We have had the pleasure of doing our first-ever collaboration with the inspirational street artist Rosie Woods.
We, TIDE + SEEK and Rosie, have brought the wild world of spray paint art and swimwear together to create the most beautiful candy floss pink and baby blue masterpiece you'll see on a swimming cossie!
Rosie's art is an ethereal vivid interpretation of the natural flow of the human experience. She is hugely intrigued by the human soul, she likes to explore the meeting point of our physical existence and spirituality as her art is a blend of realism and escapism.
She has painted on the most enormous walls across the world and produced stunning street art murals for international festivals, art projects and now for TIDE + SEEK too.
We had the delight of having an interview with Rosie to find out a bit more about her art, why she picked Tide and Seek to collaborate with and a bit about herself.
What made you fall in love with street art? how long have you been doing it?
I first started painting on walls in East London in 2013. It wasn't street art itself that I first fell in love with but spray paint. I absolutely LOVE spray paint. Before that, I had been making the largest possible canvas's I could make (about 2.4 x 2.4m) and working on them with an airbrush. I decided to give spray paint a chance when I had a smaller studio space and these large canvases became impractical. I had no idea what I was doing initially! Spray paint is a wild medium and takes a lot of practice to control.
Luckily, I discovered a group of artists in London who were painting on the street, they took me under their wing and taught me everything I know today. I am forever grateful that I made those friends when I did. It was then that I fell in love with street art. The excitement and speed of painting on walls made the art I was producing seem much more powerful. The adrenaline that comes with fierce time restraints and the physicality of climbing up and down ladders all day was something I'd never experienced before. I completely fell in love with the process, the people, and the adventure of it all.
How would you describe your work/art?
My work is very fluid and colourful. Conceptually I'm really interested in giving form to the intangible. By that I mean I'm trying to visualise what our inner spirit and aura might look and feel like. I wasn't to create an atmosphere where you can be transported to elusive memories or states of being that feel otherworldly.
I really hope that when people stumble across my art on the street it’s a curious and hopefully beautiful experience; a human-to-human experience. I don’t take painting in public lightly. I think it’s a privilege to be able to put art out in the world in places people wouldn’t normally encounter it. I’m not trying to convey a particular narrative, instead, I am attempting to connect to that space within yourself, below the surface that exists like a flame or a whirlpool and is capable of so much.
What was it about Tide and Seek that made you want to put your artwork alongside our products?
I love Tide and Seek's personality. I see it very much as ethos lead, not trend lead. You see so much similar stuff out there from store to store I think it’s so important to have brands like Tide and Seek who are doing things differently and actively sourcing artists to work with. Sustainability is becoming more and more important to everyone including myself. If there are brands out there making it easy for me to be sustainable by making products I want without any worry about the environmental impact I want to back them all the way.
What’s the inspiration behind the design?
Tide and Seek is all about the summertime feels, bright, fun, feel-good colours. This design is an extension of Sammy’s first collection utilising the same colours but incorporating my artwork which is all about movement, energy and flow. This design has a soft but focused energy to it. I hope it will make you light and inspired when you put it on, confident about the day and a talking point!
How will you wear this look?
For me personally, I’m trying to work out most mornings so I can’t have enough activewear right now. But I am most excited to wear it in Australia! I’m super pale and moving there this year. I love being in the water, either surfing, sup-ing etc and these leggings will be so perfect for that to protect me from the sun but also look fun!
If you are as obsessed with Rosie Wood's art as we are you are in luck!
From this collaboration, Rosie has been so kind to let us hold an amazing giveaway for 10 Rosie Woods Prints.
If you are a subscriber to the TIDE + SEEK newsletter this is for you! - if you aren't yet subscribed, make sure you do through our website as you don't want to miss out on this fantastic giveaway!
You can find out how to enter the competition in the latest email from us to see how to win 1 of the 10 prints.
