MUNTHE ART MONDAY:
Cara Sanders

Please introduce yourself and tell us about what you do.

My name is Cara Sanders. I am a self-taught contemporary abstract artist, born in the Kimberley now living on the Gold Coast, Australia. Driven by my urge to deepen my understanding of myself and the world around me, I paint large scale abstract landscapes inspired by both my environment and my internal landscape.I use organic shapes and sharp lines to create a sense of harmony within my work. Creativity has always been a way for me to imagine what’s possible and I’ve used drawing as a tool to design my dream life, now those drawings have become my reality.

Cara is wearing our LAWO OUTERWEAR and VARIKA DRESS.

Can you name some other female (artist) that inspires you and explain why they do so?

Georgia O’keeffe - her soft and feminine abstract landscapes. Ash Holmes - her bold large scale work and the way she has built an ecosystem in the arts with her work and her gallery. Kate Florence - how honestly and openly she shares and inspires so many artists.

What would you like people to notice in your artwork?

Familiarity. The feeling of a friend, place, or a lover.

Could you explain more about how being a woman has affected your career?

It’s empowered me to look at the bigger picture and has taught me to really trust my instincts, both in my work and in the life I’m creating around it. Becoming a mother deepened that even more. My time in the studio has become very intentional and instead of spreading myself thin I’m really clear on where I put my energy. The clarity and trust in myself has allowed me to grow in a much more meaningful way.

Cara is wearing our BOHDI DENIM PANTS.

What has been the most challenging aspect of being a woman in the arts?

For me, the biggest challenge is the idea of balancing being a mother and being an artist. I think as women we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do both well. But there is no balance, it all blurs into one. As hard as it is, it's a beautiful thing because my daughter gets to be part of my creative life, rather than feeling like I have to leave her behind to go to ‘work’. There’s no separation between the two.

Cara is wearing our VARIKA DRESS.