In this edition of Spotlight, we’re joined by U.K-based landscape artist Celia de Serra. Formerly an abstract artist, it is now the incredible realism and masterful depictions of light, shadow and colour that is attracting the most attention in her home area of West Dorset, England. We talked with Celia about how much of this magnificent talent came naturally to her, and what she thinks is essential in to the art-life balance.

Thankyou very much for agreeing to join us here on Spotlight, Celia. It’s great to have you. Could you first start by telling us, how much of your amazing technical ability is natural talent, and how much did you learn in formal training?

Thanks for your generous comments. I’ve been fortunate in that I seemed capable of drawing and painting from a fairly an early age, quite some time before I had any formal training. Most of my skills since then I have built up over years of hard work, practice and, crucially, time. I was also formally trained at art college, but it was a fairly laissez-faire environment. The training was important, though, in providing a stimulating arena for critical analysis and painting practice; and it was a good time and place to meet like-minded people over a few beers and some loud music.

2) What is your process for preparing a piece, and how long does it usually take to execute from beginning to end?

I start a piece of work by spending a lot of time outdoors, being quite immersed in where I am, looking for ideas and interesting light. I like to spend a lot of time just pondering and looking, particularly when I am on my mountain bike off-roading where you can get to some amazing places perfect for just this. I use a couple of digital cameras and sketchbooks to gather ideas and spend yet more time at home printing photos, drawing and thinking some more. Eventually I’ll start painting, sketching out forms and shapes in thin washes and building these up over time. Parts of my paintings are more gestural and immediate, it depends. It can take many weeks, sometimes months, to complete a single painting, although it does vary. Often, as probably other artists will attest, deciding when a painting is finished can be quite difficult and you can find yourself coming back to a piece of work at a much later date and reworking it.

3) You do work on commission. How do people find out about your work?

I do some commissions although most of my work is uncommissioned and sold or shown privately or in exhibitions. My website is a good way to find out about my work, especially for news and forthcoming exhibitions. Otherwise I can be contacted at home where my studio is, although currently I am in the process of relocating. I also work with galleries and dealers from time to time. I also have a series of commissioned works on permanent public display at the Yeovil District HospitalU’s Pharmacy and this came about by a previous temporary show at Dorset County Hospital.

4) You seem to be a bit of a master of natural light. Were there any artists in particular that inspired you / influenced your style?

Thank you. The painters that I have come across who seem to be able to capture light include, I suppose:- Bonnard, Rembrant, Bonnington, Ivan Aivazovsky etc. Generally I like allsorts of painters, perhaps some are influences, but I think it is less definitive than that. I enjoy the work of painters such as Gerhard Richter, David Reed, Maggie Hambling, Francis Bacon, Joan Mitchell, Hughie O’Donaghue, Paul Nash, Brice Marden, Robert Motherwell and many, many more - a fairly eclectic mix.

5) What subject matter would you like to dabble in in the future, if your direction changes?

I used to be an abstract painter, in fact this basis has helped me with my grasp of landscape painting. In the future I might like to dabble in other types of landscapes, perhaps to conceptualise the work more, maybe with an industrial or social bent. I have got lots of ideas, and probably not enough time, the usual problem.

6) Have you ever found it difficult or isolating working in a field where essentially you produce something by yourself?

Yes, painting can be an isolating activity. You have to be quite self critical and motivated, and it’s easy sometimes to be over critical. For example, I have had difficult times in the past, particularly when I have felt I was going round and round in circles with the work, scrubbing out more than I was producing. I worked through these difficulties, quite literally, and feedback from other people, particularly my painter husband, became very useful. I also think putting on an exhibition, however humble, is a great confidence boost and it gives you a good overview and context to your work - very helpful.

7) What kinds of advice would you give to someone with a good deal of talent and not a great deal of concentration? Is getting down to work something you have ever had trouble with?

When it comes to painting I am focused and single minded, but primarily I enjoy what I do and if I am not painting for prolonged periods I tend to become miserable. Even so there are times when it is more difficult to get down to work than others, it really depends. A solution might be:- try to relax (I have heard that some artists use meditation, whatever works really) - begin to work quite freely, play about a bit with the paint and see what happens. Or, if the painting is at that tricky stage, spend a good amount of time looking and thinking before even reaching for the paint brush. Put some music on perhaps, shut the door, make sure you have everything you need in front of you so that nothing niggles or is a distraction. You then have to give yourself time to become immersed in what you are doing, it doesn’t always happen straight away. As painting is a discipline I think focus becomes easier with practice, so keep on working; it does pay off, and the painting will start to take on a life of its own and create is own energy.

How do other things in your life help your work? (I.e. time with friends, family, a great dinner, travelling, the morning sunshine). Have you found anything that hinders your art work, and what do you do to get back in the zone?

