Artist Interviews #7 - Océane Meftah

The Curious Magpie

The inspiration behind these interviews is that I like nothing more than hearing about how other artists work, what’s influenced them, their favourite tools, and what their workspaces are like. Each Artist is given a list of questions and they get to choose how many and which questions to answer.

In this interview, I’m delighted to welcome Océane, our paths crossed online many years ago when she was running her stationery business. She’s a great example of how to embrace all of your creative pulls. Where we’re always told to pick a lane, niche down and do the ONE thing, Océane combines all of them into her life, an approach that resonates with me a great deal.

Thank you for sharing so openly and honestly about your practice, it’s been a delight to get to know you a bit better!

Jo

1. Can you give us a brief introduction to yourself and your work, what your primary art form is and how long have you been creating?

I’m Océane. I’m originally from France, but London has been home for over twenty years now.

My drawing journey began in 2021 with designing and selling stationery via my brand Papergraphie but over time, my focus has gently shifted.

I closed my online shop last year so I could pour more energy into illustration, writing, and The Curious Magpie—a Substack publication and creative membership that I run alongside my full-time job in Administration and life as a mum to two boys, aged 7 and 14.

I’ve always dreamed of being a writer—I studied publishing and screenwriting at university—but for a while, life had other plans. In the past five years, creativity has slowly made its way back into my life in new and unexpected forms: drawing, collage, fiction writing, and designing patterns.

Now, I’m building a life that embraces everyday creativity, one that leaves room for experimentation, connection, and sharing what I love.

The Curious Magpie is where I spend most of my time. It's a place for curious souls—especially those juggling work, family, and full lives—who want to reconnect with their creative spark. It’s where we follow what makes us wonder, not what looks perfect. For paid members, I share weekly creative prompts and host monthly online drawing sessions and quarterly creative challenges, all designed to inspire playful exploration and gentle momentum.

2. How would you describe your artistic style and the themes that most inspire your work?

My creative style revolves around textures and the materials I use. I adore the feel of collage and wax pastels, how layers build up and marks become part of the narrative. But I also work digitally - it’s where I started drawing (on an iPad using Procreate) and how I design my patterns. Recently, I’ve experimented with combining both analogue and digital techniques for the same piece of work. This approach really resonates with me. When it comes to writing, my style shifts depending on the form: In personal writing, I’m honest and bold, aiming for truth and sometimes pushing boundaries. In children’s book ideas, I play with dry humour, maybe a bit mischievous? In flash fiction, I go dark and strange, exploring loss, mystery, and eerie moments. It’s funny how much joy I find in crafting strange and rather sad stories, but I believe that contrast - between playfulness and depth, between light and shadow - is what makes my work feel unique. After all, we all possess both light and darkness within us.

3. Can you describe a typical day when you are working?

That’s a great question! My workday is quite different from what most creative people might experience. Because of my full-time day job, my creative work happens outside of regular work hours. Recently, I realised that I only have about 15 hours a week to dedicate to my creative pursuits, including The Curious Magpie. That’s a lot of evenings, early mornings, and weekends. I have to make the most of every spare moment I can find. Then there are my children, which can sometimes make it difficult to find time for myself. But I believe somehow we manage to make time for the things we love.

I used to feel resentful of my day job for taking me away from my creative dreams, but I’ve come to accept that I need my regular income. Unfortunately, our mortgage won’t be paid without it. I think it’s important to be honest about the struggles of living from your art and how it doesn’t necessarily reflect your worth or talent.

4. Can you describe your physical workspace or studio environment and does it influence your creative process?

I don’t have a dedicated workspace or studio. I have a desk in my bedroom, but I only use it when I work from home. I’ve mentally linked it to my day job, so I don’t really use it for creative work. I create wherever I can find a ‘quiet’ spot. My dining table, bed, sofa, and even outside are my go-to places. I love drawing outside—I never take my youngest son to the playground without bringing a few wax pastels and a small sketchbook, even on a cold day.

