Marian Bosch: A Journey to Peace
Creativity is in Marian Bosch’s blood. She comes from a family of artists, with her uncle and brother creating art over in her homeland of South Africa. However, Marian didn’t become an artist until later on in life, instead beginning her professional life designing and tailoring plus-sized clothing.
It took Marian quite a while to complete her art education. She began her studies at the University of South Africa and then completed them 7 years later at Curtin University of Technology when she immigrated to Australia. She didn’t stop at just the undergraduate level. Later, she went back to university to complete her Master of Visual Arts.
Marian working in her tranquil studio.
When Marian began painting, it was first and foremost “a quest for place”, or a journey towards a more peaceful way of life. In this quest, she represented herself as a teapot, which she would photograph (and then paint) in different places to “symbolise where I would possibly find myself in life”. After trying many different options, the teapot came to rest in a sheltered, cosy place.
During the course of her master’s degree, Marian explored clay making with an older friend. In her home, beautiful clay bowls and cups perched upon her bench top are a testament to this era. They will be displayed at the Immigration Museum next year.
Marian creates “Memory Cups”.
Following the clay era came Marian’s most recent series of work. She calls these paintings “a square of peace”, as this is what she seeks in her life now. “I feel like I have control over this little piece, and create something harmonious and peaceful just for now. It’s very fleeting… but the search never stops.”
When it comes to creating her work, Marian is really focused on “speaking to where words fail” and mark making as language. As such, she is always searching for a new way to express herself visually, with new marks to convey emotion.
The beaches of the Mornington Peninsula serve as Marian’s inspiration.
Marian’s current series of work focusses on peaceful landscapes of the local beach. She takes photos of Australia’s scenic beauty while out and about on the Mornington Peninsula. Later, at home in her studio, she uses these images to guide her paintings.
Marian’s goal is to treasure the process of creating.
Marian’s studio space is more of a sanctuary than anything else. Surrounded by trees, with two senior dogs keeping her company, her quest for peace seems to have been realised.
Marian’s Squares of Peace.
In fact, beauty is an important concept in Marian’s life. Bringing beauty into the world is her favourite aspect of being an artist. She believes “beauty is the thing that makes any difficult situation ok”, so it’s no surprise that she’s dedicated her life to creating works of art. Over the next year, she aims to continue to “find beauty in the mundane” and to treasure the process of constant creation.
Marian’s two dogs.
Below, watch our full video interview with Marion, and buy your own square of peace from her Bluethumb profile here.
