Interview with: Pavla Spencer
August 2025
Pavla is an artist and designer based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Beginning her creative journey at an early age Pavla spent many years working as a graphic designer in the commercial sphere. However, the desire to break free from constraint always lingered. Working intuitively, Pavla approaches her practice as an evolving and looping feedback, inspired by the everyday. Focusing on experimentation, Pavla consistently looks to develop unique and creative storytelling techniques using mixed media.
The spontaneity of Pavla’s approach to making finds her drawn to new aesthetic genres, and reflects a curious contradiction in her work which can be interpreted as complex yet simple, confronting yet approachable, fun yet serious.
Pavla’s art displays her bold, unapologetic, and playful style – a vibrant expression of her ever present passion for art and design.
First tell us about your background and why you chose to pursue this career.
Do you remember the first artwork that stirred something inside you?
I’ve always had a creative streak - it’s something that’s been with me since I was a kid. I started out in the commercial design world, working as a graphic designer for years, which taught me a lot about composition, colour, and how to make a visual impact. But over time, I felt this pull to create more freely, without briefs or boundaries. Art gave me that space. It became less of a choice and more of a calling - a return to self.
As for the first artwork that stirred something in me, I can’t pinpoint one exact piece, but I vividly remember flicking through an art book in high school and being drawn to the boldness of Matisse and the weird, wonderful world of Picasso. Their use of colour and distortion felt freeing - it made me realise art didn’t need to follow rules to be powerful. That feeling still fuels my practice today.
How would you describe your artistic practice? What are the recurring elements, themes, and concepts you refer to?
My work is bold, figurative, and playful - anchored by intuition and storytelling. I’m drawn to the human figure, but never in a literal way. I distort, exaggerate, and simplify form to explore emotion, humour, and the spaces between narrative and abstraction. There’s often a tension between stillness and movement, loud colour and negative space. My pieces feel immediate and expressive, but also considered - layered with meaning, memory, and a wink of irreverence.
What inspires you? Where do the ideas come from? How do you develop your projects?
I’m inspired by everyday scenes - someone sitting in a chair, a vase of flowers, a figure holding a fish - but it’s the mood and energy I’m chasing more than the subject. I often start with a loose sketch or a colour I’m obsessed with, then let the work evolve. The process is spontaneous but not rushed - I like to layer, scrape back, respond to what’s happening on the canvas. Some ideas simmer quietly, others come in loud and fast. Either way, I let intuition take the lead.
What is indispensable while working in your studio?
Music, oil pastels, and coffee! I also need mess - creative chaos helps me stay loose. I’ve learned to let go of needing everything to be “perfect.” That mindset kills creativity for me. Having lots of works on the go at once also helps; I like to move between pieces depending on my mood or energy levels.
Why do you make art?
Because I have to. It’s how I process the world - how I connect, reflect, and sometimes escape. It brings me joy and challenges me in equal measure. I love the feeling of creating something that didn’t exist before, and seeing how people respond to it in their own way.
How did you develop your personal style?
Was there a specific person or movement that inspired you? It came from experimentation. I spent a long time working as a graphic designer, so composition, colour, and visual rhythm have always been important. My style really evolved when I stopped trying to please others and just made what felt good. I’ve always loved artists who don’t over-explain - like Matisse, Picasso, or more contemporary painters like Basquiat and Jordy Kerwick - people whose work feels fresh, emotional, and a bit cheeky.
What do you want your art to convey to the people who see it?
Curiosity, joy, and a sense of connection. I hope people feel something - whether it’s a smile, a sense of nostalgia, or just a pull to look closer. I want the work to be open enough that people can bring their own meaning to it.
We are at the end of this short interview, would you like to add something about your artistic research? How did you find the collaboration with our gallery?
At the heart of my artistic research is a sense of curiosity and play. I'm always exploring the balance between bold colour, abstraction, and figurative elements - trying to capture emotion and energy more than a literal likeness. It's intuitive and experimental, and I allow the process to guide me more than any fixed idea.
Working with Florence Contemporary Gallery has been a real pleasure. I’ve felt genuinely supported and encouraged to share my work in a space that values both individuality and artistic dialogue. There’s something really special about collaborating with people who are passionate about contemporary art and who see the value in a diverse range of voices and practices.