Being a painter

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

I have been painting professionally for over twenty years…more like thirty in fact! I’ve tended to specialise in Watercolour and oils.

When did you decide to pursue painting as a career?

When I was fifteen.

What training did you have?

My father, Sean Rice was a sculptor. I was lucky to be taught well at ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels and then did a Foundation Course in Art and Design at Circus Street, Brighton in 1978. Then I undertook a BA Hons degree in Fine Art (Painting) at The faculty for Art and Design,Grand Parade, Brighton. Beyond this I also completed a PGCE course in Art teaching.

What has been the high point of your career so far?

Either my first solo exhibition at The Gallery in Cork Street around 2004 or the publication of a book of my paintings in 2006 by Halsgrove, titled ‘Venice, sunlight and water’.

General Questions

Who is your favourite artist?

J.M.W. Turner

What are you aiming for?

A finer expression of light and colour in my painting linked with good drawing. Turner’s fascination with colour and light are inspiring. Atmosphere is another interest of mine and I love the French Impressionists for this. I do aim for an intense expression of beauty, as direct and immediate as is possible and as clear as possible.

How will you get there?

By keeping trying I would think. I never tire of trying to paint light on water and of painting into the sun. These things are so endlessly fascinating that I’ll never get tired of them

Is anything holding you back?

Only fear, as many people will have experienced if they try to create art.

You and painting

What feelings or reactions do you hope to arouse in people who view your work? Are you ever surprised by reactions that you get?

I hope to inspire and warm the hearts of people who view my paintings, by the type and quality of light and the mood of the painting. Personally I get transported by a very good painting by, for example, Turner. It’s as if you’re peering into a reality that you recognise very well but have no idea how Turner managed to convey it so vividly, but the sensation is absolutely real and true. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the kind remarks people make about my work.

From start to finish, how long does it take for you to create your work?

This all depends on whether I have to put the painting down and think about it for a while. There is no straightforward answer. Sometimes hours. Sometimes days.

What music do you like to listen to when you work?

There is a French radio channel that you can receive in Brighton. I think they are based in Paris and they play a lot of Jazz and World music. I like this.

What are you working on next? Any future plans or projects in the pipeline that we should look out for?

I’m continuing to explore painting nocturnes, such as the Royal Pavilion at night. The artificial light on architecture and against really dark skies is fascinating. I’m also going to paint in the Italian Lakes.

Being inspired by painting

Who (living or dead) inspires you? and why?

William Blake…originality, vision, imagination. Turner for the same reasons but also because of his unbelievable handling of paint and his perfect drawing. Actually, far far too many to list, from the old masters to contemporary painters such as Bernhard Vogel.

What feelings, subjects or concepts inspire you as a painter?

Seascape, Venice, water, different types of lighting, muted colours, vivid colours.

What is your favourite work that you’ve produced so far and why?

Perhaps my painting ‘Sunlight over the Salute’ (Venice), for its dramatic composition of The Salute under the orange light of the afternoon sun and above the turbulent blue waters of the Venetian lagoon. The particular combination of intense colours and light that seemed too vivid to be true but held together well and formed a good composition.

a painter’s advice

For those thinking about turning a passion for painting into a career, could you give any advice?

Don’t doubt yourself. Make sure you communicate well with clients and galleries and just keep painting. If a painting goes wrong, yes, it is a pain but you must start again and keep going. Refresh your vision by drawing inspiration from Nature and looking at inspiring art. Use the very best materials.

Any tips on how to get your work seen and get the commissions coming in?

Time moves on and techniques change but I think communication is vital. These days it has to be using the Internet at least as much as approaching actual art galleries in the high street. But that was how I did it..walking into galleries. having paintings accepted and hung, then sales, then the galleries wanted more… Nowadays people do contact me directly via the Internet as well.

Being an artist

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

I was born in South Africa, in 1967. I have been quite creative from a young age, and I have always been interested in visual and performing arts. I work from my home studio, painting and teaching, and doing commission work as well as scenic contract work.

In my latest works I depict scenes of everyday life. I continue to search for new ideas and experiment with new techniques and mediums.

I do commission work in painting on canvas, murals, faux techniques, sculpture, scenic painting and illustration. I am also a hobbyist in animation and photography. I teach painting and drawing from my home studio.

I furthered my scenic experience while working in Dubai, on the IBN Battuta shopping mall, and a sculpture project for the Dubai Municipality. In Johannesburg I worked on a scenic project for Monte Casino’s East-End Teatro.

International visits to the UAE, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, and Greece will always be memorable, and a great inspiration to my work.

When did you decide to pursue art as a career?

When I completed my secondary education, I decided to study Fine Arts, because of my love for the arts.

What training did you have?

