Marcia Priestley
Marcia is a paint-splattered lifer—art-obsessed and unapologetically deep in the creative trenches. Before picking up the brush full-time, she ran a successful interior design studio. Next? Probably art therapy and travel blogging… or whatever feeds the next creative itch.
She’s been a resident of the art world for as long as she can remember—living, breathing, and building a visual language that’s uniquely hers. Her work has gone global, showing up on screens via Magnolia Network USA (Design Down Under, S2) and in stores like RH (USA/Europe), Greenhouse Interiors, and international galleries.
Now, she’s focused on pushing the edges—creating work that’s raw, sensory, and deeply personal.
Marcia lives off the grid (but not really) in central Victoria with her husband Jason in their family home along with their cat, their dog, and a horizon full of gum trees and wild bush. She paints, hikes, and dreams of one day owning a private jet—because the whole crew deserves to tag along, fur and all.
My Work
My work is diverse in both theme and style, often shifting direction depending on my mood. I rarely begin with a set plan, instead, I let intuition guide me. Each time I walk into the studio, I follow an emotional thread, allowing it to lead me wherever it wants to go. This means a piece that starts as a landscape might evolve into something entirely different, like a figurative painting. The result is a body of work that feels spontaneous, varied, and emotionally charged, each painting a reflection of a moment, a mood, a shift in energy.
A fluid approach to painting is characterised by spontaneous, loose, and unstructured techniques that embrace imperfection and the unpredictable nature of the medium. In this style, Marcia allows paint to flow, drip, splatter, and blend naturally, often relinquishing control to let the materials guide the process. This can involve layering washes, using broad, sweeping brushstrokes, or even working with unconventional tools like sponges or hands to spread colour across the canvas. The fluidity comes from embracing the movement and texture of the paint itself, whether it’s thinned with water or applied thickly to create a tactile surface. The result is often abstract or semi-abstract, with blurred boundaries, soft edges, and organic forms that evoke emotion and energy rather than sharp detail or precision. This approach can feel raw, energetic, and emotionally charged, as the artist surrenders to the flow of the creative process, allowing the unexpected to shape the final piece.
The Studio
Tucked alongside the Australian bush, the studio is where the wild meets the paint-splattered. Kangaroos drop by like locals, the soundtrack is whatever I’m feeling that day, and I’m usually trailed by my cat and dog like a little gang. This space—chaotic, alive, sacred—is where everything gets poured out. There’s no order, no perfect system. Just instinct, curiosity, and a hell of a lot of paint. It’s my kind of therapy. Every time I walk in, I’m chasing something—an energy, an emotion, or just the need to see what happens when I start. I’m pulled between craving a simple, slower life and being completely consumed by everything I still want to create. My life feels like one long, unpredictable
painting—unfinished, messy, and completely mine.