Pia Schulz

Interview by Jane Churchill 

Growing up in central Germany’s coal mine region, Pia Schulz (@headless_arts) was a long way from Australia’s coastline. Like so many other travellers, Pia landed in the Byron Shire a few years ago and was simply unable to leave this “magical spot.” Amidst the uncertainty that looms over this year, Pia has used this time to establish the headless series which reflects Byron’s ocean surroundings in an endearing way. Her illustrations are characterised by their simple lines and free-spirited nature. While cohesive, no design really feels the same.

Jane. Your illustrations have quite a recurring theme. When and how did you begin creating the 'headless' surf pieces? 

Pia. I started to work on my headless characters at the end of 2019, just a few months before anyone was thinking about COVID-19. The magical environment in the Byron Shire, and the welcoming, hippie surfer folk, has lightened up my work in a special way. Originally, the headless series was inspired by surfing the iconic spots like The Pass, Wategos, Belongil, Brunswick, Broken Heads etc. I feel the life here sometimes feels surreal compared to the hectic life you can experience out of this bubble. In the middle of the process, I was somehow looking to express this feeling in a simple way, so that everyone was able to understand this emotion straight away. So, I decided to use the rainbow heads. Rainbows have always been a strong symbol for peace, happiness and freedom. It fits perfectly into the Byron Shire paradise. Just shortly after COVID-19 started to spread around the world and all restrictions started to take place, the rainbow symbol was used to symbolise the connection between all the people affected by the virus, and is now an international symbol for hope! Which I find even more touching for my art, as it fits to the zeitgeist of this very special year.

Jane. Are the surfing themes in your work a reflection of your own interest in surfing? 

Pia. It surely is! I started surfing during my travels in Portugal and it had a big impact on me. So, I visited many surf spots around the world. It’s just an amazing little dreamland out there in our stressful and fast-moving world. And the most beautiful thing is, this feeling is not dependent on the place. In the beginning, my headless characters were mostly inspired by local surfers from the Byron Shire. However, I wanted to connect with other people around the world and share the feeling of colour and hope during these weird times. Many people could not enjoy their sports or hobbies for a short period. I think my illustrations somehow help to remind people of this special feeling. Inspired by all the amazing spots I travelled before in Europe, Mexico, Indonesia, Fiji etc., I started to do works of locals from all over the world and tagged them on my Instagram account. I love the idea of connecting to different people who share the same passion and use social media to do so. I think this is the only use social media really should have. Also, my works are not only limited to surfing. I am also working a lot with local musicians, or get inspiration from other sports like skating.

Jane. Can you walk us through the process of how you create your pieces? What are your favourite materials to use?

Pia. Usually, I start with quick graphite sketches of postures, trying to find different movements for my characters which fits best. My illustrations themselves are very reduced and I just try to work with basic outlines. It is important that these are solid, so I would mostly work with slim brushes and pens to achieve that. I only use watercolour for the colour because I love the gradients this material allows you. Especially if you work with warm pastel colours.

Jane. Where are your favourite places to illustrate? In your home? In nature?

Pia. That’s the most beautiful thing about the small format illustrations, you can do them anywhere you want. But I love my little messy studio, where I would go and have all my materials kind of sorted and available ready to go. I feel at peace there and love to listen to songs from the mid-60s or some local artist to inspire myself in the process 

Jane. Is there an artwork you are most proud of?

Pia. I don’t have a particular work which I like most, because I am constantly creating new pieces which then become my new favourite for a bit. I definitely love the commission works as most of my clients ask to get customised pieces to give to their family or friends. They would send me photos of the person surfing or doing other stuff. This allows me to create a very unique piece for them and always inspires me to do something different.