Shot By: Alysha Brown
Originally from Hong Kong, Jaspa moved to the North West in 2018. Growing up in a fast-paced, densely built city, he tells us that he didn’t felt fully at ease. “I didn’t really click with the environment… as an artist, growing up I always felt the pressure to conform to social norms”.
That sense of distance has carried into his practice. His paintings focus on quiet, rural landscapes. A deliberate contrast to the environment he was raised in. For Jaspa, spending time in nature has reshaped not just what he paints, but how he approaches life and work.
Moving away from the intensity of the city introduced him to a slower pace, one that allows for more reflection and presence. Painting has become a way of engaging with that shift - a far more tactile, grounded process which connects him to both his surroundings and himself.
“I’ve lived in cities my whole life… I can’t really imagine them in my work. Nature is where I find inspiration.” It wasn’t until his 20s that he properly got into the outdoors, regularly heading up to the Lake District. “I go to the lakes a lot… Buttermere is probably my favourite. I’ll just walk, listen to music, sketch - it helps me a lot.”
This process is all about letting go. Working in watercolour, he leans into how unpredictable it can be. “You can’t fully control it… you just have to embrace it.”
He sees that same idea reflected in being creative today, especially for young people. “I think our generation’s in a weird place… everything’s so online, and it’s harder to feel part of something real.” With so much pressure to always be producing and sharing, Jaspa believes it’s easy to lose your way.
“It’s so normal now to feel like you have to give 100% all the time. But if you burn out, it shows straight away in what you make.” Instead, he’s learning to slow things down - to take a step back when needed and let ideas come naturally.
“You’ve got to let things unfold a bit more… not force it.”For Jaspa, painting isn’t about chasing perfection - it’s about staying honest, finding space, and figuring things out in your own time.