Whitney Spicer's vogue was clear when the artist's solo exhibition at Orange's Jumbled sold out in seven minutes.
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Growing up on a rural slab inland from the Gold Coast, the 34-year-old creative now lives in Manildra with her husband while being "boy mum to three country kids" in the Central West.
With an online reach peaking during the pandemic, the popular painter is now followed by nearly 25,000 people on Instagram on a daily basis.
As a former accountant, today's high-volume regard is something she's still baffled by.
"I'd always painted, but just for myself, and it was only during maternity leave with my first child when I put a few pieces in at The Corner Store Gallery," Mrs Spicer said.
"For a long time after that, I didn't have any confidence to say I was an artist in the full sense, because I didn't go to university to study art or anything like that.
"I just didn't feel like I could fit in with that crowd given it was a hobby and my own happy place outside of usual work.
"But when they all sold, I thought 'maybe I can actually paint'."
![Artist Whitney Spicer in front of her artwork for the Further West exhibition hosted by Orange's shopping and retail empire, Jumbled. Picture by Pip Brett. Artist Whitney Spicer in front of her artwork for the Further West exhibition hosted by Orange's shopping and retail empire, Jumbled. Picture by Pip Brett.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156153420/733b551b-fef9-4d2e-a490-38ca71f4d7fb.JPEG/r0_97_1990_1490_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Organic growth
While she's well and truly earned the term of career artist now, it was only a couple of years back when Mrs Spicer continued to live under the "we just have an earthmoving company" umbrella with her partner.
She grew up riding motorbikes and horses and thinks of herself as somewhat shy. Someone who prefers hanging out behind the scenes.
But that's a hard thing to stick with if you've got people like Pip Brett in your corner, founder of successful Orange-based shopping and retail empire, Jumbled.
![Founder of Orange's Jumbled empire, Pip Brett holds up Whitney Spicer artworks for Further West exhibition in May. Pictures supplied. Founder of Orange's Jumbled empire, Pip Brett holds up Whitney Spicer artworks for Further West exhibition in May. Pictures supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156153420/0a15d8b1-befa-43c1-90cf-db8078d64ffb.png/r0_0_1020_573_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Between social media platforms, the brand carries nearly 220,000 followers alone.
"I didn't feel comfortable in that whole gallery environment starting out, mainly because of that lacking confidence I had, which is why I preferred Jumbled for a really long time, and still do," Mrs Spicer said.
"My work slowly and organically grew from there, as did my confidence, and Pip [Brett] has had a real hand in that process.
"I feel very lucky coming on with Pip during COVID because it increased my audience and I've been able to reach a ton of people since."
My work slowly and organically grew from there, as did my confidence, and Pip [Brett] has had a real hand in that process.
- Artist Whitney Spicer on Jumbled founder's support with exposure.
Sold out in seven minutes
Mrs Spicer's Further West exhibition launched online the night of May 5, with pieces selling out in under 10 minutes after kicking off.
A collection of 23 artworks, the creative felt in her element painting from her granny flat space tucked away in some 100-acres of land.
While her familiar spot will soon transfer to a first-time studio being built on the family's property, it was her recent series at the Jumbled exhibition giving her an extra boost of artistic conviction.
![Artist Whitney Spicer in front of her artwork for the Further West exhibition hosted by Orange's shopping and retail empire, Jumbled. Picture by Pip Brett. Artist Whitney Spicer in front of her artwork for the Further West exhibition hosted by Orange's shopping and retail empire, Jumbled. Picture by Pip Brett.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156153420/72c1114a-809d-449a-a391-5e6fd0d4d9ca.jpeg/r0_381_2016_1514_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"This collection, I feel like it's a bit sexy and a bit raw using the whole western theme, with bare legs and a lot of my painting's names being a bit edgy or provocative," she said.
"Titles like Knockin' Boots can be left up to peoples' own interpretation," she laughed, "but my Darling artwork with nipples against her singlet is certainly more racy but still without being too 'in your face'.
"I can paint pretty country scenes, too, but the cowboys and cowgirls style as opposed to farm-scapes this time around was something also true to country lifestyle where it's dirty, gritty and wild, as well."
'Wild and loud'
Appealing to city buyers as well as being a "bit of fun for the west", Mrs Spicer's works also stretch to prints on attire like jumpers, caps, t-shirts, scarves and sarongs.
These include linen tea towels, phone cases, puzzles, cushion covers, candles, diffusers, and stationary items.
A business she hadn't dreamed of before, her products now live in thousands of different homes, workplaces and more.
![Manildra-based artist Whitney Spicer with husband Tim Spicer and their three children, Darby, Teddy and Finley Spicer. Picture supplied. Manildra-based artist Whitney Spicer with husband Tim Spicer and their three children, Darby, Teddy and Finley Spicer. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156153420/0f9a8e67-e5f5-4eb0-a2bc-931004f858e5.png/r0_0_1020_573_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Outside of that stuff, really I'm just trying to raise three children and that's bloody hard sometimes," she said.
"I feel like a crazy person half the time, because they're pretty wild and loud," she laughed, "but then we get to have those moments around the campfire where I look at them and think 'you're all amazing'.
"It's surreal that I get to be where I am today, in so many ways, and there aren't a whole lot of people who get to do what they're extremely passionate about and make a living out of it.
"And I just love what I do; so much."