Lucy White

Meet Lucy White, a New York-based artist whose work is inspired by the places she’s lived, traveled, and dreamed about. After spending time in Paris, London, and the South of France, Lucy developed a visual language combining her love for art, photography, and design. Today, her paintings and designs invite people to enjoy the immersive world she’s created.

Were you always drawn to art as a child? When did you first realize you wanted to pursue art professionally?

I remember taking an art class at summer camp when I was like twelve, and that was my intro. I don’t remember being a groundbreaking talent, but I do remember enjoying it. From there I always just painted for fun; I made art for my friends in high school and started selling it at charity events in college. The summer after I graduated I worked in a gallery and did my first series release, which were these really funky colorful figures I called “Queens.” I moved to New York after that.

I don’t think it really clicked that I could do art as a “job job” until I was about 25 and wanting to leave the fashion industry. I kind of just had a weird feeling I was supposed to go out on my own. I obviously ignored that feeling and instead got a new job at a bank for three more years, but we got here in the end!

You’ve described your work as a blend of art, photography, and design. How did you first start developing that visual language?

I think it sort of evolved as I did. Painting was my first creative avenue, which got me to New York. Then, at my first job, I was doing in-house photography while also working on the graphics team. That’s where I learned about the technical side of both, which is not nearly as fun as the visual but equally as essential.

As my life has evolved so has my art and design, and I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say it will evolve forever. I don’t really see myself having a niche.

You’ve expanded beyond paintings into wallpaper. What excites you most about seeing your work live inside someone’s space?

I think seeing it in someone else’s space, through their eyes and taste, is so cool. Also so much of art and design is spent in what feels like solitary confinement. It’s very siloed. But seeing something that came to you at like 3am, that you sketched, painted, designed, produced, and then get to watch it live out in the world in 3D (especially in someone else’s literal HOME) is really rewarding.

What does your creative process typically look like?

Oh god. I mean. What’s my word count here. It’s never the same. Sometimes a painting takes me 3 hours, sometimes 3 months. The same with design - there are days where the print comes out in literally minutes, and others where I mess with the design to the point where it just gets sent to the print graveyard. I think the key is just not thinking too much. I have not once made something good where I analyzed it under a microscope.

This last collection I could not for the life of me design. I knew I wanted it to be based around the south of France, and be an extension of the paintings I did at my residency there, but nothing was working. Then one random Sunday night I was working on a print, which led to another, and another, and suddenly it was 5am and I just never went to bed. By the next morning the entire collection was done. I don’t love when the “creative process” is a frenzied all-nighter, but who am I to say how things have to happen.

With my paintings, I’ve gotten a lot more abstract in my style even in the last year. I think in the beginning I wanted to prove that I was a “real artist” and therefore needed to paint realistically. But when I focus too much on getting details just right, I quite literally lose the plot. Now I lean more into a sort of impressionism/expressionism deal, using color and texture in a way that makes sense in my head, and it feels way more authentic to me.

Travel seems to play such a big role in your world. What places continue to inspire you most?

For someone who does not speak French (yes I am embarrassed by that), I am addicted to France. I’ve never seen more beauty in a landscape baked into less square mileage. At the residency I did in March I had a car, and got to drive all over the south. That’s really what inspired this latest collection. Longer term though, I want to continue to travel to new places and design collections based around them.

You took a leap into pursuing your art full-time. What advice would you give to someone trying to trust themselves creatively?

The first is that your instincts are correct 99.9999% of the time. If you feel an urge to do something, pay attention to it. If you’re scared, that usually only means you should do it more. With a caveat: I say that while also being extremely grateful for the jobs and experiences I had before doing this full time. If I had chosen to be an artist right out of school, it wouldn’t have been impossible, but for me it would have made my life a lot more complicated. I learned things at those jobs that were essential tools for me. So, part two of my advice is keep in mind your path is going to look different than someone else’s. I needed six years of corporate experience, maybe you need zero. Or maybe you need eight. There’s no right or wrong way to “take the leap,” there’s only the way that works best for you to do it.

Who are the women that inspire you?

In no particular order: My mom. My amazing friends. Taylor Swift. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey specifically hosting the Golden Globes from 2013-2015. Bunny Williams. Dakota Johnson. Alexis Neiers from Pretty Wild but just in that one scene. Julia Child. Tanya Taylor of course!!!! My showroommate Hayden Curtin (@ Upper East Vintage). Every cool stylish and beautiful girl I see in New York CIty.

What’s your dream city to create in next?

I would love to go to India and really study traditional block prints.

If you were a color, what color would you be and why?

LOL probably pink. Just always been my favorite.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

NEW ARRIVALS