Not every artist begins early. For Samantha Chua, painting arrived later – not through formal training or a lifelong plan, but through instinct. In early 2025, she picked up a paintbrush simply to calm a busy mind. What followed was less a hobby than a recognition of something that had likely been sitting beneath the surface all along.

Born in Malaysia and now based in Naarm (Melbourne), Samantha misses the way Malaysian culture comes together in collective celebration – Eid, Deepavali, Lunar New Year and Christmas embraced across communities, turning the country into a shared expression of togetherness. At the same time, she appreciates Australia’s openness to experimentation and new ideas – a spirit that has allowed her to explore creativity more freely.

Working primarily in Chinese Brush Painting and gouache, Samantha’s work feels observational, instinctive and emotionally led. Alongside her broader work as a copywriter and website designer, she continues building a creative practice grounded in curiosity and experimentation, allowing pieces to evolve naturally rather than forcing a fixed outcome.

A recent artwork sale became a significant turning point. Not because it signalled arrival, but because it affirmed something many emerging artists quietly wrestle with: creative legitimacy has nothing to do with how early someone begins.