Art Club Concept Collaboration With Author Beau Taplin // Interview
Beau Taplin is an inspiring Melbourne based self-published author. As he puts it, “I enjoy igniting little fires in my fellow human beings with words” & he does all that & more to us.
We’re so excited to have teamed up with Beau for our S/S15 The Dreamland Collection to bring you ‘The Explorers’ a limited edition A2 wall art print with embossed text detailing.
We also had a chat with Beau about his inspirations, his creative process & life, giving us a glimpse into his incredible mind.
Tell us a little about your creative process…
No matter what I’m writing it always begins the same, with an idea. A single concept. It could be a point of view, an experience, a feeling, or perhaps a snapshot of a conversation I’ve shared or overheard. Whatever it is, this idea becomes the bones of the piece. After that, I begin the long and extremely rewarding process of taking the piece to a place I want it to be. Sometimes this can take of an entire week of editing, and other times it happens right away. However long it takes, it’s all part of the process. You don’t force these things. Art is a shy thing, you should encourage the hell out of it, but at the end of the day, it comes out only when it is good and ready.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Since most of my work is based at home, and involves a lot of time on the computer both writing and networking, I’ve recently made the effort to fill my free time up with more activities and socialising. I make sure there's a bit of a contrast there too. I need the quiet moments, like walks in the parks and forests, or coffee and lunch in the countrysides, but I need the loud ones too. Those remarkably wild nights in the city where you almost forget you are and go from each minute to the next completely lost in the moment. Whatever I fill it with, my free time is just as important a resource for my creativity as the actual act of sitting down and writing, so I take it very seriously.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to younger you?
I would tell him not to worry so much, that maybe this big dream you’re chasing won’t work out but there’s something else that’s been hiding right under your nose all long, something that will give you more drive, purpose and happiness in life than you ever before dreamed possible. Truthfully though, if this actually happened I know I wouldn’t say a thing. I’ve read enough material on time travel to know that you don’t mess with it! Haha.
Do you have any guilty pleasures that you're willing to share with us?
Anything imaginary. I’m kind of a nerd I suppose. I love fantasy and science fiction, comic books and superheroes. Although you wouldn’t be able to see it in my writing style, those were the things which first opened my eyes to a great love and passion for literature. Oh, and country music… because how can you not.
"Home is not where you are from, it is where you belong. Some of us travel the whole world to find it. Others find it in a person.” What’s inspired you to write this?
For most of us, as children, home is home, the place we go back to, somewhere we feel safe and know that we’re loved. However, once we've grown a little older, we begin to find that home isn’t always a house. We begin to feel displaced and discontent because the place we really want to be is somewhere else. With a person. Or in another place. This piece was inspired by the sentiment that we all have something out there for us, and I believe it’s our duty as custodians of the precious gift that is a life to find out what that thing is.
Where are we most likely to find you at 2pm on a Sunday?
Oh, Sunday afternoon is when I am at my most predictable, nine times out of ten you’ll find me eating something, somewhere. I know I am late on this, but I recently discovered Acai Bowls…. Ah, dammit now you’ve got me thinking about ‘em. *Races off to Richmond*
Where can we see more of you?
You can find my bookstore and links to all of my social media via my own personal website: www.beautaplin.com - Thank you very much, I hope you enjoy Art Club Concept and I’s collaboration!
STRAIGHT SHOOTING
Relaxing Getaway or City Exploring
Early Bird Or Sleeping In
Tropical Beach or Winter Wonderland
Monochrome or Colour