Originally from Indiana, United States, Lucy Mim has called Newcastle home since 2011 and is now one of our top up-and-coming locally based artists. Working with SMAC Studio’s Creative Director, Tyler Dan, Lucy Mim recently hosted her very first solo exhibition for Novocastrians to experience her work.

Opening night for CEREMONY at SMAC Studio was on Friday the 25^th of March. The solo exhibition is a celebration of all the experiences and moments that make up life.

“The real love story was always you. It was how you walked alone, learned what you needed to carry, and the experiences along the way. Ceremony is a collection of works celebrating the unknown, near perfect moments, family and becoming.

“These paintings are sparked by something seen, a memory or a joyful yet even difficult event that required resilience. Portrayed by lines, shapes, and colour, Ceremony is about celebrating and living. It’s about the little moments that provide energy and make you feel most inspired.”

We recently sat down with Miriam Karwath of Lucy Mim to hear all about her creative journey and how Ceremony came to be.

A natural-born artist, right from the very beginning, Miriam has always sought out creative outlets throughout her life, whether it be visiting art galleries and museums, collecting art, or dabbling in her own projects, art has always been a constant.

It wasn’t until 2018 following a painting class that Miriam had her spark for her re-lit and the creative senses running in overdrive.

“I finished that workshop and went straight to Eckersley’s to buy some paints. I think I ended up in there almost every weekend to begin with.”

Quickly finding her own unique style and approach to painting, Miriam builds the artwork layer upon layer with gestural strokes and fields of colour. Each piece begins with an emotion, experience, or event, with Miriam sitting with that feeling until it evolves into an image that celebrates the original core theme.

Whether the piece depicts a positive or negative experience, the final product always evokes Miriam’s signature sense of calm and flow with her colourful and abstract work.

Walking around her studio, she shares the stories behind each piece, one in particular, The Rock Pools has strong sentimental value for Miriam…

“I think of an experience or a memory and that’s what I paint. For instance, this one, I was on my first date with my current partner, and I was so nervous. I had a glass of French rose before he arrived. By the time he got there, he asked me what I wanted to drink, and I said fridge rose, I was so embarrassed, but it broke the ice.

“After that date, I was so happy and we’re still together. So, under this piece, I actually painted a rose underneath and drank rose whilst I painted it.”

With a name as divine as Miriam Karwath, I had to ask the question, why Lucy Mim?

“I had a dog at the time when I started painting, her name was Lucy and she always sat next to me while I painted. When I was trying to come up with an art name to go by, because my full name is quite tricky to say, so Lucy Mim just came to life. I wanted to create a separation from the other stuff I do in life.”

Continuing on from her exhibition kicking off on the 25^th March, Miriam is excited to continue working on commissions as well as move towards future exhibitions including her next pop-up at Thrive Wellness Hub from 26th June. For those who want to see Lucy Mim's work in the flesh, you can drop into homewares store, Home & Afar in The Junction. 

“Going into commissions, it’s really nice because I get to chat to them about what they’re feeling and what they’re going through in life. I had a recent commission come through and they wanted to express gratitude in their piece and to create a space of calm and they gave me the colours that they wanted. It’s really exciting to be able to create something so special for someone.”

Whether you plan on dropping by SMAC Studio for CEREMONY on the 25^th of March, or you’re just a lover of all things art, we would highly recommend keeping an eye on Lucy Mim as we think she’s got some pretty exciting potential ahead of her in the local art world.