Originally from Tasmania, April now resides in Melbourne, Wurundjeri Country, with her husband and three-year old. From her light-filled living room, she creates stunning abstract portrayals of the female form.
April, can you tell us a bit about yourself, and how you became an artist?
I’m a self-taught artist based in Prahran Melbourne, where I live with my husband and very busy three-year-old little girl. I’ve been painting and drawing for as long as I can remember, and although I’ve picked up a lot of commission work throughout the years, it took me a while to have the confidence to make it a full-time career. After having my daughter, I soon realised that returning to work would have to be in something I was truly passionate about and that fulfilled my creative bones. It’s been a slow burn, but I like how that has shaped my style and direction.
Have you got a studio? Tell us a bit about where you create and some of the things that inspire your practice.
I actually don’t have a studio at the moment and work solely out of my house, which has its challenges of distraction at times. I’ve created a space in my home that’s light-filled and calming. There’s something about that natural light that fuels the creative process.
What role does colour play in your work? You seem to have a distinct colour palette, why do you think that is?Â
I like to use distinct colours and composition in a way that captures the dynamic interplay of femininity and strength. There’s something about these bold hues that I’m intuitively drawn to, they give the women in my paintings a commanding presence.
How do you think your style has changed over the years? Has becoming a mother changed how you work or changed your source of inspiration?Â
My style has changed significantly over the past few years. I've always been intuitively drawn to the female form as my subject matter, however after becoming a mother I felt like I needed to celebrate the female form and women in general as damn Powerhouses! I wanted to step right away from femininity being synonymous with softness and fragility and instead present the female form as a source of compelling strength and extraordinary resilience.
Tell us a bit about the artworks you've made for the El Rancho collection. What does this work mean to you?
I wanted to create a collection that paid homage to the nostalgic 1970s where women rose as trailblazers, breaking boundaries and redefining societal norms.
My pieces honour the strong women who danced in the sunlight and paved new paths filled with resilience and freedom.
Through warm hued colours and bold compositions, each piece tells a story of empowerment, where the wild is not tamed but embraced.
Your collection has come together beautifully. Is there one piece in particular that stands out to you and why?
My favourite piece of the collection would have to be my “Le Serpent” piece.
I wanted to incorporate a snake into this particular piece to show the serpent as a creature who is often misunderstood, much like a woman who is fierce yet composed, confident yet calm.
“Le Serpent” plays with the idea that strength does not always manifest in confrontation; sometimes, it is found in calmness and poise.
Explore April Psonis’ Collection
 Explore El Rancho Collection
