ABOUT
Mila May is an artist, painter and sun seeker living by the sea in beautiful Cornwall
Crafting work inspired by the everyday, seaside nostalgia and a slow life worth dreaming about.
about mila may
Mila May is a self-taught artist who works primarily with acrylic, japanese watercolour and oil, drawing, painting and printing onto paper and wood from her Falmouth, Cornwall studio.
After studying Print for Textile Design at Falmouth University, Mila settled in Cornwall and slowly began carving out a life centred around art and slow living.
words from mila
Over time, I've taught myself how to paint, how to share my art, and how to build something steady from it. It’s been a quiet, gradual process - one that’s still unfolding - but it feels good to be doing what I love, in a place that inspires me every day.
My work is shaped by stories, nostalgia and a deeper feeling, capturing small moments in a dreamlike way. Art lovingly made to be lived with, inviting warmth and memories of slow summer days into the spaces it calls home.
I'm drawn to warm earthy tones and soft sun-drenched palettes, colours that remind me of slow mornings and long summer days.
I paint with diluted whimsical brushstrokes and loose playful marks, letting them settle onto wood. Some pieces stay unfinished for weeks, left quietly untouched, until they feel ready for a dash of something new.
PAINTING FROM MILA MAY's FALMOUTH CORNWALL ART STUDIO
I adore The Joy of Exploring and Experimenting with My Paintings, not quite knowing how a piece is going to turn out or where in the world it's going to travel.
The Tools Behind My Art Practice
I really enjoy working with acrylic and wood after spending many years dabbling with oils and heavily primed cotton canvas.
An old studio friend recommended I make the move to wood, after experiencing my woes with the tack and bounce of canvas and gesso.
I love the bold, tactile nature of wood. The matte finish, solid form and the way it feels more like an object than a surface. Each piece carries its own unique grain and individual character, and there is no dreaded tack.
Day to day in the studio, I work with different mediums and methods, mixing traditional artisan practices with my own colourful, playful individual style.
I used to believe I had to stick to one method and one medium to truly niche down but I find fresh and joyful pieces always evolve from experimentation with different techniques, materials and mediums.
How My Art Practice Is Evolving This Year
When I first started painting, I worked slowly and meticulously, often reworking a piece over many months in pursuit of perfection.
Over time, my process has become more fluid. The fast drying time of my preferred paints has naturally introduced a new pace, encouraging me to let go of overworking and focus instead on gut feeling and clarity.
I’m leaning into trusting my intuition working with whimsical, playful brushstrokes and sanding back layers when works don't align. Working on wood suits this rhythm well, allowing me to return to earlier layers of colour through vigorous sanding, an invitation to start anew.
favourite studio staples
Brick coloured sand paper and orange linseed oil, which has a similar scent to antique brocante markets, are two studio staples I can't live without.
Daily reminders that it’s ok to begin again.
Each art collection begins with a place, Somewhere I’ve wandered or stayed a while.
At the moment, I’m working on crafting and curating collections based on places I’ve been lucky enough to travel to. Journeys afoot along the South West Coast Path, and farther afield by boat, plane or train - landing somewhere divinely warm, rich in colour and full of inspiration.
I treat my travels like a sketchbook process, gathering colour, small drawings, texture, shape and photographs, painting onto paper and wood as I go.
Back in the studio, these fragments come together to form a body of work. All gently held together by palette, place and memory.
Each piece holds its own, but together they tell a larger story. Carefully designed to work harmoniously as a curated unique gallery wall - humming with nostalgia, personality and my unique individual style.
I'm currently working on a collection inspired by Cornwall adventures, this one being to the beloved Penzance.
Sailboats and seagulls, golden fields of West Penwith, fresh sourdough from Loafs Bakery, and a haul of sardines from local fishermen for beach suppers. These joyful memories become playful paintings reimagined on board and paper, each piece in a slightly different hand, varying in scale and form.
My findings and travels documented as whimsical works of art for you to hold forever.
what inspires my art practice
I love watching indie films to inspire my art practice and to reconnect with my deep love for jaunty nostalgic moving image and cinematic soundscape.
Visiting art exhibitions in historic buildings brings a similar feeling - a quiet connection to the past and a slower way of seeing and being.
I’m drawn to the layered sound, curated colour and thoughtful framing that both film and art offer. They capture emotion without the need for words, and there’s something deeply grounding in that.
pinterest quotes
I take comfort in short mantras and quotes, small sentences that often sit beside me while I paint, finding their way into my sketchbook or studio moodboards as the seasons change. They help on days when the sun is shining too much to concentrate - when a peaceful beach walk wins - or when the rain is so steady it makes you question everything.
These quiet rituals keep my art and practice moving, even on the slowest of days.
why i started mila may art
I started Mila May to make it simpler for people to find art that feels considered, characterful and quietly chic - pieces that are unique yet naturally fit into the spaces we live and grow in.
Each painting and fine art print I craft is made to be lived with - on your walls, in your home - becoming part of your daily rhythm and slow-living spaces. Painted in soft, sunny palettes, my pieces are built with longevity in mind, settling in naturally and offering a gentle presence that complements your curated surroundings.
I want my paintings to offer more than something nice to simply look at - to invite a sense of familiarity, warmth and feeling into the everyday. They carry fragments of the places and moments that have shaped me, and I hope they find that same quiet resonance in the homes they lovingly become a part of.
Puglia Beach Club Stripe
£25.00
Shop Mila May permanent collection of giclée fine art prints inspired by chic European summer.