Monique Tyacke

Beaches COVERED. have been huge fans of Brookvale based artist, Monique Tyacke, for a long time. We are beyond pumped to feature her on our Summer cover. Her punchy, high-impact work in acrylic fl ows like multi-coloured lava breathing life to any space.

Your colourful style is unique, unlike anything I have seen before.

How did it develop? I’ve always been really into graphic art. My style started to develop many, many years ago when I was playing around with my photos on my Mac. These days, I have my process down to a  ne art. I start each artwork on the computer manipulating my own photographs, and I create something that I would want to paint onto the canvas. I then draw the outline onto canvas and use acrylic paint to  ll in the colours. I love experimenting with unusual colour combinations and usually work across quite a few paintings at any one time. Over the years, my style has stayed the same, but my colour contrast and the scale of my works have changed quite a bit. I really love painting large scale works; my shapes are more  uid and the overall feel is so much grander.

Your Brookvale light drenched studio is full of laughter and sunshine. How important is your creative space?

My creativity has been exploding for the last four years because my studio is now outside my home. Before that, I was painting small, struggling with light at different times of the day and  nding excuses to potter around the studio. My current space in Brookvale is just right for creative energy. I share it with another painter and our dogs. We open all the doors and windows, turn on music, and let our creativity  ow freely throughout the day. We laugh a hell of a lot! It’s such a happy place to paint in - so much so that I never want to leave at the end of each day. Having my studio away from home has also made me appreciate it more. I set painting hours each day unless there’s a tight deadline looming.

You have painted your way around the globe. What is it about a scene that makes you grab for your brushes?

I travel with all my photography equipment, which includes my DSLR, GoPro and AxisGo. I take thousands of photos and videos. Then I review them every night in my hotel room. I choose the ones I like and save them to speci c Dropbox folders. Scenes with interesting shapes interest me. I  nd inspiration everywhere, from rock walls in The Narrows of Zion National Park to rugged coasts on Hawaiian islands, to colourful buildings along the Cinque Terre. Even a view from a plane window can give me a different perspective on scenery.

I’ve never seen a work space more beautifully ordered and organised than your materials table. How much of your personality is re ected in your work?

That’s so funny because I think my studio is the only place I’m organised. My paint table is a bit OCD. I know where every colour is at any time. It really helps to have them all laid out in colour groups and ready to go. I think I paint the same way. My process and paintings are very ordered from start to  nish. Unless I change the colours dramatically as I go, I can usually tell what each painting will end up looking like, even before I’ve started painting.

A piece of art can change the mood of a room. What do you hope your paintings will bring to a space?

The current trends in Sydney are quite neutral in people’s homes. Everyone seems to want a space that’s calm and looks like something from a design magazine. I love all those neutrals, but I want to walk into a room and see amazing colourful art on the walls, a fantastic sculpture or unusual piece of furniture. My paintings are big, bold and colourful. They make you feel good. Each painting brings a sense of fun, joy and vitality of a place imagined or once visited.

How can readers get their hands on an original Monique Tyacke painting?

You can pop in to view available works in my studio. Just knock on the door between 10-2 M-F or call me to make an appointment any other time. My website has most of my current paintings on it as well. Sneak peaks are often seen on my Instagram and Facebook pages too. Send me a message if something catches your eye.

Tell us about your Summer gallery

openings? My studio and gallery space will be open for viewings to the public on both Saturday 28th January and Saturday 4th February, 2023. Pop in between 9am to 4pm to buy original art or ask about commission work.

Thanks Mon. We can’t wait to see where your abundant creativity takes you next! •

4/275 HARBORD ROAD, BROOKVALE // 0432 310 100 MON@MONIQUETYACKE.COM // INSTA: @MONIQUETYACKEARTIST moniquetyacke.com