Samantha Boulanger BA (Hons) MA

A little bit about me...

I was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, but moved to Aberystwyth in West Wales in 1992. I am currently living and working in Trefenter, Ceredigion, Mid Wales.

I work from my garden studio, Stiwdio Ci Du (Black Dog Studio), on Mynydd Bach. The studio is named in honour of my beloved black whippet Guto (24/8/2011 – 8/8/2025), whose spirit and memory remain deeply woven into the space and the work created here.

I have been working as a freelance artist and self taught seamstress, also known as The Accidental Up-cyclist, since 2007. My early practice focused on recycled textiles, becoming a forager and rescuer of ‘all things fabric’, saving unwanted clothing and textiles from ending up in landfill. These materials were creatively revived and transformed into unique, funky up-cycled Foraged Finery, giving each item a new lease of life. This way of working with found and repurposed materials continues to influence and inform my current art practice.

In 2009 the up-cycled clothing labels Kaotic Kittus and Guto the Whippet were created. Alongside my own creative practice I have facilitated numerous creative up-cycling and printmaking workshops.

I graduated from Aberystwyth University with a BA Fine Art (First Class Honours) in July 2019 and later completed an MA in Fine Art in July 2022. During the first year of my MA I introduced the contemporary wet cyanotype process to the photography department, where it has since been added to the curriculum.

My current practice centres around photography and printmaking, often combining the two processes and introducing additional media to create unique hybrid prints and collages. More recent explorations include the historical photographic printing process of cyanotype, approached with a contemporary and alchemical twist, alongside botanical eco printing, painting, mixed media and encaustic wax.

Working with botanical, found and natural materials, my practice is deeply connected to the surrounding landscape. Inspiration comes from the natural world, woodlands, hills and animals, as well as the quieter poetry of the ordinary; the patterns, textures and tonal qualities that surround us. Through photography, printmaking and mixed media I often transform what might be seen as mundane or overlooked into something unique and evocative.

From Stiwdio Ci Du on Mynydd Bach, my work continues to evolve through curiosity, experimentation and playfulness. The studio itself has become a place of making, reflection and connection to the landscape, where materials gathered from nature and everyday life are explored through layered processes of photography, printmaking and collage.

My art practice is constantly evolving, driven by an innate curiosity about materials and process. I enjoy exploring texture, composition, layering, abstraction and the interactions between photography and printmaking to create work that reflects the forms, textures and quiet magic of the natural world.

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