Hand made art

Thank you for visiting Art by Raads!

This is my first blog entry, there will be much more to come. 

If you already follow my work you may know that I paint only with my hands and that my main subject is sea and skyscapes. My work varies from very abstract to a bit more formed and I paint mainly on canvas with acrylic paint. However, like any artist that wants more, there are variations and lots of experimenting happening too. So when u see something out of the ordinary don’t be alarmed, I have not abandoned my love of the sea, not ever :)

My inspirations almost always come from the tides and the ever changing weather. My work has largely to do with emotions and moods. They come and go, they change, they are constant for a time and can ambush you suddenly! For me nothing can depict this better than the ocean and all her majesty, she’s beautifully still and inviting one moment and ferociously dangerous the next.

This is why I paint with my hands. I feel I need full range of motion of my body when I try to capture the sea in a crashing wave or an unsettling under current.

I also paint this way because it has to be immediate. I can’t return to the same piece in a different mood and expect to complete the work honestly. My hand (palm, fingers all of it) is the best tool for this as I can apply the paint as I feel the texture and with my hand, I can cover much larger areas too. 

With more still quiet pieces I use a lighter touch, less paint and different techniques, all still with my hand just with a softer approach.

I often include spray paints too and usually varnish when finished (I use a brush for this lol)

I paint a variety or sizes and love to paint to order for private and commercial commissions.

Please get in touch, I live for a challenge.

You can read more about my background in the bio and follow me on Instagram for works that you may not see on here, examples of commissions etc.

All the work for sale has an option to be framed so please just ask

Hope you enjoy the website

Carla Raads x