Local Artist…Nathan Sheahan from Maroubra

By James Hutton on January 18, 2022 in Arts

Enjoying his craft. Photo: Eva Bosak @iampi_thenature

Local artist Nathan Sheahan is the illustrator behind this month’s cover piece featuring Matt Gilsenan and Blake Thornton. He shares his local favourites with The Beast…

How long have you lived here? I have been living in Maroubra for about two years. I moved down from Newcastle for a job at Mambo, and I wanted to live somewhere with a decent beach, so Maroubra was the ideal choice for me.

What’s your favourite eatery? At the moment my girlfriend and I have been giving Arthur’s Pizza in Maroubra a red hot crack, so I would have to go with that.

Where do you like to have a drink? I don’t mind a sneaky schooner at ‘The Bay’ Hotel every now and then. I also don’t mind driving back to Newy for a few beverages at ‘The Ori’.
Best thing about the Eastern Suburbs? Plenty of pubs, and heaps of things to do.

Worst thing about the Eastern Suburbs? A heap of people in the water, which can get a bit chaotic when surfing.

How would you describe your art? Lots of pop colours, bold/fine black lines, mostly centred around a play on words or ‘dad pun’ as the subject matter.

Where can people see your work? My Instagram account, @el_sheo_, or my website, nathansheahandesign.com.

Who are your artistic inspirations? Just to name a few, Reg Mombassa, Ben Brown, Jim Phillips, Todd Mcfarlane, Virgil Finlay, Salvador Dalí and more.

What are you working on at the moment? I am working on developing a graphic novel, developing some paintings/illustrations in hope of hosting an exhibition at the end of 2022, and a heap of bizarre graphics for Mambo in between.

When did you discover you had a gift for your craft? I’ve been an avid doodler from an early age. I remember constantly passing the time in school drawing funny cartoons at the back of the class to entertain my mates.

Other local artists to look out for? @toddbourkeillustration is good, and @boundbysea is up there as well.

Did you study art? I studied a bachelors degree in design, but I pretty much contorted it in my favour to focus on illustration and art, which fortunately the lecturers were okay with.

Any words of wisdom for young aspiring artists? Just enjoy what you do, get good at your craft, and eventually people will pay you for it.

Do you have a favourite sporting team? The Bunnies!

What music are you into at the moment? At the moment I have been pumping a band called Bloody Hell, and also the soundtrack for Utopia.

What do you get up to on the weekends? I’m usually working on something involving art or music, or you’ll find me surfing or at the pub with mates.

What do you do for work? I am the creative director at Mambo. I am humbled to be involved in the surf and music industry as both activities are things I really enjoy participating in.

Any other words of wisdom for readers of The Beast? Have a good one!