Erin’s upstairs studio at The Mill has such a lovely view!
Painting runs in the family for resident artist, Erin Renfrey. Her artistic journey began in the shed of her backyard. Erin grew up with a strong artistic influence from her Dad who specialises in fantasy oil paintings.
Completing her Creative Arts degree in 2023 at Flinders University prepared her for the field of becoming an independent artist.
“We had really good mentors, people that were strong in the industry so it kind of proved that it could be a job, which was awesome!” she says.
Erin’s artworks traverse you into another world — a cosy, whimsical daydream. They often feature wholesome characters, ranging from all kinds of objects or animals that exist in fantastical scenarios;
carrots tapping away on laptops, houses made out of fruits and biscuits adorning crowns. Her own personal favourite is a series she created for the four horsemen, to which she chose to focus on famine.
“It’s this big like gnarly carrot riding a skeleton chicken, and that is the best thing I’ve ever made,” she says.
For Erin, art is self expression. Her artistic inspirations stem from books, music and the natural world. A usual day in the studio at The Mill looks like an early start, a cup of tea while she tackles her long to do list – with the aim to take breaks (if she remembers!) When entering ‘the zone’ to create, Erin listens to classical music.
“Sometimes orchestral stuff. A nice sort of ambient noise that your brain doesn’t have to focus on too much,” she says. When asked, who would be a dream client to have her artwork in their house, Erin answered Mark Ryden. “He’s kind of the Godfather of pop surrealism and low brow works.”
Erin appreciates the space The Mill offers, being surrounded by other artists. “It’s been good to have more folks around, it was very lonely in my shed!” She laughs, highlighting that being in this space keeps her on track and assists in combating every artist’s nemesis (procrastination).
Her artistic process has shifted since coming to The Mill. Initially, she was firm in her decision to only paint with watercolour on paper. However, she has now started dabbling in acrylics and oils, experimenting with watercolour on panels, too.
Words and photos: Indigo James