My Story
My name is Belinda Buckler and I am the artist behind Be Designed Art Studio. While art is my passion now, I didn’t take the traditional route to become an artist. Originally, I was educated as a costume designer and I hold both a Bachelors of Arts and a Masters of Fine Arts. For many years I made my way through the stressful, fast-paced world of the theater and academia, that were filled with long hours and little pay, but it quickly became obvious that there were so many other things I wanted to try. My favorite part of being a designer, the artistic part, took up very little of my time and I realized that there were so many things wanted to try and I wanted to spend my days creating art. But it wasn’t easy to give up the love I had for the theater. As a costume designer I loved exploring stories of the past. So much so that it has led me to my signature artistic theme: the beauty and simplicity of the past.
Memory and nostalgia are the driving themes behind my work. The viewer is invited to relive theie favorite memories in every piece. My paintings are often still lifes with textured backgrounds that are diffuse and subdued. One way to explain this is “when you are recalling a memory, background images tend to be blurry and lack any sense of detail, while the subject of the memory in the foreground remains crystal clear. The purpose here is to connect the viewer with their unique memory by tapping into feelings of sentimentality and nostalgia.”
As a painter, my “canvas” of choice is ceramic tile. The texture, durability, and versatility of tile means that my artwork is functional both inside and outside; framed and hanging on the wall; as a furniture accessory, like coasters, as inserts on ceramic tile tabletops, or permanently installed as a mosaic or backsplash. Ceramic tile is a “functional and long-lasting form of artistic expression that can withstand various environmental conditions. That’s why I love it.”
So that is a little about me! If you have any questions or want to know more about me and the things that inspire my work, then join my Facebook group Inspired by Nostalgia where you can learn more.
