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.

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