I had art as a subject during my secondary education, and I also studied Fine Arts at the Vaal Triangle University of Technology and the Pretoria University of Technology, South Africa.

What has been the high point of your career so far?

The high point in my career started in 2005, with the recognition of my work. To make a living from what I love to do, is the ultimate, and that is to create.

General Questions

Who is your favourite artist?

Gustav Klimt

What are you aiming for?

To create as much beautiful art works, for art lovers and collectors, as I can.

How will you get there?

By loving and enjoying every moment of the creative process.

Is anything holding you back?

No

You and art

What feelings or reactions do you hope to arouse in people who view your work? Are you ever surprised by reactions that you get?

Joy and the love for what they see. It makes me happy when someone likes something that I have created. I’ve learnt to deal with criticism, good or bad, so not always surprised by reactions.

From start to finish, how long does it take for you to create your work?

It depends on the detail and the technique I am using. It can take from one month to three months, or one day to a week, or one minute to an hour.

What music do you like to listen to when you work?

This depends on my mood. If I feel the need to produce a work quickly, an up-tempo samba or club-mix from the 80s in the background. It makes my brush move quickly with the beat.

Calmer lounge and classical music helps me relax in front of my easel. Other than that, complete silence with nature sounds works the best.

What are you working on next? Any future plans or projects in the pipeline that we should look out for?

I am currently working toward solo exhibition for 2013. Any offers for exhibition invitations are always welcome. In between the painting, I am working on an animation short film.

Being inspired by art

Who (living or dead) inspires you? and why?

I am always amazed by the work of past masters like Michelangelo, Leonardo, Klimt, the Impressionists and the ancient Greek and Roman artists and sculptors. New and young artists inspire me. I see what can be achieved and that nothing is impossible to create.

What feelings, subjects or concepts inspire you as an artist?

As for my love of the Impressionists, I like to create scenes of every day life. People intrigue me. I want to capture the essence surrounding a person, or a group of people. I want to feel the atmosphere and energy of a landscape, or of the space around a portrait or scene.

What is your favourite work that you’ve produced so far and why?

They are all my favourites. None are the same. They all have a different feeling about them.

an artist’s advice

For those thinking about turning a passion for art into a career, could you give any advice?

Take risks. Never give up. Don’t let negative criticism get to you. Learn from positive and good criticism. Do your work every day, even if it’s five minutes. Look and see the beauty around you, you can find it anywhere even in a spot on the ground.

Any tips on how to get your work seen and get the commissions coming in?

Not all galleries are willing to take on new artists, unless the artists have made a name for themselves. My motto is if you don’t try, you will never know. Don’t take rejection negatively. A gallery owner once told me that I will never stand a chance to exhibiting in his gallery. His reason was that he was in the business for more than 20 years. He did not even take a look at my work. Five years later I was invited by the new owner to exhibit with the gallery.

Get as much work as possible out there. Do what ever it takes.

Featured Website:

Anna O’Neill

Illustrator and printmaker Anna O’Neill’s website caught our eye because of how the stripped-back colour scheme really links to her work – take a look!

Featured Artworks:

Close up Liquorice Allsorts painting by Peter Slade! Tasty…

Mysterious digital art in ‘Come as you Are’ by new member Philip Mckay:

‘Ultraviolet’ by Alexander Johnson:

Featured Interview:

Craft-maker Josephine Gomersall talked to us about her background, inspiration and favourite works in this interview – The Art of Contemporary Craft

Featured Event:

Event: Stuart Bullen, Mark Findlay and friends

Dates: from 5th May 2012

Cost: Free

Where: Brighton Artists Open House, 23 Cornwall Gardens, Brighton, BN1 6RH, UK

Details: Our artists’ open house will be open the weekends of May 2012 from 5th to 27, plus bank holiday 7th May, from 11.00 to 18.00. 12 artists will be
showing, and the garden will be open with sculptures. Mark, Stuart, the other artists and two friendly cats will welcome visitors. We are part of
the Fiveways Artists Group and Brighton Artists Open House.

Website: http://www.stuartbullen.co.uk

That’s all for now… See you in a couple of weeks!

Hello! We hope you enjoyed Part 1 in the ‘Art and Money’ series, looking at pricing your artwork. Over the next few months we’ll be looking at some of the issues to do with selling your work online, inlcuding generating traffic to your site, funding options, marketing & networking, and maintaining your success. With a focus on selling online, we’ll be talking to artists who are successfully making money through their art, getting feedback from the buyers of art, and giving you first hand advice on what can at first seem a daunting topic!

This issue is all about generating traffic and sales.

• How can you effectively drive visitors to your site?
• How can you turn those visitors into buyers?
• How do other artists do it?