Mountain biking probably helps my work the most, giving me head space, ideas and mental refreshment. I particularly enjoy travelling to mountainous or remote areas of the countryside, and walking or cycling with friends or family. Good music definitely helps with my painting, accompanied by the odd glass of Rioja, and good food. I would say that the normal stuff of life does get in the way of painting (cleaning, cooking, paperwork, etc.) but this can be constructive, not only to make you a more rounded and less boring person, but also to focus the mind back onto painting; in any event, this is how I like to see my part time jobs over the years. I think the biggest hindrance to painting for me tends to be emotional upset. Last year our family suffered a significant trauma and I was unable to concentrate on painting for 2-3 months, and this is pretty rare for me. Eventually things sorted themselves out in my personal life and I was able to return to the studio. At the moment I am in the middle of moving home and relocating, which although very stressful, hasn’t stopped me from working - in fact painting can be quite a cathartic activity in itself.

9) What kinds of reactions did you have to your work in 2007?

I had a lot of positive responses to my work last year. I was invited to participate in an exhibition in Salisbury and was very pleased that the work sold out and was followed by further enquiries and an offer of another exhibition later in the year. Obviously sales are important but the feedback was much appreciated; people typically commenting on the light, sky, sense of distance and place etc.. It is always very nice to hear and much appreciated. The website has been very useful, particularly webstats, and just being able to be in contact with clients or interested people.

10) What do you think you’d be if you weren’t an artist?

Well, in a fantasy world, I’d like to be any number of things such as an active participant in music, film or TV, a biologist (maybe an environmental/political activist), maybe a chef or a food critic, or a writer, or, if I were a adolescent male, a pro-downhill mountain biker. In the real world, however, I stupidly didn’t have any contingency plans for if the painting didn’t work out. Years ago I did study English Literature alongside the painting at university, but it was quite miraculous that I passed as I spent most of my time in the studio, ignoring essay demands.

We thank you Celia for your interesting and insightful answers to our questions.

To see more of Celia’s incredible work, please head to her homepage at: www.celiadeserra.com

Belinda Simmons, a Tokyo-based New Zealand pastel artist joins us in this edition of Spotlight.

Belinda Simmon’s career as an artist started very differently to the way most painters or illustrators begin on the road to becoming an artist. After leaving her home country and moving to Australia to study English literature, she became an engaged supporter of some of the strong arts movements that were happening in her University town of Newcastle, and the very artistically active areas of Redfern and Paddington in Sydney. ‘This was a time when the energy and growth in the air was palpable’ she recalls of the time. ‘I had never studied art formally, and was always envious of people who could create these incredible works’.

It was not until she was cajoled into picking up some pastels and asked to join in that she had her first experience as the creator, instead of the observer. ‘I had always been on the side encouraging the artists, all the while feeling that I was not good enough to join in on their activities’. Through the very special friendships that were formed in those early years, Belinda began her artistic journey, one that would also have some tragic moments which she says changed not only her perception of life on earth, but reiterated the important role art plays as intermediary and peacemaker in an increasingly isolated world.

1) Thank you for joining us today Belinda. Could you start by telling us about the road to becoming an artist. Did you always know you were headed down this path?

As a matter of fact, no I didn’t know that I was heading into art at all at first. I had a great deal of friends involved in painting, drawing, and sculpture, but I was a literature student at the time, and played the role of the onlooker. Then, one night everything changed. Some friends took me by the arm as you would a frightened child, gave me some colored pencils to work with, and it all began from there. I found a lot of freedom in beginning to sketch. I felt my mental block begin to subside. These people I had admired for so long were no longer ‘above me’, and I was one of them.

2) You have chosen pastels as your main medium of choice. Could you tell us about that decision?

I use both dry and oil pastels in many shades. This medium allows me a great deal of self correction, and when working with them, I feel the same sense of exuberance a teenage girl does with a palette of eye shadow! Prior to starting a piece, I go out and deliberately select just four colors to work with. This is usually sufficient in giving me what I need to begin working. I may add more colors in time.

3) Your work has a playful innocence about it. Tell us about the reaction to some of your pieces in Japan compared to exhibitions in Australia.

That’s an interesting question you pose there. Although I don’t claim to be technically brilliant at art, I do seem to have a natural knack for using themes which are very emotionally charged, such as reproduction, homosexuality, discrimination, and genetic engineering, and representing them in a playful manner. In Japan, the reception of my pieces has been utterly astounding. In Sydney, I would at times feel that people were coming along to my exhibitions for the free wine and to meet other people which is also brilliant, but in Japan, there is a different kind of connection being made with my work. I have always felt that the Japanese are very deeply connected to nature and the four seasons. In this respect, the colors I use have created some impressive reactions from people who spend their daily life in a fairly monochrome city world. I recently exhibited my work ‘The Last Big Gay Dinosaur’, (which is fairly self-descriptive) and the reactions people had were as I say, really astounding. I mean people came from far and wide to my show, and they were looking at the work for a long time, and laughing very very deeply. It made me realize that I want my work to be not unlike a small garden in the middle of the urban jungle. For such a simple picture to have had such a big effect, and to have given so much enjoyment, it was really very touching…

4) Could you tell us about the piece ‘Love Story’.
Love story is a piece with two characters. One girl monster is sleeping on the left, and the boy monster is on the right. Children absolutely adore this piece.

