Meet our Artist in Residence – Jess Lambert

The incredibly talented Jess Lambert encompasses our love of the Gold Coast in her stunning surfboard artwork pieces, and this summer you can watch them being created right here at QT.

We caught up with Jess to find out a little more about her and the inspiration behind her creations.

Is there a story behind why you began your surfboard art?

‘I loved art all through school and then I chose to study Fine Arts after so I’ve tried what feels like almost every style and type of art out there. I grew up loving the beach and have always felt a strong connection to the ocean, so one day I just started drawing on one of my own surfboards. I saw it like a blank canvas and ideas just started coming to me so I kept drawing, all freehand and ended up covering the whole board. It was like a way to bring together two things that I love, art and the ocean. I love marine life too and I’ve had some amazing experiences seeing whales, swimming with whale sharks, sea turtles and learning about coral reefs. There’s a whole world underwater that we don’t often get to see so I love drawing it. There’s just something about the ocean and the calming effect it has, whether you can feel, see, smell or hear it, so I try to convey that with my artwork and bring a calm energy into someone’s home with every piece I create.’

And as a local, what do you love most about the Gold Coast?

‘I love warm weather, bright, early mornings and long days at the beach. We’re so lucky to have the best weather for most of the year here and so many beautiful beaches. Plus we’ve got the Gold Coast Hinterlands! I love doing a rainforest walk, seeing waterfalls and just reconnecting with nature and myself whenever I need to. I’ve got a Golden Retriever so she loves it here too, we love our walks and visits to the beach together. Everything is relaxed and stress free and I honestly think the weather has a lot to do with that. I know I definitely feel happier when the sun’s out!

Where does the inspiration come from for your pieces?

‘I love watching animal videography when they’re out in their natural environment, just noticing how they move, whether it’s a whale, an elephant or an eagle, I’ll see shapes and patterns and an idea will just come to me. I love interior design too so I’ll often look at homes and spaces and get inspiration from that. When I’m working on custom pieces, so many of my clients inspire me too, their stories, the lives they’ve lived, the things they share with me. I get to create artwork that tells a story for someone, and when you make the time to sit down and listen to someone’s story it’s impossible not to be inspired. Just like my hand drawn artworks, we are all so unique, and whether we know it or not we all have a story that inspires someone else.’

Do you have a favourite piece?

‘The first board I ever drew on will always be a favourite just for the sentiment it holds, that’s the board that put me on this path so I’ll have that board forever in my home. I did a 7ft surfboard artwork for a client in France and that’s another favourite. The centre piece is a hummingbird and hibiscus flowers, there’s also a compass for my clients love of traveling, a turtle; her favourite animal, and waves and palm trees.’

You can catch Jess in QTique (opposite Stingray), and you can see more of her designs on her Instagram page.