Driving Traffic: Marketing yourself online

One of the best things about today’s digital world, is that the Internet has made it possible to market yourself to a potentially limitless audience. It cuts out the middleman, and allows you to have total control over your online presence. Online communications are effective, fast and cheap… But remember, the more you put into online marketing, the more you’ll get out of it! Below are some useful ways to market your work effectively online:

Social Media

You might remember we wrote an article a few months ago about how to use social media effectively, in order to drive traffic to your website. Here are some further tips, keeping in mind the focus on selling…

• Post regularly, and link it to new work that you’ve uploaded. In all of your posts, try and think cleverly about how your Tweet or update could relate to your work
• Talk about recent or large sales on your Twitter account – this will create a buzz and generate a curiosity about your work. People are often more inclined to buy something if they hear other people are buying it!
• Use your individuality. Do you have an original technique that helps create your paintings? Do you have a crazy story about how you ended up becoming a photographer? Sharing these things will shape your background story, and allow people to feel more connected to you and your work.
• Create a Facebook page, and expand your audience even further. Remember, the ArtWeb Facebook app actually enables you to sell through Facebook, making it even easier for your fans to become buyers!
• Keep your ears open: While using your individual voice is important, it’s also essential that keep the look out for any opportunities from other people. Seen a tweet saying ‘looking for a new print for my office’?  It could be the perfect time for you to reply!

Blogging

We previously featured an article on how blogging can be an extremely useful tool – read it here. Below we’ve summed up why blogging can be great for drawing potential buyers to your site!

• You’ll be surprised at the increase in online visibility and your audience by having a regularly updated blog
• Having a blog means you are inviting feedback and conversation, and in turn generating interest
• Creating a community around your blog will build further interest in your website
• Allowing people to read about your work and the process behind it will help people feel like they are getting to know the artist behind the work. This creates a personality that people are even more likely to remember and associate with your work, and hopefully encourage others to look at your site!
• Having a platform that openly encourages feedback, will enable you to learn about who your buyers are and establish why certain work sells better than others
• Comment on other relevant blogs, and build networks with fellow artist bloggers. You can link back to your blog, and all of their readers will see it!

See your website as an online studio

At the heart of your online presence is your personal website. It’s important to make sure this element isn’t forgotten about while you get carried away with Tweeting or blogging!

• Really use your website to it’s maximum potential, and update it regularly. Even if you haven’t made any new work, a switch around once in a while can make it feel like a fresh and exciting place to visit
• Here’s a great idea: Curate a monthly themed exhibition on your homepage. For example, perhaps you’ve created a series of paintings over the years that incorporate visuals of the sea. It could be nice to collate all of these works and group them as slideshow, for example, on your home page. This would help to keep your website exciting, whilst highlighting specific work that you are keen to sell!
• Seeing as online there isn’t a physical person (as in a real gallery) for buyers to direct their questions, you need to make sure all of the information is clear and obvious, to avoid putting people off. See our previous blog post on Making it Clear for some further advice on this.

So tell me! How can I turn visitors into buyers?

One of the most important factors in ensuring a high proportion of visitors end up as buyers, is ensuring you are getting the right visitors! Here are some tips on how to do this:

• Throughout your blog, Twitter and Facebook activity, make sure you are always being true to yourself and your work. This way, the people reading will be the ones interested in your process and story, and are more likely to visit your site in the mindset of buying!
• Keep your online activity regular! Even if you aren’t making new work, keep up the buzz and talk about other creative activities you do. Perhaps you’re a photographer who holds workshops every fortnight? Talking about this could make your blog more searchable by people interested in photography, and therefore interested in buying your work.
• Make sure you set out some clear terms and conditions. Members of artweb can easiliy generate a terms and conditions page using our template terms here… and here’s an example of the completed terms on Mary Stubberfeld’s website!

(Mary Stubberfield -terms and conditions page)

• Have a variety of pricing/sizing options: see part 1 on pricing your artwork
• Make sure all your work is priced, and if possible has a “Buy Now” button or some sort of online payment link, so visitors can order your work online
• For selling online, research shows that having a your own picture (mug shot) helps reassure visitors in that it increases buyer confidence and the number of online sales. Here’s an example from jewellery designer Wendy Kemp:

• For some further advice, there’s a great e-book written by Chris Guillebeau called  ’The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money’. You can buy it here!

How do other artists do it?

Jewellery designers Abby Hook and Wendy Kemp both use online marketing to their advantage, and believe the key to their success is through social media and regular email newsletters:

Abby Hook:

I am very active on line. I am constantly looking for new ways to raise my public profile on line and drive traffic to my site, you name it I have tried it! I find the two most effective ways are through social network sites and with a customer mailing list (via email). You have to be seen and you have to post often, keep people interested with new product, promotions and general chit chat. The single, most important thing you can do though, is update your site often (at least twice a week), give people a reason to keep coming back, post new pictures of your work, events you are attending, galleries you are exhibiting in, anything to keep your website fresh and up to date.