5) What kinds of themes inspire your work?

Well definite themes do recur in my work, and of these, the future, and nature are always important to me. But I am influenced by many things the world around me, from reading science fiction literature, or writing it (which I do), to just having a good day. Any of these things can bring the surge of creativity needed to bring out a really great piece of art.

6)How do you deal with artistic slumps? I.e. do you ever have any breaks from creativity?

I believe that artists are like the seasons, and you will suffer artistic frustrations. It is a natural stage in the creative process, and like nature in Winter, you will need to retract into yourself for a while to reform. But you can’t spend you whole life worrying about it. I have in the past questioned my skills and my identity, and felt the feeling of loss. But essentially, loss is a time of change, and that is important to realize when you are a creative person.

7) Finally, have you had anyone along the way that has been of significant support to you?

As an artist, I don’t think that you can rely on anyone else really for support. Support is something that comes from within, and encouragement from the inside. In my early days, three of the artists that I worked closely with died. I went through that time and couldn’t make friends easily for a long time afterward. But the thing is that at the time they were dying of AIDS, it actually had a deep impact on the way that we communicated with each other. When someone is dying, is the time that there is true honesty between people. It was a horrible time, but I lived through it. These days, the fact that I am painting means that I am alive. So my support comes from within.

Okay, lucky lucky last question Belinda.. What do you think you are meant to offer to the world of art?

I think essentially what I’m offering is an open zone, a place where people can communicate, focus, and enjoy. I’ve really enjoyed just bringing people together and delighting in seeing others benefit from the color and story of my work. I see my paintings as a garden in the middle of a largely grey cityscape. People come and take what they like from my work, and of course I take a little bit of credit for their pleasure…

We thank you Belinda for your interesting and insightful answers to our questions.

Belinda’s artwork is sold at P.O.A, and welcomes comments and questions regarding her work. For more information on Belinda Simmons, please contact admin@theartistsweb.co.uk for an updated exhibition schedule. (Exhibitions at present are in Tokyo only)

Shirley Shelton exudes colour.

Looking at her strikingly unique work, it is not difficult to imagine that she was never one to sit back and allow adversity to floor the creative process (which she has now managed to turn into a successful career!). Like many artists, her experiences from as early as her childhood (influenced by many moves due to her father’s career) have helped to shape the depth and tone of her work, as art was an early release for a very trans-continental child.The experiences of travel and warm sunsets at dusk in her later years come through in the vivid shades and shadows of nature that she has mastered, and influence even the designs for new paintings, which Shirley has developed such a strong following for.

Attractive and carefree in nature, it has definitely been her strength of characther that has gotten Shirley to the position she is in now, where her art has become as easily recognisable as her bright and cheerful glow. Sitting in her Norfolk studio for this interview, we asked Shirley more about her opinions on modern artists, African inspiration and why she thinks the hard times in life will actually help to shape your success…

1) Thankyou for joining us at Spotlight, Shirley. Tell us first, what initially drew you to becoming an artist?

I’ve always been naturally creative. During my childhood we didn’t live in one place for any length of time because my father was in the Royal Air Force, this often left me feeling quite isolated with difficulties forming long term friendships so I would spend a lot of timepainting and drawing.

2) When did you know that it was meant to be your chosen career? And did you have any trouble grappling with the decision?
Art was my favourite subject at school and the only thing at which I really excelled, but I never seriously considered it as a career. I was employed in a variety of unfulfilling jobs until about ten years ago then I suffered a series of personal traumas and became quite ill with depression, having to give up my job I decided to spend more time painting and started to have increasing offers from people to buy my work, eventually as my confidence grew there was no question in my mind that I wanted to make it my full time occupation.

3) Your work definitely has a distinct flair. What inspires you most in your work?
Colour, atmosphere and mood. I absolutely love the drama of stormy skies and sunsets and I’m fascinated by the heat and colour of the African landscape, apart from that I like to store any interesting image I’ve seen in my head so that when I’m faced with a blank canvas my imagination and subconscious work together to come up with something interesting..

4) How do you think success can be defined artistically?
I think success is relative, artists we now consider to be successful often died in poverty and didn’t sell any paintings during their lifetime whereas certain well known artists of today have achieved fame and fortune for producing sensationalist rubbish and happened to be in the right place at the right time, success for me personally is simply that some people appreciate my work enough to want to buy it and display in their homes

5) Why did you choose your current location as a base?
I live and work in a picturesque part of rural Norfolk in the UK, I really appreciate the difference working in such a peaceful environment can make to my motivation, I originally started painting professionally in a fairly noisy and cramped flat in town whereas now the beautiful countryside constantly inspires me..

