About Me
About Sandy McSmith
I’m Sandy McSmith, the artist behind Just Play Originals. My journey into art began as a way to find quietness in my mind and a spark of happiness in my everyday life. Originally from the northern suburbs of Perth, I now live in Dunsborough, in the beautiful South-West of Western Australia. Here, I’ve found a slower rhythm to life and a community rich with creative energy.
Art allows me to explore, to be bold, and to step outside the “gray scale” of daily life. Through colour, texture, and play, I express stories and emotions that words alone can’t capture. My goal is simple: to create work that brings joy, sparks curiosity, and adds something meaningful to the spaces it lives in.
-70x100-.jpg)
The Art.
My work is intuitive, often mixed media; layered, abstract, and expressive. That's not to say I haven't explored or seek to learn more structured techniques to develop my skill and understanding. I let the canvas, paper, and paint guide me, often discovering the piece as it unfolds. With a love for earthy and grounded inspiration - tree bark, patterns, and the raw beauty of nature. My art blends imagination with instinct.
I’m drawn to warm palettes and deep tones, with shades like Yellow Oxide, Paynes Grey, and lush greens appearing again and again. My art is about freedom: the freedom to play, to be loud, to take risks, and to find beauty in unexpected places. To me, “art” is both a noun and an adjective - it’s creation itself, and the way creation makes us feel.
The Studio.
I currently create out of two humble but inspiring spaces: my little desk at home for watercolours and ink work, and Matilda; a mid-century caravan lovingly held together with rust and paint, now transformed into my creative studio.
Though compact, these spaces allow me to dive into experimentation and play with layers, textures, and colours. One of my dreams is to one day expand into a space big enough for large, vibrant canvases - the kind of bold abstracts that can’t be contained within four small walls. Until then, every piece that leaves my studio is born from this intimate, down-to-earth creative process.
