Lucy Brydon is a mixed media artist living in the North-East of Scotland. Her work combines printmaking, watercolor and gouache, which reflect her love of nature, layers, texture and storytelling. Shs is mainly influenced by Scottish Folklore, children's book illustrations and the natural world. She has published a variety of online courses and taught in Lifebook, Let's Face it and Paint Your Heart & Soul, previous Art is Magic courses,  as well as other collaborative online courses. She has a monthly online art club: The Art Lab Association, which teaches students a variety of watercolor and gouache techniques. As well as this she also co-hosts "The Celtic Collective", a monthly art club devoted to fantasy, fairy and folklore art with her friend Karen Campbell. Karen and Lucy also co-host a podcast called "1 Scot 1 Not" in which they talk about Scottish myths, magic, ghosts and history. Once a year, they host a week long art retreat in a Scottish castle!
Her work has been exhibited in many galleries such as The Inverarity Gallery and Zenwalls, and is sold worldwide online and through the Auctions with Stephanie Gagos events on Facebook.

What does Art is Magic mean to you?

Art IS magic! It creates beauty out of just a few supplies and some paper (or even just leaves or stones if you create land art) It can take you out of your thoughts, transport you to another world and your imagination - whether you are creating it or looking at it. Our world would be a much more stressful and less beautiful if it weren’t for art in it.

Why do you create art?

I create art simply because I must, I am called to it. I am so grateful to have this love as it fulfills me, it encourages me to look at things more carefully in nature. It grounds me and calms me.

Tell us about your journey to become an artist?

I have always created art of one form or another as long as I can remember. I recall being a young child and drawing pictures when I got home from school. I applied for art school when I was a teenager and spent one year doing a foundation course, but did not get into the main programme (it was super competitive here in Scotland as there are only four art schools across the whole country) and kind of lost my way for a while. I ended up doing art history at University but while there discovered beadwork and making jewelry, so when I finished University I traveled throughout Europe for several years, making jewelry and selling it at markets. Later, I because a primary school art specialist teacher and did that job for nearly 15 years - which brought me back to art in the form of painting and mixed media. I finally took the plunge to go self employed 4 years ago and haven’t looked back since! I feel so honored to be able to create art for a living - what a dream life!

Tell us about your journey to claim the title artist?

Oh this is one that I still feel funny about when people ask what I do for a living and say “I am an artist” - my inner imposter syndrome still appears! But it’s the truth - right? I am!

What is it about making art that stirs your soul?

I love how it makes me look more closely at the world, both real and imagined (I like to walk through forests imagining sprites and fairies, forest beings hidden amongst the trees). When I see a piece of art that I love it makes me feel the beauty of the world, and brings me into the world that the artist created by painting it.

What is currently inspiring you?

Fairies! Magical beings! Folklore! I am absolutely obsessed at the moment with folklore, especially that of my own country, Scotland. The magical beings that inhabit our world, hidden along side us! The work of artists such as Brian Froud and Iris Compiet.

What does your creative Practice look like?
I like to create what inspires me, and researching the background symbols in folklore or plant magic in order to instill some of that into my work is so inspiring. I paint most days, alongside some woodland walks with my dog, planting in my garden if it's the season to, and drinking tea and listening to podcasts. My days are quiet and peaceful and simple and that’s the way I like it.

How do you keep your creative practice fresh and inspired?

By reading, going outside, getting inspiration from out-with other art I see online (which is also a good source of inspiration but shouldn't be your only source). Learning about folktales and magical stories that can be inspirations for my work.

What sort of creative walls do you hit?
I usually get a burn out around Christmas/January time. For the next few months I work at a slower pace. I am learning to embrace that that is a natural cycle of hibernation and resetting and to listen to my body when I want to curl up and watch tv or read instead of work. Usually something will spark me back into a creative surge so letting that happen naturally rather than just trying to force it.

What do you do to move through them?

I shift gears and learn something new. Try a new technique or medium. Watch some other teachers' videos to get inspired. Learn something new by reading or going to visit some new locations that will spark a new interest.

How has your process evolved?

It keeps changing! I used to do jewelry, then a lot of collage and mixed media, and then a lot of Gelli printing. I now do mainly watercolor and gouache. Keeping it fresh is a way of not gettingstuck.

What do you wish you had known at the beginning of your creative journey?

That it's ok not to always be making new things to satisfy social media. That it’s ok to not always produce “finished” pieces for public consumption. That it’s ok to take a break! Don’t be too hard on yourself especially when trying a new technique or medium as you need to repeat that action over and over to get any sort of feeling of competency in it. Don’t judge yourself next to your teachers, other people online or great artists through history.

Do you have any creative rituals?

I like to put on a good podcast, tidy up my art supplies and make a cup of tea (or coffee!) Go out for regular walks to clear my mind too! If I am super stuck I will swatch colors of my watercolors or just doodle with them.