6) How do people react to your paintings, and what kinds of questions are you regularly asked about your work?
I think people are initially attracted by the warm and bright colours and quite surprised by the variety of subjects and techniques I use, I’m most often asked where my ideas come from.

7) Have you had any significant people help you get where you are now? If so, what role did they play in your success? (Ex: a supportive partner, a mentor etc)
I can honestly say I wouldn’t have achieved any level of success at anything I’ve done during the last decade if it hadn’t been for the care and support I’ve had from my husband.

How do you keep yourself motivated?
I’ve had a few people doubt me one way or another in the past so I think I’m largely motivated by a determination to prove myself, like many artists I do suffer from a lack ofself confidence and being a bit of a perfectionist I’m driven by a constant desire to improve.

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We thank Shirley Shelton for her interesting and insightful answers and for sharing a little about the inspiration for her amazing work.To view more paintings from Ms. Shelton, we invite you to: www.sunsetcontemporaryart.co.uk.Congratulations Shirley, we wish you every lasting success.

In this edition of Spotlight, we are joined by Sheffield-based artist Mark H. Wilson.

 

Mark Wilson knows only too well the breathtaking and hypnotic power that light has had on many artists before him. Before Mark had even begun his schooling, he was exposed to some of the great masters, with the images of Cezanne, Gauguin, and Turner being strongly present in his recollections. Influenced by his art-teacher father and painter uncle, he began to understand early on how light does not just illuminate the scene - it is an active participant in the drama. Marks own unique methods of capturing the atmospheric effect of light, be it glistening over the forest floor at dawn, or beaming resplendently through dark clouds after a storm, are gaining him his own kind of notoriety. This journey so far has taught Mark that just like for his 18th-century predecessors, the road to becoming a professional artist is by no means an easy one. We caught up with Mark at his Sheffield winter studio:

 

1) Firstly, thank you for joining us Mark. So tell us, when did you first realise that you were meant to be an artist? What was the road like leading to that decision?

 

I guess that I was very young when I first realised that I wanted to be an artist. My father taught art and taught me the basics and our house had prints of paintings on the wall. The ones I particularly remember are “The Card Players” by Cezanne, “The Laughing Cavalier” by Hals, and works by Gauguin, Turner and Constable. My Uncle Frank was a talented painter and we had some of his original paintings on the wall, which I could look at for hours. I went to see a Van Gogh exhibition at the age of 5 or so and that has had an everlasting effect on me, so I was introduced to great art at a very early age.

2) A lot of your work highlights the brilliant interplay that colours in nature can produce. Why does light inspire you?

Light and colour are everything in my work. As Turner said; “the sun is God.” I am inspired by the constantly changing sky around where I live. I love storm skies with the sun trying to break through the clouds. I can look at what some people just call a grey sky and find so much colour in there, blue greys, pink greys combined with sunlight are what excites me. Blue skies are nice but a bit boring. I always try and watch the sunrise and sunsets over the city, my favourite times of day, as each one is so different and that’s where I get my colours.

I am inspired by the constantly changing sky around where I live… I can look at what some people just call a grey sky and find so much colour in there..

3) Why did you choose Sheffield as a base, and what does it offer to the
working artist?

 

I was born in Sheffield and have been back here for 10 years or so. I have found Sheffield has much to offer the working artist. Upon my return here I began by exhibiting in local church exhibitions, then in the Great Sheffield Art Show, the biggest art show in North England. I still show in this plus various Open Art Exhibitions, where I have won awards; an event called Art in the Botanical Gardens; also an open studio event (Open Up Sheffield), where you open your home over two weekends for the public to visit you. I keep my home as a permanent gallery, which attracts a steady stream of customers. There are also numerous art fairs in the region that I show at. So I would say there are numerous opportunities for artists at any level to get their work shown in and around Sheffield.

4) How do you think success can be defined artistically?

 

There are a number of factors that I would define as being a success artistically. Obviously it’s really rewarding when someone likes my work so much they want to buy it, and having to make a living through painting this needs to happen. It is also rewarding to receive awards for my paintings. Last year I won three awards, a commended at the South Yorkshire Open, a highly commended at the Rotherham Open and a Gold Award for my display at Art in the Botanical Gardens. It is also good to hear from young people and students asking me about my work for art projects and theses.

I find it satisfying to know that people want to know about me and my work. I also like to keep an eye on the stats on my website, knowing that my work is being seen all over the world. I do have my paintings in many private collections abroad including Japan, Australia and the USA. and that is a nice feeling. Overall though, I would say the best thing is making a living by doing what I want to do, difficult as it is at times.

