I felt a bit more of a sense of freedom when I first started, at least in terms of how I made a piece. Coming in to the medium fresh, I honestly didn’t really know what I was doing, or have any real expectations about what purpose it should serve or who it should be for.
My early work was probably a bit simpler and not as coherent as it is today. I do still feel a creative freedom when it comes to making works now, however, as my practise and skills as a sculptor have progressed I find things take bit longer, as I take a bit more of a considered approach to creating each piece. I think (hope) my work has developed to a stage where there are constant enough themes, motifs and design cues that make each piece recognisably a work of Neighbourhood Studio.
Is this your dream job?
Yes, and no. I feel extremely fortunate to be able to call this a job, for the most part it has been a really enjoyable and rewarding experience. When you can make an income from what you enjoy doing it doesn't really feel like work.
However, a lot of extra challenges arise when you take a hobby or passion and turn it into a job. It can be a difficult to find the balance necessary between keeping the passion and joy of working creatively and making it financially viable. This is something I still wrestle with from time to time, and I don’t always get right, but I’m still very grateful for the position I’m in and that I get the opportunity to try!
What is a dream you would still like to fulfil as an artist?
When I first started Neighbourhood Studio, I did set a few goals, like being represented by a gallery, or being recognised by certain peers etc. I was fortunate enough for those things to become a reality quite early on - and even some that I wouldn’t have ever even dreamt of - like getting an invitation to collaborate with the NGV for The Picasso Century exhibition.
From there I’ve really just taken things as they come and that’s served me pretty well up to this point. I’m continually surprised by the interest in my work and the opportunities that get sent my way. Perhaps in the future collaborating with a few artists I admire would be nice. Or just having a bigger studio and being able to keep doing what I’m doing and developing as an artist along the way.
What’s in store for you for the remainder of this year?
A couple of group shows and a beach holiday!