Q&A with Freya Alexander – the young artist transforming co-working spaces into creative galleries

As the current Artist in Residence at Hub Australia, Freya Alexander is bringing colour and creativity to Hub’s Melbourne co-working spaces. An emerging artist with a strong sense of purpose, Freya has had to carve out her own path in a competitive industry, and she’s determined to make it more accessible for others to follow.

Freya, can you tell us about your journey as an artist — and what first inspired you to start creating? 

I’ve been engaged in creating for as long as I can remember, drawing and writing stories when I was a kid. Both my mother and her mother, my grandmother, are also artists, so it feels like being creative is part of who I am genetically. I feel really lucky to come from a lineage of painters. Being creative has always been a key part of my identity, and calling myself an artist isn’t something I’ve ever really questioned. I loved art throughout my schooling, and pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts at university. Since graduating, I have had regular exhibitions of my work, mostly in group shows.

As an emerging female artist, what have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced breaking into the Melbourne art scene? 

As both an emerging artist and a woman, I’ve faced a number of challenges while attempting to access arts spaces and the industry more broadly. One of the biggest challenges has been the financial barriers. For emerging artists, it is standard practice to be charged a fee to exhibit your work - in group shows there is typically a fee to submit artwork as well as a commission taken from any artwork sales. If you are hoping to have a solo exhibition there are (often quite steep) gallery hire fees. In contrast, more established artists exhibiting in more established institutions are actually paid an artist fee. So, the reality for most artists starting out is they need to make a significant financial investment in their practice.

In addition to fees to exhibit there are other costs like artmaking materials, and the cost of our time. Like many of today’s emerging artists, I’ve needed to be creative with my approach to exhibiting works, often embracing alternative spaces like bars and cafes that don’t charge hefty hire fees to use the space and don’t take commission. The Hub Artist in Residence program is fantastic because it allows artists to share their work with new audiences without charging a fee, and in fact awarding recipients an artist grant for creative endeavours.

Additionally there are challenges around gender and representation. While in art school, I started a group with some peers as a way to create a safe space for ourselves to share our work and experiences. This has evolved into Gems, a collective for women and non-binary people. It’s been really valuable to have this community, which we built up ourselves.

Sometimes you have to create your own opportunities as a creative, and we’re so proud that we’re also creating a platform for other people now, too.

How has Hub Australia's Artist in Residence program helped open new doors or visibility for your work?

It’s been so exciting to share my work with a whole new audience. I’ve never exhibited my work in a space like this before. Having my work in not just one but two Hub locations (Church Street in Richmond, Melbourne and also Hub Adelaide) has also been an incredible privilege. I have had limited opportunities to share my work with interstate viewers, and it’s been fantastic to have my work on the walls of the Hub Adelaide cafe. As a result of this display, I’ve sold paintings to people who wouldn’t have been aware of my practice otherwise. As an emerging artist, every sale is a huge accomplishment and encouragement. Every opportunity to share work for artists is so valuable, and sometimes you don’t fully realise the impact until later on. For example, since my involvement in this Hub initiative, I’ve been approached online by other spaces and curators and invited to take part in their shows.

What has it been like seeing your pieces displayed in shared workspaces — and how do people respond to encountering art in that setting? 

I’m so happy with how my works at both locations look - the Hub team did an amazing job installing the artworks. I worked closely with the Hub to select the artworks for each space,
thinking about colour palettes and overall mood, and creating a number of digital mock-ups to help us visualise different display options. I know for people utilising the workspaces that having artworks on the walls enhances their experience of the space. There is so much research now around how art, specifically art that is being experienced in person, stimulates the brain. My works in Hub are abstract paintings inspired by nature, and I hope this subject matter enhances feelings of intrigue and calm.

What advice would you share with other young creatives who are trying to turn their passion into opportunity?

I encourage young creatives to follow your unique passions and obsessions, and really put yourself and your work out there. It’s so easy to doubt yourself, your work and to downplay your practice. However I’ve developed an understanding of how every experience in my life, even those that didn’t initially seem directly related to my arts practice, has strengthened who I am as an artist and creator. Reach out to your local cafes, bars and community spaces, even if it feels a little scary at first. Keep your eyes out for any and all opportunities and apply.

If there aren’t many opportunities around (or if there are but they aren’t accessible for you), create your own opportunities. Find a space and put on an exhibition with your friends. It could even be somewhere outdoors, in someone’s house... you can be really innovative and thrifty with your ideas!

Share your creative adventures and learnings online so curators, galleries and other artists know about your work. When people do start reaching out it’s super gratifying!

Finally, what's next for you — are there any upcoming projects or exhibitions we can look forward to? 

I’m in a group show at the Counihan Gallery in Brunswick, which is the annual Merri-bek Summer Show. The theme for this year is ‘Love in Crisis’ and the show runs from Saturday 8
November to Thursday 18 December.

I’m working on a new series of floral artworks for an exhibition I’m having with my mum, Vonne Beyer, at Neon Parlour in Thornbury early next year
(likely in February!)

I’m also incredibly excited to be working towards an exhibition I’m in with both my mother and my Oma, Anjelie Beyer, which will be in Mildura, where my grandparents
live. This will be the first time the three of us have exhibited together, and will be a very special way to celebrate three generations of women painters in our family.