I find it satisfying to know that people want to know about me and my work. I also like to keep an eye on the stats on my website, knowing that my work is being seen all over the world.

5) Tell us about ‘Bluebell Vista’. What steps did you take to so adeptly
capture this scene?

 

My ‘Bluebell Vista’ paintings are the latest in a series of woodland paintings that I began some ten years ago. My favourite times of the year for walking in the woods are autumn and when the bluebells are out. I just love the vibrant colour, especially in the morning and evening with the low lying sunlight sweeping through the trees casting long shadows and a shimmer through the leaves. I spend a long time waiting for just the moment I wish to capture and to do this I use my camera and also make quick pencil studies. I try to veer away from a traditional, twee depiction of a bluebell wood and attempt to create a more contemporary, painterly image creating depth, texture, and an impression of one particular moment in time.

I just love the vibrant colour, especially in the morning and evening with the low lying sunlight sweeping through the trees casting long shadows and a shimmer through the leaves.

6) How would you describe your following in Sheffield? Could you tell us
what a typical buyer might be like? (For example, have they heard of your
work prior to visiting your gallery?)

 

When I first started selling my work in Sheffield, I never really knew who was buying it. I have sold so many paintings over the years and have no idea where they all are, and I kind of liked the idea of that. Over the past couple of years however, since selling my work through my home/gallery, and art fairs etc., I do actually get to meet the people who buy my paintings and these range from students who can maybe just afford to buy a study to retired people who have taken up art as a hobby and interest. I would say that the majority of my customers are aged between 30 and 55, professional people looking for something original, something that no-one else has with a contemporary feel, people with an interest in art & design.

7) Has there ever been a difficult period for your through your art career? How did you get through it?

 

I have had many difficult periods. Sometimes it’s got me down, I’ve become despondent, wondering what the point to it all is and I’ll never be a Picasso and all that stuff. I’ve taken unrelated, part-time jobs over the years too, just to pay the bills. However, what has given me a focus and confidence in my art was meeting my wife eight years ago. She’s got belief in what I do and egged me on, changed my approach and my presentation, got me to be more business minded (a difficult task for a lot of artists), given me deadlines to work towards, talk to people, enthuse about myself, network, all that malarkey. All in all, a more professional approach. So far so good.

How do you keep yourself motivated?

The main thing that keeps me motivated is wanting to get better and better at painting. I want to move on all the time, learning from everything that I’ve done. I want every painting to contain a new discovery. I want to avoid repetition. I feel that I am developing but have far to go and much to learn and one day I may create the masterpiece I envisage in my imagination. I tell myself; ‘keep painting and the magic will come’, and my motto is: ‘If you don’t change your direction, you may end up where you were headed.’

 

Thankyou Mark for your engaging and personal insights into your work. We wish you every success with your work in 2008. You can visit Mark’s website at www.markhwilson.co.uk. We’ve found a quote which we think embodies the journey of every artist:

 

‘It is only when we are no longer fearful that we begin to create.’

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851)

 

This month on ‘Spotlight’ we are joined by Scotland-based artist Brian Petrie.

 

On any given morning, you will find Brian Petrie hard at work at his easel, elbow-deep in the luminescent sunset pinks, and deep velvety ocean greens he so adeptly uses to depict his local coastline and surrounding landscape. After lunch, Brian puts down his paintbrush and picks up his social commentator cap to work on his regular cartoon feature for The Scottish Sun newspaper. As he signs under a different name for his cartoons, fans of Brian’s oil paintings are often amazed at the discovery of this second, unique artistic talent. We spoke with Brian from his Westhaven studio, overlooking the waves on Scotland’s beautiful East Coast.

 

1) So Brian, could you tell us, what initially drew you to becoming an artist?

 

From a very early age I was never going to be anything else. Art books, drawing books and cartoons were my main interests, even before I knew you had to actually work for a living. Plus art was really the only subject I was interested in at school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) When did you know that it was meant to be your chosen career? And did you have any trouble grappling with the decision?

 

I never thought of actually earning a living from paintings, so after studying design and print at College I started work as a magazine designer with a large publisher. I then moved on to drawing cartoons for a number of publications and painting as a hobby to supplement my income. It did take me a few years to pluck up the courage to leave the safety of a large firm and start working for myself as an artist and cartoonist but I’m so glad I did.

 

 

3) What inspires you in your work?

 

I am constantly inspired by the coastline and countryside around where I live and work. Plus a huge chunk of my inspiration comes from visiting galleries and seeing howother artists paint and compose similar subjects to mine. A successful exhibition or a few good sales are also a good kick start if work is beginning to drag.

 

4) How do you think success can be defined artistically?

 

Success for me is people liking my work enough to want to buy it and hang it on their walls. Also and probably more importantly, is achieving what I set out capture in a painting. And not going to bed with an artistic problem rolling about in my brain. Which happens frequently!