View Abby’s website here!

Wendy Kemp:

As far as marketing goes, I add every buyer to my mailing list and ask everyone who enquires about my work if they would like to join my mailing list, at the beginning of each month I send out an email newsletter with images and links to gift ideas on my website. As well as reminding people you are there, it is also a good idea to have something new for each month. I have often waited until the beginning of the month to launch a new collection or some kind of special offer. If you had a print made you could offer a ‘print of the month’.

See Wendy’s jewellery designs on her website: http://www.wendykempjewellery.co.uk/

We hope this has helped you think about how you can improve traffic to your site, and in turn generate more sales. We’ll be back soon with advice on how to secure funding for the creation of your art. See you in a month’s time!

Being a crafts maker

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

I am a designer/ maker/ craftsperson. I had a career as a Textiles Designer and worked in the Textiles Industry for many years. I now work from my home studio creating metal artwork sculptures from Silver, Brass, Copper and recycled Tin, and Silver Jewellery. I design and make mixed media framed original artworks incorporating my metalwork, from which I sell giclee prints and greetings cards.

I also design and print glass cooker splashbacks, which have featured on Channel 4′s Grand designs programme with Kevin Mc Cloud, and Britain’s Best Homes with Sarah Beeney.

I have always loved to draw flowers, my ‘Botanical’ style watercolour pencil drawings are influenced by Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s flower drawings collection which I had the pleasure of seeing two years ago in Glasgow. I recently sold a collection of original watercolour pencil drawings to Liberty for their Spring / Summer 2013 Art fabrics collection, another of my designs is already in production. My drawings are in the Liberty archive.

When did you decide to pursue making crafts as a career?

I decided to follow my dreams and use my creative skills to try to establish myself in the Contemporary Craft sector. I have watched others do it, and thought I would give it a shot myself, after all you only live once, may as well be doing something you love, use your talent and be happy.
I had been studying Silversmithing and Jewellery making for several years, whilst raising a family. Despite having two young children at home, and becoming a single parent, I gradually set up a wonderful home studio where I could just ‘be’, in a creative space for designing and making, drawing and painting whilst balancing my role as a mother and a home maker to list a few…
I became a ‘Flow’ member of Design Factory and started to do Craft Fairs and exhibit my work in Galleries, and work on glass splashback commissions.

My work is evolving all the time and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to do this in the early stages of my Arts and Crafts Career.

What training did you have?

I have a BA (Hons) degree in Textiles Design, I specialised in Printed Textiles. I also have a BTEC National Diploma in Surface Pattern Design and a level 4 PTTLS (Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector) qualification. I have done classes in printmaking and etching, ceramics, Jewellery and silversmithing and tinsmithing. I have worked as a Product and Textiles Designer and in Buying and Product Development, sampling and production of wallpaper, weaves and prints. I worked closely with Tricia Guild at Designers Guild as part of the Creative Team.

What has been the high point of your career so far?

There are a few things that spring to mind:

Having my work featured on the Emporium pages of Country Living Magazine (twice) were proud moments.

Selling original flower drawings to Liberty Art Fabrics and seeing my designs ‘in print’ on cloth in a Liberty Art fabric pattern book gave me quite a buzz.

Seeing my Jewellery and miniature metal sculptures in a glass display case of their own in a gallery as part of an exhibition for the first time was a definite high point.

Being accepted as a ‘Flow’ member of the Design Factory made it real.

Approving my NEW Greetings card collection and seeing it go to print gave me a good feeling.

There are lots of good moments, hearing that your application to exhibit at a craft fair has been successful is an achievement and brings a smile everytime.

General Questions

What’s your favourite quote?

‘Art is the flower. Life is the Green Leaf’. (Charles Rennie Mackintosh)

‘You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf’, so I am doing, i’ve got my own board and wetsuit too!

Who is your favourite artist?

Charles Rennie Mackintosh

What are you aiming for?

To become an established Designer / Maker in the Contemporary Craft Sector.

I would also like to Teach. I have a level 4 P.T.L.L.S. City and Guilds qualification, (Preparing to Teach in the Life long learning sector), and in the Autumn term 2012 I will be Teaching an Adult evening class in ‘Botanical style’ pencil and watercolour drawing. I would like to become an Associate Lecturer in Higher Education on day.

How will you get there?

I have found that by talking to like-minded people new opportunites and introductions arise all of the time. It is actually a very small tight knit community, and quite surprising how many people know each other forming a network.

