Ivy Laughton

"My art is influenced by the representation of the female form."

Ivy is certainly a multi-passionate and multi-talented. If you remember reading her interview in CP magazine in 2015, we were only aware of her different talents like; model, singer, a registered nurse, and a photographer. We have been following Ivy and realised that she is also a self-taught artist. We really loved her work and once again reached out to her to know about her passion for painting.

We are sure, you will love her work as much as we do. You can even buy her art or support by following her on her social media platforms.

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi there! It’s me again, Ivy. I’m happy and thankful to be featured in City Pages for the second time after seven years. I’m here to share about some new things that I’ve been working on. Recently, I've started making art which honestly took everyone by surprise including myself because it’s so different from what I usually do. This was completely unexpected to say the least. But this is me. In a nutshell, I’m someone who gets excited experimenting and doing new projects.

Tell us about your education.

I'm a nurse by profession and I've worked in the hospital back in the Philippines. When I came to Kuwait, I was a dental nurse for two years and the last nursing job I did was at Kuwait English School as a school nurse. For art, I'm self-taught. When people ask me, I tell them I went to YouTube University because that's literally where I learned everything. Jokes aside, I would love to have some formal training one day.

How and when did you discover your love for art?

I started at the age of about 11 or 12, like every other child, painting with watercolours. I only did it sporadically whenever the mood strikes. In 2004, I took it up again. I did a series of charcoal nudes and chalk on black paper. It was mainly for relaxation, something I did after work or on weekends. Life got in the way and I eventually stopped. Never in a million years would I have imagined doing it again as my full time work, for now anyway.

You came back to painting after a long time. What incident or what made you come back to painting?

After I left nursing. I was into photography taking family portraits for a few years. Whilst I still love the camera, my interest has changed in terms of the subject I want to photograph. Since I'm still trying to figure out which direction I want to go, it has left a void career-wise. To fill my time, I started painting watercolours on a whim then one thing led to another.

How would you best describe your style of art?

My art is influenced by the representation of the female form. I want to capture its beauty and sensuality. I love the sublime feminine because it is both powerful and delicate at the same time.

Where do you take inspiration for your work?

I get inspiration from everywhere. From films I've watched, from other artists, from photos that catch my attention.

What is your favorite medium for producing your art?

I’ve tried different mediums such as watercolours and acrylic. At the moment, my favourites are oil and charcoal.

Can you describe your studio?

My studio is fairly small. I've pretty much just converted my office where I used to edit photos to where I do my art now. Another section of the room is a sound proof booth where I record my music covers.

What artistic process goes into creating your work? Can you take us through your process from concept to final work?

I don't have a fixed process yet because my style is still evolving. That said, I find myself moving towards abstract combined with

realism. Currently, I'm also having fun doing charcoal, which happens to be my first love.

What are some of your biggest achievements so far?

I once modeled for a jewelry collection and my photos were on a massive billboard at the Avenues Mall for a month. I was also on another billboard at the fifth ring road and at the airport wearing watches. It was such a surreal experience.

How do you overcome creative blocks?

I take a break if I have to. I have other hobbies so I guess that helps. When I'm relaxed, I suddenly find myself thinking of new ideas and I regain my inspiration and motivation.

What message do you like to convey through your work?

Art can be used to convey all kinds of messages whether it's political, religious, social or personal issues but I'd like to focus on the bright side of things. I don't like anything that feels and looks depressing, I really try to stay away from them as much as I can. There's so much beauty around us and I'm hoping I can bring a little bit of sunshine to somebody through my art.

What are you currently working on?

I'm doing figurative charcoal drawings for international customers and I alternate painting with oil.

What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?

To keep going in the face of rejection. I'm emotionally attached to my art but I've learned not to take things personally. To be able to separate the two I think is half the battle won. Even though I'm relentless in the pursuit of my dreams, at the same time I'm quite chill in the way I approach it as a business. It may

sound too idealistic but I'm genuinely very trusting that everything will work out fine.

How and where do you sell your work? Do you also take commissioned work?

For now, through my personal social media accounts. I will be uploading them to a separate account soon. I've also submitted my work to online galleries abroad. Later on, I'm planning to display my work in art exhibitions and cafes. As soon as I have enough body of work, I might consider accepting commissioned work in the future.

What are some of your other hobbies?

I absolutely love singing. To keep my sanity during the pandemic, I recorded and uploaded music covers on Youtube. My channel is Ivy Laughton, go ahead and check it out. Let me know which songs you like. Lastly, I've taken up Shidokan Karate and Filipino Martial Arts for my fitness exercise.

Your favorite quote?

March to the beat of your own drum.

Your message for our readers.

Keep your curiosity alive. It leads to discovering your dreams you never knew existed.

Your message for us at CP magazine.

Thank you for having me again. What you're doing for the community is very much appreciated. Know that you're making a difference.