 

 

5) Why did you choose your current location as a base?

 

My studio overlooks the waves at Westhaven on the East coast of Scotland and is so inspirational so it just had to be here. It’s an area I’ve lived and worked in for most of my life but I see it differently every day. Being a stones throw from the sea and only a thirty minute drive to the rolling hills of Angus it’s a good base for all things artistic.

 

 

 

 

6) How do people react to your paintings, as opposed to your regular cartoons?

 

I’m very fortunate that I get generally good feedback from the public to my paintings. I can also tell from my Artist’s Web pages which pieces are being viewed most often, which is a great help planning a direction as regards colours and subject matter for future work. As I use a different name for my cartoons, many customers of mine are surprised when they find out it’s me who’s responsible for the daily cartoon in the Scottish Sun. I don’t think the two paths interfere with each other.

 

 

7) Have you had any significant people help you to get to where you are now? If so, what role did they play in your success? (Ex: a supportive partner, a mentor etc)

 

My wife Paddy is my best support and critic and has a fair idea of what I’m aiming to produce. Often I get so blinkered with a piece I can’t see the wood for the trees and ultimately turn out a painting that just hasn’t worked and she can tell instantly. 99% ofthe time she’s right with her judgement.

 

Thankyou Brian for your interesting and insightful answers. We wish you every success with your work in 2008. You can visit Brian’s website here http://www.brianpetrie.co.uk/

This week we’ve been talking to painter Jason Adamson…

 

Part 1 - Practical Questions

 

1) - Do you think artists need to be able to talk about their work in order to exist?

How much of this business of artists having to talk about what they do is created by curators and galleries?

 

I don’t know where I stand on the whole ‘artists talking about their own work’ issue. Obviously if something needs explaining then go ahead, but if you need to explain a painting then surely as the artist haven’t you failed? I know and understand that art is subjective and very different to different people, so I don’t need to tell people what I think of my own work, that is for them to decide.

 

Although my work is weird and unusual, I make a point of not explaining it as ‘there is nothing to explain’ in my eyes, it needs to be taken at face value. People fear my work at times as they believe it is metaphorical and they don’t understand it, but if that is the case, then I am at a loss to explain the hidden message as well.

 

 

2) - How do you motivate yourself?

 

Motivation is a tough one: when I have no time, motivation is second nature as the thing I want to do most is paint (when I’m busy with other things); when I have all the free time in the world to paint it can be difficult to sit down at the easel. Similarly, if I have a show or commission deadline approaching I am usually easily motivated to get started, wheres if I am just painting in the hopes of a future show which has not been arranged, then sometimes I can feel at a loss. Basically, I think I thrive under stress and shortened time constraints. Additionally, I find that motivation can be linked to inspiration, or lack of it!

 

 

3) - What do you make of the art establishment? The text on your website shows a certain ambivalence, even dislike of it. This seems quite common among artists to me. What do you make of this tension?

 

The art establishment confuses me; sometimes I even wonder if its about the art at all!?! It has a very ‘in-crowd’ mentality and I am not sure what you are meant to do to be accepted by it. In the past I have approached galleries in London and been rudely ignored. Fair enough, my work may not be what they are looking for, but as soon as I know that I can go and do something about it and improve or change what I am doing.

 

 

4) - How do you feel about the process of juggling commercial and more purely artistic concerns in your work?

 

With regards to the whole ‘clinical cynical approach’ I think it is very common among the few artists I know. When I started painting I was very much against doing any commercial work. I just thought that my weird birds would be sufficient for me to break even with my hobby. However, as time went on I did the odd commercial painting, and more and more people wanted them. It all changed for me a year ago when the gallery In Bournemouth who I sell my work through just wanted commercial, original and with a high level of quality, artwork. It has been quite a success to date; I make the majority (probably all) of my art income selling these commercial works to the general public. Ironically, I can charge more for these types of work than I can the birds; I say ironic because when you think of weird and contemporary art in London it is massively more expensive than commercial works. I don’t think there is anything wrong with working in this way, and contrary to what I used to think, I don’t think it is ’selling out’ on your true style. Art is an expensive hobby (well it is for me when I make regularly orders from the art supplier) and if you want to make it viable (some people may not) you have to sell your work.

 

 

 

Part 2 -Exciting and thrilling questions:

 

5) - How do you get started with a project?

Do you work on a painting by painting basis or over series of pieces?

Obviously you may well do both and more. Does this affect your approach?

 

I start with my sketchbook. I love sketchbooks and keep all my old ones which are great ’sketch journals/diaries’ which document my life and travels. They contain doodles and ideas and drawings and sketches and notes and lists and adverts and magazine cuttings and everything else. Then I start with a basic idea and produce many thumbnail sketches, working up to a final image. I transfer this to canvas with basic block colours, and then continue adding layers of paint, dry brushing, glazing, etc, to refine my painting. If a piece works well, I stick with it from start to end. Other works are not so good and I abandon them and come back sometimes months later; these often turn out to be the best paintings, as if the break has made everything come together somehow. In terms of the way I work, most of the time I have about three canvases on the go and start a new one every time I complete a painting.

