Finding inspiration in the
everyday with Cassidy Jackson
To celebrate the new Typographic collection, we’re chatting with brilliant Australian artists about their unique creative journeys. Take the inspiration you need, leave the things you don’t, and embark on your own path to creativity.
Living on the leafy, scenic North Coast of New South Wales, Cassidy Jackson has an endless well of artistic material in her own backyard. (Yes, literally.)
Daily movement, immersive films and childhood memories are just some of the places this actor-artist finds inspiration for her Vogue-featured paintings.
In this conversation with Typo, Cassidy unearths her creative process, from early influences to modern pre-painting rituals.
Tell us about your journey to becoming an artist. Was there a particular moment, person or experience that sparked your creativity?
Creativity has always been part of my life, and a lot of that comes back to my Nanna. She would dedicate entire days to drawing, painting, dancing, anything creative.
She introduced me to The Wizard of Oz and I remember being completely mesmerised by the film as a child. The technicolour, the fantasy, the feeling of stepping into another world — it captured my imagination and probably planted the seed for the kind of worlds I love creating in my work today.
At school, I was always doodling on the covers of my books and daydreaming. I was constantly creating these stories in my head.
What inspires your work today, and how do your surroundings or everyday experiences influence your creative process?
I'm inspired by all sorts of things, but usually, it's something quite simple. A colour combination I notice in someone's outfit or a scene in a film — I collect those moments without really meaning to.
I keep coming back to the feminine form because it gives me so much to work with. Strength, softness, confidence, vulnerability, playfulness. It's less about painting a person and more about capturing a feeling.
I love to move my body to feel inspired, and most of the time I'm not trying to paint exactly what something looks like. I'm trying to hold onto a mood, a memory or a sensation.
“I like having a plan, but I also leave plenty of room for the work to surprise me.”
Can you walk us through your process from the very first idea to the finished piece? What does a typical creative day look like for you?
Every day looks a little different, but on an ideal day, I'll start with some form of movement; it helps me clear my mind before I paint. If it’s sunny, which it usually is here in the Northern Rivers, I'll set up a little studio space outside amongst the trees.
I usually begin with a loose sketch and then dive straight into paint. I try not to overthink those early stages because that's often where the most exciting energy lives. I like having a plan, but I also leave plenty of room for the work to surprise me.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting their own creative journey, what would it be?
Give yourself permission to play. Get out of your head and into your body. Don't worry about making something perfect; focus on making something.
Experiment, be expressive and stay curious.
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