I have found volunteering has many rewards, mostly unexpected. Good things come back to you when you are not expecting anything.

Is anything holding you back?

Cashflow. You need to invest so much. For example paying to frame your work before an exhibition, ordering a batch of greetings cards before a fair. But in time, I am confident that this will get easier.

You and making crafts

What feelings or reactions do you hope to arouse in people who view your work? Are you ever surprised by reactions that you get?

I want people to like and appreciate my work, perhaps to make them smile. My work is delicate and decorative so has a certain charm, I would hope that it would cause intrigue as to how it has been made. The best compliment I have had is to hear it being called ‘Unique’, as there is so work out there it is hard to stand out and do some thing original and different.

I have tried to combine my training in Printed Textiles and Surface pattern design with my silversmithing skills to try to produce work that is different and has that something special.

From start to finish, how long does it take for you to create your work?

I really couldn’t say as I like to make things in stages and come back to it. This is sometimes dictated by the processes involved, for example waiting for paint to dry before applying another coat. When I am making my metal art work sculptures, there are many stages, drilling, soldering, hand stamping, so I work on several pieces at once so that I can stay at my work bench and not have to wait before the next stage.

I can spend a day or two making a flower pencil drawing, I enjoy this the most.

What music do you like to listen to when you work?

I like Acoustic guitar and folk music, currently I am listening to Jose Gonzalez and Kings of Convenience. Sometimes I listen to Classical music depending on my mood. I love the Bob Dylan song with the Lyrics ‘She’s an Artist, she don’t look back’, not sure of the title of the song.

Alternatively, I open the patio doors in my studio onto the Garden and listen to the birdsong. I live in a picturesque village in rural leicestershire on a dead end lane, so there is little traffic, a tranquil, calm and peaceful setting.

What are you working on next? Any future plans or projects in the pipeline that we should look out for?

To build my website, to include all that I do and have to offer.

I hope to have an on line shop.

I have been promised another drawing brief from Liberty in the Summer.

More craft fairs and galleries to add to the list

Being inspired by making crafts

Who (living or dead) inspires you? and why?

Helen Hallows, Teresa Green, Tricia Guild, they are all talented, strong, determined women, need I say more, they make things happen, respect due.

I stayed up very late to watch a recent David Hockney programme about his latest work and exhibition at the Royal Academy. I have visited Salts mill and love his watercolours of landscapes and hedgerows, he is an inspiration.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh – flower drawings, they are exquisite, what a talent.

I am a fan of Janet Bolton, and Bronwen Tyler Jones and Lyndsey Mann.

I went to Cotswold open studios last summer and met Vanessa Arbuthnott, I have her Cow Parsley wallpaper in my living room. I really like the simplicity of her designs, imagery and colour palette, I found her very inspiring, she also has a beautiful home.

I like Kirsty Elson’s driftwood work too.

Poppy Teffrey – she doesn’t get her thread tangled.

What feelings, subjects or concepts inspire you as a crafts maker?

My work is inspired by the Natural world (all the beauty i see), from Garden and Hedgerow, flowers and foliage, birds and chickens, countryside to Coastline. I like to apply pattern and love the quality of a printed image combined with the linear quality of a hand drawn mark. I use decorative stamps to create repeating patterns, indenting the metal and paper. I like collage and layering and use natural objects in my work: driftwood, acorn cups. poppy seed head caps.

What is your favourite work that you’ve produced so far and why?

Hen House
It just works. I like the balance of colour, the composition of the piece, the techniques I have used. I especially like the irregular perforated rings in the back ground created by drawing with a sewing machine needle without thread. I did try with the thread, but got in a tangle. The legs of the Hen House are made from a tiny wooden peg, and the scoring and centre punch marks on the House are to imitate wooden boards and nails. I don’t really want to part with it. I exhibited this piece at Melbourne Festival last year and it made everyone smile. It was inspired by my childrens’ Chickens, ‘Gem’ and ‘Noodle’ that live at the bottom of our garden in a Hen House my brother built for me as a Birthday gift. The House is on stilts and he made a ladder from pieces of branches. We have an abundance of Hen’s eggs, so I have started to blow them so they are hollow and have painted them and sell them individually in a gift box.

a crafts maker’s advice

For those thinking about turning a passion for making crafts into a career, could you give any advice?

Probably not, as I am just starting out myself really despite being in my 40s.
I have bought books on the subject, watched friends do it, been on Marketing courses and lectures, become a member of various organisations, but I have found that personally I have to go at my own pace and ‘find’ my way. This is creative development time for me as I could go off in many directions, but I’m not sure which road to go down at the moment but always moving forward with mini triumphs along the way.
I plan to refresh my screen printing skills and print on paper and glass next. I’m still enjoying experimenting.