 

I say I ‘finish’ paintings, but sometimes I am not happy with the outcome, occasionally I paint over works which are a few years old. In terms of a body of work I don’t think you ever finish; my various styles come and go/peak and trough depending on what is being commissioned and what I want to paint. Painting is definitely like a journey, and I can see real development and improvement in my work whatever that journey may be.

 

 

6) - One consequence of doing a degree in art does seem to be a desire to locate yourself within the ongoing story of art history, to get yourself grounded in theoretical standpoints relative to what other people have done or are doing. Do you have anything to say about that?

 

My art history knowledge is not degree level granted, but I do have an interest in the subject with a basic knowledge above that of A-level. When I have the opportunity to visit art galleries in other countries I always take it, and I especially enjoy seeing modern (20th century) art. I feel that trying to ‘locate yourself within the ongoing story of art history’ can work against you as an artist. Trying to predict what is en vogue, what will sell or where you may fit into the ’story so far’ is quite detrimental to your art in my opinion, and artists should just be innovative and do what they enjoy painting.

 

 

7) - What do you think makes a painting good?

 

What I think makes a good painting is not what you or anyone else will think makes a good painting! Art is so subjective and that is why I do not get offended if people don’t like my work or criticize it; I don’t like everything I see. Personally speaking, what I think makes a good painting is something aesthetically pleasing, with a bold form, exciting and considered colour palette, and a quirky or unsuspected characteristic - nothing political or conceptual though! I like figurative and portrait paintings (untraditional), so I suppose that is why I like the work of Bellany and Kahlo.

 

 

- What influences you?

 

I get influenced by everything and anything I see on a daily basis, whether that be adverts, images from books or magazines, a scenario I see when I’m out, films, music, shows, photos. Aforementioned, my sketchbook is filled with things I rip and tear from flyers and magazines. Even this weekend I saw a quirky illustration of a dog in a bar magazine so I had that stuck in my sketchbook the next day. Travel is another main influence in my work and I really love ‘papery’ things (labels, banknotes, tickets, stamps) with a certain aesthetic, like Cyrillic, Arabic or Sanskrit lettering or weird imagery, and this is how my ‘Nostalgia’ series evolved. I have even started creating ‘country specific’ works, like ‘Suisse’ (on website under ‘new’) which has everything I collected from my last summer in Switzerland.

 

 

9) - And how do you think these influences work?

 

In terms of how I think these influences work, I just think my mind is very imaginative and attune to all the stimuli around me. A simple image/advert/song which someone else may skim over, I look at in such a way which starts my mind working and thinking about ideas; it’s an evolution of thoughts in a way, one thought leading to another. So in fact, the final idea which comes from the original influence may not resemble it at all, but it opens certain pathways in my mind to faint memories and weird recollections until I have something I can put on paper in a rough sketch.

 

What impact do I want my work to have??? I’m not really sure; I suppose I just want to make those that buy my work happy and to inspire others. Something that is thought provoking, in a positive way. At my summer show, someone fell in love with one of my small quirky canvases depicting a figure at night pointing into a pond. She is a young philosophy teacher with a 1st class degree and was so immersed in the painting at the time. She asked me what it was about and I said, as always, I don’t know it’s just an evolution of ideas. She, on the other hand, had such feeling for it that that she later bought the painting. I find it quite touching that something I painted could evoke such a strong emotion in someone else. To this day I don’t know what it means to her, and I probably never will; all I do know is that it has very personal meaning to her.

 

 

10) - What are you working on at the moment?

 

I’m quite busy at the moment which is exciting. When I finished my degree just last summer I wondered if this ‘art gap year’ was a good idea. But things obviously take time to get started and now I am quite positive about it all. I’ve recently submitted paintings for the Royal Academy summer show so I’ll have to wait and see what happens there.

New for 2008 The Artists Web is starting a new column named ’spotlight’, where we will be featuring interviews with artists about themselves, their work and their inspiration. Sarah Grinsted is first in the hot seat and shares with us insights into her work, her background and her dufflecoat.

First up:

Part 1 - “Practical questions”

1) To start with, can you tell me a little bit about your artisticbackground?

Enjoyed accumulating junk from an early age and turning it into sculptures or collages. Newspaper, eggshells, sweet wrappers, shredding, stamps or leaves, nothing was safe from being sneaked into the duffle coat pocket for a bit of cutting and pasting later. Studied Art and Art History at ‘A’ Level and various ceramics courses. Have been exhibiting paintings/collages professionally since 2006.

2) How do you make a living (now)?

