Her striking sculptures have cemented her reputation as a notable presence in the Australian and international art scenes.

We visited Tan Arlidge‘s studio in Bondi to talk artistic inspiration, nourishing her creativity and her favourite travel destinations.

My family home had a significant impact on my career in the design industry. Growing up, I remember spending a lot of time watching Dad drawing floorplans and making 3D models for projects he was working on as a builder. He had a home office and so it was a constant in my upbringing to be surrounded by his drawings and scale-models. My mum is an artist and also had a home studio, so I really was immersed in creativity from such a young age.

On a regular day, I… drop my boys off at school at 8:30am. I’ll get my morning takeaway coffee before heading to the studio for 9am. I tend to spend the first half hour wandering around and getting settled in with my materials and my diary before I really get into the swing of things for the day ahead. I am always simultaneously working on commission projects while developing new work, so it’s a balance of past, present and future ideas.

I enjoy listening to… either a podcast or music while I work in the studio. I’ve been listening to a podcast called Hidden Brain by Shankar Vedantam. He has such a calming voice and the topics he discusses are really interesting. Canadian singer Charlotte Cardin is also on repeat in the studio.

Kangaroo With Joey by Anna-Wili Highfield was part of a series about renewal, celebrating forces of life and nature. The kangaroo with Joey, the male with balls, the kookaburra chasing a moth.

One of the biggest challenges in my career has been… finding my voice as a self-taught, independent artist within the landscape of the arts in Australia. With every evolution and new series, I need to dig deep and find the confidence to share my story, in my own way.

Travel and spending time in nature nourish my creativity. A break from the big city gives me so much perspective and clarity. I do a lot of bush walking with family down in the NSW Southern Highlands. We are lucky enough to travel there weekly. It’s such a beautiful place on earth.

Among the artists, architects, designers and creatives I admire are… Lynda Benglis, Arlene Shechet, Richard Sweeney, Anna-Wili Highfield, Heidi Middleton and Sarah-Jane Clarke.

“With every evolution and new series, I need to dig deep and find the confidence to share my story."

The last book I read and loved? I recently finished reading a book by Stephen Hawking, Brief Answers to the Big Questions.

What is a unique travel destination that inspired me? During a visit to Spain, I was floored by the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres and the architecture throughout the city of Barcelona. It’s alive with creativity and curiosity.

My thoughts and strategies on achieving a satisfying work-life balance? I feel that there is no true balance – it’s about acceptance that something has got to give, and that is okay. Be kind, be humble and work hard. I’m proud to be setting a good example of hard work for my boys.