Everything I Have Learnt From The Cherry Tree

Marcelina Amelia is a Polish artist living and working in Brighton. After studying in her hometown of Częstochowa in Poland, at the Jacek Malczewski School of Fine Arts she then move to London, where she studied Illustration and Visual Communication at the University of Westminster. Marcelina also trained in printmaking at Print Club London and London Print Studio, developing skills in traditional printing techniques.

What inspires your work as an artist?

Everything!! I find inspiration everywhere—in the people around me, my family, my son. Becoming a mother has been such a huge, transformative experience, and it constantly fuels my work in unexpected ways. I’m endlessly fascinated by the human psyche, by psychological themes, by the act of diving deeper and uncovering layers. I love meditating, letting my mind wander, and seeing where it takes me. Dreams and the subconscious play a huge role in my work—I’m always drawn to that space between reality and imagination, where hidden thoughts and emotions surface. Polish folklore and different folk traditions feel like a big part of my creative DNA—I keep coming back to them, along with the richness of my Eastern European upbringing. Rituals, both personal and collective, are also a huge source of inspiration. I’m drawn to the way they create meaning, connect us to something bigger, and give form to emotions that might otherwise feel intangible. There’s something magical about revisiting those roots, blending them with dreams, memories, and personal experiences, and seeing what emerges.

Who are your biggest influences?

My first real art crush was Egon Schiele. I think I first saw his work when I was around 14 or 15, and it completely rewired my brain! His raw, expressive lines felt so natural to me, and despite my formal, classical art education, discovering Schiele gave me permission to draw in a way that felt truer to myself. Unfortunately, my formal art education lacked the presence of great women artists, but they are my biggest influences now. I deeply admire Tracey Emin, Marina Abramović, Marlene Dumas, Alice Neel, Lubaina Himid, Louise Bourgeois, and Nan Goldin—just to name a few!

What does your work mean to you?

I don’t want to sound dramatic, but my work means everything to me. Making art has been my most loyal companion—it’s always been there for me, especially in difficult times. I’ve found refuge, healing, and a kind of embrace in the process of creating. Art is an inseparable part of who I am. It’s how I process the world, how I make sense of experiences, and how I understand life itself. But art is also magic—I truly believe in its totemic, manifesting properties. Like one of my favourite artists once said, I paint what I would like to see.

What techniques do you use?

I work in mixed media, with a lot of layering and experimentation. I often mix acrylic and oil sticks on cotton canvas, creating textured, expressive surfaces. I also paint with watercolours and draw with whatever is around me usually a black pen or a Black wing pencil.