I work as a Marketing Assistant at a theatre three days a week to pay the bills and aim to exhibit roughly every six months with any commissions and workshops filling the gaps in between.

Do you or have you ever needed to juggle jobs?

Definitely, until my own work generates a consistent income there will always have to be other part-time work. Luckily I have a very understanding employer, so if I need to I can be flexible with the days I work. And I live in my parent’s shed.

3) How do you motivate yourself?

Am generally inspired by everyday things around me, shapes, textures, colours. Unless I have specific plan or work in progress (i.e. some kind of actual deadline) I’ll go for a walk, take some photos, read a book, or sort through my endless boxes of paper and found materials until inspiration strikes. If all else fails, drink gin, watch films and wait till tomorrow.

I generally rebelled against most things I had experienced at school. I always resented copying the styles of other artists or having to provide numerous preliminary drawings and explanations before being allowed get my hands dirty.

4) How do you think success can be defined artistically?

By your own opinion, that your work keeps improving and continues to inspire you to create more.
By your work being appreciated by people whose opinions/work you respect
By reputation, repeated commissions
By exposure
By financial success.

5) Do you think artists need to be able to talk about their work in order to exist / succeed?

I could exist quite happily without having to explain my work, for it to be appreciated purely on a visual level. I find I get frustrated trying to translate what I’ve done into words and whatever I come up with starts to sound like pretentious arty twaddle. Whether you need to talk about your work in order to succeed would depend how you define success (see previous question).

If not, does it help to have a representative?

To have assistance from someone with experience of selling, pricing and marketing art is something I would definitely consider in the future.

I find I get frustrated trying to translate what I’ve done into words and whatever I come up with starts to sound like pretentious arty twaddle

How much of this business of artists having to talk about what they do is created by curators and galleries? Perhaps this is irrelevant?

I think its what people have got used to; they expect to see a CV, exhibition history and some explanation of the artist’s motives and influences alongside the artwork. It would be interesting to see whether if this information wasn’t available how this would affect people’s reactions to art.

Part 2 - Exciting and thrilling questions!

6) From looking at the work displayed on
your website, I would say that to some extent you’re still “sneaking things into the duffle coat pocket for a bit of cutting and pasting later”.

Always. Not a day goes by when I’m not caught foraging in the recycling at the theatre, wandering through the churchyard stuffing my pockets full of fallen leaves or lingering with artistic intent next to a full builder’s skip…

7) How would you say your Art Education has influenced your work?

To start with I generally rebelled against most things I had experienced at school. I always resented copying the styles of other artists or having to provide numerous preliminary drawings and explanations before being allowed get my hands dirty. I wanted to get stuck in, feel the materials and experiment with them. That said, I have recently been taking drawing classes, reading books I should have read years ago and visiting art galleries more -
so probably more influenced than I would like to admit.

Did you wear the duffle coat during Art classes?

The duffle, Mr Kirkland, is merely a comforting outer garment providing warmth and extensive storage facilities whilst ‘in the field’ collecting ’stuff’. Wearing one during the actual practice of collagification would not only be inappropriate, but somewhat sweaty.

9) How do you get started with a project?

An extremely sophisticated process of emptying out all available materials onto the floor, selected those that catch my eye and getting on with it. The joy of the kind of collage I’m doing at the moment is the more mistakes (or layers) that occur, the better the finished piece - there’s nothing a coat of cheap white emulsion and a good sand-down won’t fix!

Do you work on a painting-by-painting basis or over series of pieces?

Usually a number of pieces at once. I’m generally building up layers, so while I wait for one to dry I’ll start on another.

Does this affect your approach?

Yes. Subsequent pieces will either be an extension or improvement on the one before or an opposite reaction to it.

10) Do you ever feel like you’ve ‘finished’ something, do you know when to stop?

Yes, there is definitely a feeling of a piece being finished. What to do in order to get it to that point is the tricky part…

11) How do people react to your work? What’s the most notable reaction you’ve had?

Generally the pictures I have exhibited so far seem to make people happy (I like to think that’s not just due to the free alcohol, fine music and ridiculous amounts of homemade flapjacks available at the private view). The abstract colours, layers, textures and shapes suggest things or places, but allow room for people to have their own reaction, without being intimidated or feeling they should understand some hidden meaning. Quotes from previous exhibitions:

‘Beautifully bright and feeley!’

‘Subtlety of marks and layers’

‘Made me very happy’

‘wonderful explosion of colour’

‘invitingly tactile and reflect almost hidden depths’

12) And finally, what are you working on now?

This week I have mostly been making things out of newspaper. More specifically bits of The Guardian travel section. Strips of photos - mountains and snow. But ask me again in a week and they may well be under a layer of something else!

 

 

 

Well many thanks for talking to us sarah, we’ll be keeping an eye on your website to see which parts of the Guardian make it into your next master piece!

Links

• Sarah’s Website