Not having hours before me to create means I have 2 ways of making art: when I only have a minutes, I need easy access to my materials such as a handful of wax pastels and a sketchbook (which I always have ready to grab). I draw without plan and overthinking.

For projects that are going to take more time - I think about it in my head a lot beforehand and then break down the different steps to work on across several days - which is what I did for the illustration I share in question 5, I designed it step by step across about a week.

5. Can you walk us through your typical creative process, from idea to finished piece?

At the moment, I’m thoroughly enjoying the fusion of analog and digital practices. For instance, I create analog drawings, cut paper pieces, and apply painted textures—often using a light box. These are then scanned, placed, and colourised digitally in Photoshop. This process is incredibly liberating, as intuition and imperfection are crucial. The final product often strikes a balance between my overall vision for the illustration and the delightful surprises that emerge from the creative process. Here are the different steps in the photos for the illustration I named Éclat, which means radiance or burst. I used it as the cover image for one of my monthly Substack essay which is a small collection of flash fiction stories: https://oceanemeftah.substack.com/p/the-edge-of-familiar 1. Cut up organic paper shapes. 2. Scan the paper pieces. 3. Place, organise and colourise in Photoshop 4. Final illustration

6. How do you balance the demands of creating art with daily life and responsibilities?

I believe in making creativity a part of my everyday life, not just a special occasion. Whenever I can, I find creative ways to spend time, like drawing at the playground or writing at the kitchen table while my children watch a film. I also love prompts, which help me get creative and even offer them as part of my membership, The Curious Magpie. And I try to be ‘slow’ when it comes to creativity, letting ideas grow naturally instead of forcing myself to do things on a strict schedule. Earlier this year, I had a mentoring session with

Charlie Swift

We talked about how to plan my month, batch repetitive tasks, and have a planning day with myself where I map out the tasks I have to do, what I want to do and leave room for creative play too. It’s been so helpful! It’s given me more time to create art and work on my personal projects. I now even make it a habit to bring my sketchbook to the office and have a quick drawing session during my lunch break.

7. Have you had any challenges in pursuing a career as an artist, and how have you overcome them?

For a long time, I’ve felt ashamed of my self-taught status and unconsciously hid the fact that I didn’t have an art education. I believed that my lack of formal training diminished the value of my art, just as I was concerned that having a full-time job would make it seem insincere to potential clients.

Self-doubt and perfectionism can also creep in, particularly when sharing your work with the world and engaging with social media. I’ve discovered that focusing on the creative process rather than seeking perfection, setting boundaries (such as using prompts), and building a supportive creative community is key in overcoming these challenges. Starting The Curious Magpie has also reminded me that creativity doesn’t have to be a solitary journey—sharing the journey with others enhances its richness. To expand my portfolio and gain a sense of community, I joined Raj Kaur’s membership at

Art As Work

, where we work on five art projects throughout the year. The structured approach, with a theme, prompt, and deadline, has been incredibly inspiring and beneficial as I can fit this around my life responsibilities.

Another challenge I face is the fear of being visible in public, speaking directly to the camera, and putting myself out there. I’m part of Lucy Werner’s

Hype Yourself

membership , and gradually, I’m gaining the confidence to showcase my work and pitch myself for projects.

8. What’s next for you, are there any new projects on the horizon?

I’m currently working on expanding my portfolio of illustrations and patterns. My website also needs some attention, so I’ll prioritise that as well. Late last year, I designed a pattern for Sarah Robertson’s

Brand Seasons

, mini zine This Creative Life, which was published in March.

I'm so proud of having been involved in the project and I’d love to have another pattern or an illustration licensed for a product or featured in an editorial.

If anyone is interested in a custom pattern/ illustration for product or digital use - please do reach out. Regarding The Curious Magpie, I plan to explore new themes and ways to support members in finding creative momentum.

I'd love my membership to grow and continue to help people in their creative journey. I also have two writing projects in the works: I’ve written a children’s picture book, so I’ll be taking steps to figure out how to get it published. And, I’m working on a collection of flash fiction stories, one story at a time.

This year I’ve made a conscious decision to embrace all sides of my creativity and see what happens.