Trusting Instincts and Embracing Uncertainty: A Conversation with Perdita Sinclair| ESKFF at Mana Contemporary

The British artist reflects on motherhood, surreal seascapes, creative discipline, and why artists should worry less about what others think.
Some artists carefully plan every detail.

Others allow ideas to emerge slowly, trusting intuition to guide the process.

When I sat down with British artist Perdita Sinclair at Mana Contemporary during the ASCAF Residency, our conversation explored creativity, parenting, artistic discipline, sketchbooks, contemporary painting, and the importance of trusting your instincts.

After spending two months in New Jersey and completing eleven new paintings during the residency, Perdita was preparing to return to the United Kingdom with a fresh body of work and a renewed sense of focus.

What stood out most during our conversation was her honesty about the realities of being an artist and the balance required to sustain a creative life.

Returning to Mana Contemporary

Perdita first participated in the ASCAF Residency several years ago and was invited back to return for a second residency.

Like many plans interrupted by the pandemic, the opportunity took longer than expected to materialize.

When it finally did, she fully embraced the experience.

Over the course of two months at Mana Contemporary, she completed eleven paintings while immersing herself in New York’s vibrant art scene.

The residency offered something many artists rarely receive: uninterrupted time to focus exclusively on making work.

For Perdita, that concentrated period of studio practice became one of the most valuable aspects of the experience.

A Practice Built on Discipline

Although inspiration plays an important role in her work, Perdita approaches her studio practice with remarkable consistency.

Each day begins with a clear sense of purpose.

Rather than waiting for inspiration to strike, she arrives knowing what she wants to accomplish and gets to work.

Coffee helps, of course.

But the real fuel behind her practice is preparation and commitment.

Like many professional artists, she has learned that creativity often arrives after showing up, not before.

Motherhood and Artistic Life

One of the most insightful parts of our conversation focused on the relationship between art and motherhood.

Perdita spoke candidly about raising two children while building an artistic career.

While parenting can present challenges, especially during the early years, she also described it as a powerful source of inspiration and motivation.

Rather than limiting her ambitions, motherhood encouraged her to become more focused about what truly mattered.

It forced difficult questions about priorities, goals, and how she wanted to spend her time.

Today, those experiences continue to shape both her life and her work.

Surreal Landscapes and Shifting Realities

The paintings Perdita created during the residency continue themes she has been exploring in recent years.

Her work often features strange floating forms suspended within seascapes and dreamlike environments.

Objects appear familiar yet impossible.

Ice cream-like structures, architectural fragments, and shifting materials occupy spaces that seem to exist somewhere between reality and imagination.

Underlying these compositions are larger questions about time, transformation, perception, and even concepts drawn from quantum physics.

The paintings invite viewers to embrace uncertainty rather than seek easy answers.

The Importance of the Sketchbook

For Perdita, ideas can appear at any moment.

Because of this, she keeps a sketchbook close by at all times.

Drawings, notes, observations, and fragments of ideas are recorded whenever they surface.

The sketchbook serves as both an archive and a release valve.

Without it, she explained, ideas have a tendency to keep her awake at night.

By writing them down, she can trust they will still be there when she is ready to develop them further.

It is a simple habit, but one that has become an essential part of her creative process.

Advice for Young Artists

When asked what advice she would offer emerging artists, Perdita emphasized two important ideas.

First, artists should not force their work.

Creativity develops differently for everyone, and meaningful work often emerges through experience, observation, and persistence rather than pressure.

Second, artists must be willing to work hard while accepting that not everything will succeed.

Failure is part of the process.

Experiments fail.

Ideas evolve.

Projects change.

The important thing is to keep making work and continue learning.

She also encouraged young artists to spend as much time as possible visiting galleries, exhibitions, museums, and artist spaces.

Exposure to art, conversations, and new perspectives remains one of the best forms of education available.

Learning to Trust Yourself

Perhaps the most powerful insight from our conversation came when discussing advice she would give her younger self.

Her answer was simple.

Worry less about what other people think.

Trust your instincts.

Like many artists, Perdita spent years navigating self-doubt, external opinions, and uncertainty.

Looking back, she recognizes the importance of believing in her own voice and allowing intuition to guide her decisions.

It is advice that applies far beyond the studio.

The Gift of Critique

Perdita also offered an interesting perspective on criticism.

While she values feedback, she believes timing matters.

Critiques given too early can unintentionally influence a work before it has fully developed.

Once a piece is finished, however, outside perspectives become valuable.

Whether or not an artist agrees with every comment, critique remains a gift.

It offers insight into how others experience the work and provides opportunities for reflection and growth.

Looking Ahead

Following the residency, Perdita returns to the United Kingdom with several exciting opportunities on the horizon.

She has work connected to the Royal Academy and is awaiting news regarding the prestigious John Moores Painting Prize.

Additional group exhibitions and projects are already planned for London later this year.

With a new body of work completed in New York and a busy exhibition schedule ahead, the future looks bright.

Final Thoughts

What stood out most during my conversation with Perdita Sinclair was her ability to embrace uncertainty.

She understands that art rarely arrives with complete clarity.

Ideas emerge gradually.

Meaning reveals itself over time.

Sometimes artists only understand their work years after creating it.

By trusting instincts, remaining open to discovery, and continuing to show up every day, Perdita has built a practice that balances discipline with curiosity.

In a world increasingly focused on immediate answers, her work reminds us that some of the most meaningful discoveries happen when we allow uncertainty to remain part of the process.

Follow Perdita Sinclair:

Instagram: @perditasinclair

Website: www.perditasinclair.com

About Tarik Talk

Tarik Talk is an international arts and culture podcast hosted by artist Tarik Mendes. With more than 200 episodes across 50 seasons and conversations recorded across more than 10 countries, the podcast explores the lives, careers, and creative journeys of artists, curators, museum professionals, cultural leaders, and entrepreneurs from around the world.

Recorded inside museums, galleries, artist studios, art fairs, and creative spaces, Tarik Talk provides audiences with behind-the-scenes access to the people shaping contemporary culture today.