Any tips on how to get your work seen and get the commissions coming in?

From my own experience, Craft Fairs and Galleries.
Having your work in a magazine, newspaper or on TV.
I have a small business facebook page: Josephine Gomersall designs
Having a website, and having your work online!

Being a painter

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

I am a professional artist and art teacher living in the U.K. I am originally from Hungary and have in me the sensitivity, spirituality and creativity of my culture. In my Hampshire studio I am currently working mainly in watercolours. I consider myself very lucky as my work is sought after. My studio is open to the public and recently I also gave in to the demand from people loving my art to offer private tuition.

When did you decide to pursue painting as a career?

In 1997 I got an offer for my first big solo exhibition and my career took off from there. Every 1 to 3 years I have at least one exhibition and I have regular customers around the world who follow me and some already started a mini collection of my art.

What training did you have?

My primary school teacher noticed that I had talent and from an early age I was a private student of a renowned Hungarian artist. I continued my education in the Art and Craft College and then obtained a Masters Degree in Art Education. I continuously improve myself and whenever I can I take part in residentials where I can exchange learning with other artists.

What has been the high point of your career so far?

In terms of my professional development the major turning point was when I started to work in watercolour. In the early years of my career I worked in oil but there was a certain time when I had a commission with a short deadline and I did not have the facilities to paint an oil. I was sort of forced into watercolour and never looked back since. The other highlight was my first national television interview in 2001.

General Questions

What’s your favourite quote?

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. ( Francis of Assisi)

Who is your favourite artist?

My favourite artist is Nature. There are no more beautiful creations, everything else is just a faint copy of Nature’s perfect work.

What are you aiming for?

Through my art I would like to connect with as many people as possible.

How will you get there?

Through hard work and determination. I am not a natural great social person and had to overcome my weaknesses that as a visual artist I like to stay in the background and observe rather than be involved. But people like to know about artists and the process of creation so I made very big efforts to learn to connect this way too. I opened up and now I am actively seeking more and more ways to engage with others.

Is anything holding you back?

There is a natural maturation in the process of developing as an artist and connecting through art. This takes time and a lot of patience. I keep focus and continue improving what I am doing and engaging with people.

You and painting

What feelings or reactions do you hope to arouse in people who view your work? Are you ever surprised by reactions that you get?

My art is interactive and although static, it evolves over time. It connects with people on the deepest level, evolving as individual psychological process in each of us and gives the freedom of creation and people report many different feelings. This is a great power in today’s world when so much of our everyday life is determined. I almost always do not like to give titles to my watercolours and even when I do, they only indicate what I see in the paintings in a certain moment but it also changes when I re-look at my paintings. Even those who are not ready to enter in this deeper self-discovery say they get great pleasure from my colours.

From start to finish, how long does it take for you to create your work?

An artwork is never complete it is only stopped.

What music do you like to listen to when you work?

I either listen to the birdsong in my garden, with the horses and cows in the background from nearby farms or music that evoke pleasant memories. I do not need music to inspire me.

What are you working on next? Any future plans or projects in the pipeline that we should look out for?

I will have a major solo exhibition in the summer of 2013 that is very important to me. It will be shown in a beautiful setting, the 19th century villa of one of the most famous Hungarian painters at the time, Miklos Barabas. I will have a great space and excellent light and I am planning to create a brand new collection of 30-odd large watercolour paintings. As an preamble to this I will show a smaller collection in a smaller venue this autumn. To connect with the local Hampshire community on a bigger scale I opened my studio to the public and will be present at the Winchester Art Fair from June.

Being inspired by painting

Who (living or dead) inspires you? and why?

Everyday people, nature, life, the built and natural environment, everything around me can serve as an inspiration. I have a photographic memory and thus a huge photo-album with many ten thousands of pictures in my mind. There is a certain point in my creative process when this album activates itself and brings sudden clarity to it.

What feelings, subjects or concepts inspire you as a painter?

The biggest inspiration for me is the possibility to connect with people and when I can observe the process of creation my paintings invite people to. At times I am privileged to witness even cathartic moments when someone finds a deep re-connection with something long hidden and my artwork is the catalyst!

What is your favourite work that you’ve produced so far and why?

My work is like my own children to me. I love them all and could not select from them. I even find it difficult to part with them and like to know that they find a good home and will be looked after well and with care.

a painter’s advice

For those thinking about turning a passion for painting into a career, could you give any advice?

I believe creation starts with trusting in your ability to express yourself. Then it takes a lot of hard work, work and work, seeking continuous improvement and development. It is important to want to connect with people, learn from them and give one’s best for others to learn from us. An artist will never feel ‘ready’ there is always a feeling of imperfection and thriving for more, but this is just as well as this drives us forward. If you strongly believe in yourself and your ability to give to other through your art, then you have it and do not give up.

