Port Adelaide Mural by Tessa Bartholomew in Adelaide

Hi there! I’m Tessa, an Abstract / Landscape Artist based in the foot hills of Adelaide. I am a big lover of vibrant colour and exploring unexpected pallets that contrast and bring new life to a composition. I mostly paint acrylic on canvas pieces and have recently licensed prints of my artwork in collaboration with City of Adelaide to rejuvenate streetscapes for the Vacant Tenancy Revitalisation Project. The program's aim is to bring new life to and creatively transform vacant shopfronts in the city and North Adelaide to attract prospective tenants and bring vibrancy to retail areas. My work can be seen on Twin street Adelaide, just off Rundle Mall and 128 Hindley street, alongside other collaborating artists. Seeing my work large scale on the streets of Adelaide and always having a keen interest in street art has lead me into painting murals. I completed 3 in 2022 and looking forward to taking on many more, expanding my skills and ultimately brightening up the streets and spaces. I recently took part in the Art Story program for Westfield Marion, a platform that provides local artists with their very own dedicated gallery space to share their work and connect with the community. I chose to take part in 6 live painting sessions throughout my time at Westfield, where I painted, as I would in my studio but also interacted with passers by. My artwork was presented in a glass display case, it was printed onto lightweight PVC and cut into shapes to create a dynamic vibrant display. I also designed a 3 metre x 3 metre floor sticker to define the space, which tied back in with the artwork in the display cabinet. My skills in Visual Merchandising and 3D design helped me visualise the space and with the team at Scentre group we made it come to life. I completed Bachelor of Visual Communication, majoring in Graphic Design. I decided to further her studies and made the trek over to Melbourne to study Visual Merchandising & Styling at RMIT. After completing the course, I landed a job as a Designer & Project Manager for Melbourne a 3D branding agency and quickly progressed to Studio Manager within the company. Designing, managing projects, clients and staff, I learnt a range of life long skills that would translate into starting my very own creative business. I moved back to Adelaide at the end of 2018 and continued working in the Corporate Events industry as a Project Manager for a Custom Displays Department, we helped corporate clients bring their brands to life at trade shows. This was very rewarding and I loved the fast paced environment and creating a 3D spaces. In 2020, personally and professionally things took a bit of a turn. Not only did the events industry completely shut down, I had a health scare and was told to try and reduce stress as much as possible. Art has always been my love and as of March 2022 I decided to go full time with my art practice and give it the energy it deserves.