Meet The Artist | Inside the Digital Art World of Paul Summerfield

Meet Paul Summerfield, a talented digital illustrator with a rich background in art. Paul’s Arts journey began with traditional sketchbooks, filled over decades with drawings and ideas. Today, he creates vibrant digital works using mobile tools like tablets and phones, allowing him to draw wherever inspiration strikes.

Paul’s colourful art reflects his travels and life experiences, capturing cityscapes and nature with imaginative flair. His work process is fluid, often starting with a quick sketch or digital doodle, evolving into detailed illustrations. He is driven by daily practice and enjoys revisiting old sketchbooks for fresh inspiration.

Paul’s style has evolved from traditional realism to a more expressive, colourful approach. He believes in creating art that gives people a sense of belonging and hope. His art, influenced by his creative childhood and travels, continues to grow and inspire. Many may recognise his work from the vibrant murals he has created in public spaces such as schools, hospitals and two major works in Belconnen and Woden Libraries in Canberra.

Paul's recent achievements include winning the CAPO Fellowship award in 2023 and collaborating on an illustration book project with Australian author Isobelle Carmody.

Mrs Smith is thrilled to collaborate with Paul, bringing his unique digital illustrations to a wider audience. We're excited to see how his creative vision will enrich our collection and inspire our community. Thank you Paul for your generous interview.

Can you tell us about your creative process?
I often start my digital paintings with drawings and scribbles in sketchbooks. I use all manner of book sizes, paper qualities and materials. Sometimes they will intersect with shopping lists, to-do lists and, random scribbles and ideas. I have several bookshelves of sketchbooks from the past 30 years and I often pull an old unfinished book out from the past and use it as my main drawing book. I suppose, in the future, I will need to start many new books. but currently, I am more than happy with filling up my collection with new and old ideas. 

Another way I start work is by using a digital tablet or a phone. In my case, it's an Android tablet and a popular painting app. Because of its size, I can take it anywhere and start ideas on the fly. I can draw elements for bigger works or start loose ideas to be finished later with more powerful tools. 
Though in the past I used desktop computers and larger drawing tablets, I’ve been won over by mobile tools such as laptops, phones and tablets. I find I can be creative wherever the opportunity presents itself and makes travelling with tech tools easier as well.

I enjoy a creative process which enables me to explore creative concepts at any time when creativity strikes. 

Paul Summerfield | Behind the Scene

How do you stay inspired and motivated in your work?
Working daily on a selection of artworks is a good way to stay motivated. There is rarely a day where I have yet to progress a work, start something new or explore conceptual ideas in some way.

Often setting future goals, searching for prizes, taking photos, and thinking about development ideas and resources for future projects is a good way to stimulate workflow.

If I feel lacking in ideas for new works, I just trawl through old sketchbooks and get inspired all over again. Creating mind maps around ideas or projects is a good way to visualise information and a good way for you to see what you need to do or how you need to do it. Also, keep doing the things that inspire you, Like listening to music, singing loudly with your headphones on and not knowing the lyrics, taking photos while out and about and keeping an open mind to possibilities. 

I find being able to encompass yourself in your ideas and art and not look at what others are doing and just enjoy your processes and what you are doing keeps your mind fresh to your creative worlds.

Can you walk us through your thought process behind a particular piece?
I recently completed a piece of work called “Evening Marmalade”. The ideas behind the work lie around working into the wee hours of the night, where inspiration is fresh, ideas flow and the night lays out in front of you. From a glowing window amongst dark buildings, a dreamer creates and has ideas.

I have done several works in this vein before, Such as “The Dreamer” and “Digital Morning Depths” and I will probably do more, as I find this theme quite interesting. The clouds were created on my tablet during bus and train rides, at the park after school pickups and during spare moments waiting in queues. One of the strengths of working digitally allows me to create drawings in lots of different ways and easily combine them later on.

I think this is a really important part of my work process and it also motivates me to find little snippets of time to progress and start things.

Paul Summerfield | Evening Marmalade, Digital Morning Depths, and The Dreamer

How does your personal background and culture influence your art?
I find inspiration stems from my travels through my life and the places I’ve lived in and visited. I had a very creative childhood and this in turn led to many creative outlets of expression through primary and high school and then into adult education. I reach out to those times as a part of my creative background tapestry of life experiences. I found living in Japan and other countries inspired a lot of ideas around cities and nature which is a larger theme in my work.

Can you talk about any challenges or obstacles you've faced as an artist?
I think the challenges I’ve faced are what all artists and creatives struggle with and is being able to support one's self in a creative industry. Having a regular income is probably one of the biggest challenges I would say. If you negate this issue with passive income streams and a day job that allows you to continue developing your art practice, then you have probably found the perfect mix. I think working as an artist, musician or any creative job is like juggling 12 balls while balancing on a tightrope and making a phone call. Yeah, it can get pretty challenging sometimes, but also at other times, you are flying high with successes and growth. So being able to re-invent yourself and keep making is challenging and necessary.

How has your art evolved over time?
100% yes, my art style has evolved since I started. I found new inspirations and experimented with new technology and practices. I have had some themes which have run through my works since the early 2000s. Solarpunk might be one way you could describe some of the themes that run through my works over the past 25 years. Though this term has been recently gaining popularity, I’ve been creating optimistic fantastical visions of the future for years and I still find it a constant inspiration. So over the years my style has changed and evolved, sometimes taking steps forward and sometimes going back to previous styles or exploring completely new ones.

Can you discuss any specific themes or messages you hope to convey through your work?
I like to portray places that are filled with life, and growth and show aspects of the inhabitants who live there. From optimistic visions of the future to fantastical places from dreams and daydreams. I like my works to give people a sense of belonging, memories or nostalgia. I like to create worlds which can be treasured. To make work that inspires imaginations and personal journeys. I hope I can give people a sense of hope for the future through my work.

Paul Summerfield

How do you think technology and social media have impacted the art world?
I use social media as a publicity and promotion tool and have always been interested in using technology in my art practice. Though I think social media has grown too big now and I’d like older forms of media to make a comeback. Like magazines, zines and other physical forms of printed content. One of the strong points of my use of technology is being able to create anywhere and everywhere, Though once a work is created, it only exists digitally till its printed out. I have always found some pushback with doing prints compared to painting an original work. But I like that a work can be in a few places at once, but not many. So i keep my print editions pretty low.

Can you tell us about any memorable experiences or projects you've had as an artist?
Though I have had many memorable achievements as an artist, Winning the CAPO Fellowship award in 2023 stands out in my mind. One of my larger projects in 2024 is using the funds from the fellowship to help support me to work on an illustration book project with Australian author, Isobelle Carmody. I am looking forward to showing what we have been up to with our collaborative project later this year.

Paul Summerfield | CAPO Fellowship Award 2023

What advice would you give to aspiring artists?
My advice is to keep plugging away at what you do. Through the highs and lows (there will be lots of these), keep making, learning and evolving your practice. Another aspect of your career is to slowly build an audience through exhibitions, online presence, collectives, market stalls and anything you can find to be involved with. Also most importantly, keep having fun and enjoy the things that keep your imagination bubbling.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
I am excited to see how working with Mrs.Smith can help me bring my work to new audiences in Canberra and around Australia. With 2025 Calendars on the horizon and premium Greeting cards being stocked in many new shops, there is plenty to look forward to and help the brand grow. 

I am also really looking forward to future exhibitions and book projects later this year and into 2025 and beyond. So keep your eyes out for new digital projects and prints.