Any tips on how to get your work seen and get the commissions coming in?

It is very competitive out there nowadays, but there are some very good resources many of them low cost and internet based, like Artweb. There are artist groups and conventions. I would like to emphasize again that it is essential to connect and meet with people, not only to let them know about you but also to feel that you belong and you have opportunity to exchange knowledge and information. It does not always come easy because many of us visual artist are not men/women of word, but it can be learnt.

Featured Websites:

Lajos Varkonyi

We love the layout and font choices on Lajos’ website, and the informative text makes everything super clear.

Andre Leonard

Andre’s paintings are given centre stage in his cleverly laid out site – we like the use of left and right hand columns.

Featured artworks:

‘Peewit Bird’ – a lovely linocut by Celia Lewis

‘Hide Action’ Oil tempura by new member Pauli Hyvönen:

A familiar british scene in ‘The ‘Weston’ Front’ by Melissa Sturgeon!

Featured interview:

Mihaela Zhekova gave us a great insight into her creative jewellery making practice, read it here!

Featured event:

Event: The Society of Botanical Artists, Botanical Celebration.

Dates: Friday 20th to Sunday 29th April 2012

Cost: Free

Where: Westminster Central Hall, Storey’s Gate, London. SW1H 9NH, UK

Details: Sarah Wood has four paintings in this exhibition available for sale. Tulips Prof. Rontgen was painted at the National Trust’s gardens at Polesden
Lacey.

Website: http://www.soc-botanical-artists.org or http://sarahwoodart.com

That’s all for now… See you in a couple of weeks!

Being a jewellery maker

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

I am a Bulgarian designer, with international education and work experience in fashion design and jewellery making. I graduated from FIDM San Francisco, USA with AA in Fashion Design. I relocated to UK to do my BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion and Communication. Since graduation in 2007 I’ve been running my website and working on several artistic projects.

When did you decide to pursue making jewelry as a career?

I did an internship as a jewellery maker in 2003 at DASHA Boutique, San Francisco, California, USA. That was my first proper training. As a child I used to make clip earrings by using fancy shank buttons. I used PVC buttons and I learned by myself how to remove the shank and attach a clip.

What training did you have?

When I relocated to UK, I started running jewellery making and fashion illustration workshops for children and adults at local schools. I am learning silversmithing at the moment and creating my first sterling silver ring!

What has been the high point of your career so far?

I had a few high points of my career so far whilst in the USA, including Costume designer for American short movie called ‘Hitman Online’. I’ve been a backstage assistant at CHANEL private house fashion show. I’ve also been a designer creating collections at 3 fashion shows in the USA and the UK. I can’t wait to create my first silversmithing jewellery collection!

General Questions

What’s your favourite quote?

Sky is the limit!

Who is your favourite artist?

Picasso.

What are you aiming for?

To get involved in exciting artistic projects, fashion shows, exhibitions, etc.

How will you get there?

Through hard work and advertisement.

Is anything holding you back?

Space and funding.

You and making jewellery

What feelings or reactions do you hope to arouse in people who view your work? Are you ever surprised by reactions that you get?

I hope to get positive feedback from people and hopefully get in touch with professionals.

From start to finish, how long does it take for you to create your work?

It depends on the design, if I am making a necklace, bracelet, tiara, ring or earrings. Usually a piece of jewellery will take me between 1 and 3 hours.

What music do you like to listen to when you work?

I do not listen to music when I work.

What are you working on next? Any future plans or projects in the pipeline that we should look out for?

I am learning silversmithing at the moment and I will be creating my first sterling silver rings.

Being inspired by making jewelry

Who (living or dead) inspires you? and why?

IJL: International Jewellery London exhibition is a great place for inspiration. I visit it every year.

What feelings, subjects or concepts inspire you as a jewely maker?

I enjoy nature and animals and they are my constant inspiration.

What is your favourite work that you’ve produced so far and why?

I love working with suede and semi precious stones. There is one necklace on my website with a massive agate stone in beige and red colours that I like most.

a jewellery maker’s advice

For those thinking about turning a passion for making jewellery into a career, could you give any advice?

Follow your intuition and keep learning new techniques and using new materials.

Any tips on how to get your work seen and get the commissions coming in?

Approach beauty salons, magazines, boutiques. Try to take part at local jewellery fairs and exhibitions.

Pinterest seems to be attracting a lot of attention of late, and seems to be popular with art lovers from all over the world and especially the UK.

We’ve already seen some ArtWork on artweb.com get quite a lot of attention on pinterest, have you checked to see if any of your work has been “pinned” yet? You can see all pins from ArtWeb.com here – have a look and see.

