The Quick Q & A editorial in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is a much loved regular feature, in which we ask 6 artists the same 4 questions. In the June Issue 53, these were the Quick Q & A questions:
- Has the rise of AI-generated art changed your perception of your own practice or originality?
- What emotion do you find yourself returning to in your work, and why?
- How do you preserve curiosity in a world that rewards consistency?
- What’s the most misunderstood part of being a professional artist?
We feel that the artists’ responses provide such a valuable insight for our community of artists that we wanted to share one Quick Q & A response from each issue with you, going forward. The June Issue 53 print is sold out but you can still available and you can download the digital magazine via our webstore to read more. To ensure you never miss an issue again, you can also subscribe to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, and have each issue sent straight to your door each quarter.
Excerpt from Issue 53 // June 2026 Quick Q & A editorial: Dory Whynot [2024 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Honourable Mention], Autumn Skye, Lihao Lu, Caroline Gaudreault, Selene Mauri Cochrane, and Niam Maworn all respond to the below Quick Q & A:
How do you preserve curiosity in a world that rewards consistency?
“Curiosity is my job. Art is not a sustainable practice without reward; if I’m not indulging at least a tiny bit in something I feel compelled to explore – out of interest, beauty, or whatever kind of inspiration that’s itching in my brain – then what do I have? Burnout, resentment. Then the art making stops, and then consistency drops from something attainable to zero.
Allowing myself to play and experiment seems to be just as interesting for my audience as it is for me; I think my own excitement for the subject matter translates. So ultimately I try not to worry about consistency too much; by making sure I have room to love the work, the consistency happens on its own.”
“I remind myself that a painting is simply colourful mud smeared on a surface. Paradoxically, creative expression can be profound. It can heal us physically, emotionally, or spiritually, and has the potential to individually and culturally shift paradigms. It can speak to critical issues, start revolutions, and illuminate paths forward towards healing and wholeness.
So with this paradox alive at the tip of my paintbrush, I do my best to show up at my easel with both reverence and play. To not take anything too seriously, and to simultaneously trust the divine inspiration that flows through me. We are each just a tiny speck on a tiny speck, hurtling through infinite space. We are both inconsequential and a miracle, so stay humble and have fun.”
“I find that consistency and curiosity don’t have to oppose each other. By working within a carefully established framework of my personal techniques, themes, and style, I can explore new ideas and learn while still expressing my own point of view. In fact, curiosity actually helps me stay consistent because experimenting and asking questions teaches me more about who I am, and what I truly care about.
Consistency in your work can be meaningful, because it shows that you truly enjoy it, and creating something you love is deeply rewarding. Also, a bit of brainstorming can always turn curiosity into consistency without losing creativity.”
“I am fortunate to have recurring elements in my work, such as ‘blooming orbits’ – the flowers you often see in place of the subject’s eyes. As well as other elements that I use consistently: nostalgia, autobiographical references and atmosphere. This allows me to explore many different themes and styles: I can move from portraits to landscapes, to scenes from everyday life, while maintaining the constant elements that make my work recognisable.
This allows me to create a completely different painting each time while carefully preserving my own distinctive touch, and without feeling like I’m repeating myself. I also try to challenge myself by adding at least one new element that I’ve never done before in my new paintings, to push myself further each time.”
“It’s easy to become bogged down by “consistency”. As an artist it applies to style and themes, the making of work and staying visible through social media, approaching galleries, having
shows etc. The challenge is finding a balance between consistently creating, avoiding burnout, and producing work that resonates with your audience while remaining true to ideas that feel most urgent in the moment. That balance often feels like a constant push and pull.
Having chronic pain makes sustaining that more difficult, but I’m motivated by challenge and I enjoy inviting the audience into that challenge with me – which ultimately feeds curiosity. I do feel particularly excited by the possibilities of larger installation work, where scale opens up new directions and the potential feels endless.”
“I’m not particularly attached to consistency, because I see life as constant change. The world keeps turning, and everything flows – sometimes swiftly, sometimes slowly. We all have to learn how to move with that rhythm. I’ve found that my curiosity evolves alongside the different phases of my life.
In my younger years, I was more concerned with the art world and with proving myself. Over time, that drive has quieted. Instead of reaching outward, my attention has turned inward and grown deeper. At this stage, I’m drawn to exploring the inseparable connection between body and mind, as well as the subtle boundary between reality and memory. These subjects feel new to me, and engaging with them has become a discovery in itself.”
