Safiya Sideek

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I graduated with a degree in Architecture in 2014, but two years into the workforce, I felt unfulfilled. I kept searching for a career that brought me both peace and joy. Then, in 2017, I became a mother, a beautiful but overwhelming transition. While adjusting to my new role, I would wonder if I was more than just a mother. In search of something meaningful, I began to practice acrylics on small A6 cards (that was all I could muster at the time). Little by little, those tiny paintings turned into a growing collection, and when I shared them online, I gained alot of traction. However, mid 2018, I had to rush to Sri Lanka for a family emergency. But, I continued my art journey there. I began selling at pop-ups. This helped gain an audience and I started taking commissions and painting what surrounded me, the ocean. In 2019, a café along Sri Lanka’s southern coast invited me to lead my first painting workshop. I had never taught before, but I jumped in. Five years and 50+ workshops later, I’ve guided adults and kids alike through ocean-inspired art, watercolors, botanical illustrations, and more. My workshops are for all levels, to help re-ignite that love for art. My work has been featured in Sri Lankan magazines and media, and I exhibited at the Barefoot Gallery and the Ceylon Arts & Literary Festival. Along the way, my love for painting the ocean earned me the nickname Ocean Girl.Now that I'm back in Melbourne, I want to introduce more people to painting the waves and finding joy in art.