So this month one of the new features for ArtWeb members is a handy Pinterest “pin it” button. This will allow you, or any visitor to easily share your work on pinterest.com at the touch of a button.

And we’ve also added this button to ArtWeb members’ website control panels, so you can have the “pin it” button on your own website too. Just go to login -> Settings -> Sharing & Bookmarks -> then check the “pin it” check box.

Happy pinning!

Being an artist

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

Hello, my name Is Becky Johnston, 15 years of age, and I’m an artist and photographer. Veraciously, I am an amateur/ beginner on the concept of photography. I hope to venture out to more natural areas such as forests etc- and take more photos with the ‘magical’ element and dramatical lanscapes in the near future. Additionally, I am also an actress, presently part of a newly formed agency.

How and when did you start out as an illustrator?

After taking a couple of basic courses in the past year or two, I am only just begginning as a photographer. Fine art on the other hand, has been a hobby pretty much all my life and am still building my portfolio whilst I’m studying.

What training did you have?

I am still in education, currently mid-way through a fine-art diploma course, and have finnished a fine-art B-tec. I have also attended multiple short photography courses which have influenced my interest in the subject.

What has been your best creative achievement so far?

On the concept of photography, whilst on a course in Bolton, my home town, my work was presented in two exhibitions. One in a cultural museum, and the other at Bolton University. Additionaly, I acheived a Distinction on my previously completed Fine Art B-tec.

General Questions

What’s your favourite quote?

‘Be nice to people on the way up, because you’ll need them on the way down.’ & ‘If you don’t have a dream, how are you going to make a dream come true?’

Who is your favourite artist?

Adam Brockbank- a conceptual illustrator in the film and tv industry.

What are you aiming for?

I am currently aiming to gain more experience in art and photography, and add to my portfolio. Along the way I hope to use the money raised to add to my equipment and help pay for additions to my career in acting.

How will you get there?

Just to carry on my hobby of art and hopefully sell varied peices and gain experience.

Is anything holding you back?

Unfortunately I am struggling to travel to prefered places to shoot. But also the amount of work I need to complete to finnish my fine-art course.

You and illustration

What sort of reactions do you get to your work? are you ever surprised?

People are usually quite shocked at my completed work because of my age. It is mostly the fine-art and drawn peices which get the most praise- which I only show if I am 100% happy with it and I know I have given 100% of my ability. On the other hand, not many have seen my photography, and I yet await to see the opinions of others!

From start to finish, how long does it take for you to create your work?

Photography-wise can take me atleast half a day’s shoot on location, and perhaps a matter of hours are spent touching them up a little on my laptop; but on the subject of fine-art, It can take me up to a week or two (possibly more depending on the peice) to complete.

What music do you like to listen to when you work?

My playlist consists of a wide variety of random songs! From ‘A drop in the ocean- Ron Rope’ to ‘A window to the past- John Williams’- I like them all really!

What is next in the pipeline for you? Any new directions or shows coming up?

No, not really any shows or such- I’m practically just focusing on doing illustration as a small hobby for the moment, hopefully I can move onto more projects in the near future.

Being inspired by illustration

Who (living or dead) inspires you? and why?

Adam Brockbank. Simply because his work, mainly on the Harry Potter series is absolutely amazing and I think he should be more recognised in the industry. He deserves it. But additionally, allthough these people are not exactly ‘illustrators’ themselves, I believe they have played a big role as my roll models. For example- JKRowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, has changed so many lives and has created a generation of kids who read, write, and aspire to be at her side as an author. I have practically grown up with her storys, and has given me hope and a different view on the world. She is truly amazing. Without her, I don’t know what kind of person I would be to this day. Finaly, Mr Colin Morgan also plays a large role. This Irish, Armagh- born actor takes on challenges as they come, and cares more for others and nature. I love his perspective on life. He also deserves more recognition.

What feelings, subjects or concepts inspire you as an illustrator?

Probably the word ‘legend’ is the most dominant word which sticks out for me. It can mean so many things, and link to so may situations that there’s no way you can over-bear it. Although It’s complicated to explain, I think that knowing there are so many legends out there to follow or aspire to, It proves that anything is possible, and the littlest things can make a big difference if you put your mind to it. Even though that’s possibly a bit ‘far-fetched’, ‘legends’ can be created anytime and to anyone.

What is your favourite work that you’ve produced so far and why?

I don’t really have a favourite peice that I have produced. Probably all my final peices in my portfolio are my best. They are the ones I put best effort to.

an illustrator’s advice

Have you got any advice for those starting out as an illustrator?

The best advise I can give, coming from an amateur as myself, is just to follow your dreams- anything is possible if you give 100% towards it, no matter what the consequences are, nothing is more important than what you beleive in.