Being an artist

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

I live in Sussex and work from home using my attached garage as a studio space. My work is mainly oil on canvas, sometimes with the addition of molochite and clay. My inspiration comes mainly from the stunning coastline and Downlands of Sussex.

When did you decide to pursue art as a career?

I’ve always been able to draw and paint, but life took me away from art and in other directions. I decided to take formal training after I had two children and they were both in full time school.

What training have you had?

I began as a mature student and studied A level Art, followed by a foundation year then a full time BA Hons in Art and Design.

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

I won a contract in 2008 and again in 2009 for 12 images of my work to front on book covers for Bloomsbury Publishing. I also loved the first time a gallery said, “Yes”.

General Questions

What’s your favourite quote?

The abstraction is often the most definite form for the intangible thing in myself that I can clarify in paint. (Georgia O’Keeffe)

Who is your favourite artist?

There are too many to mention them all. I greatly admire Van Gogh, the St Ives Artists, Peter Lanyon in particular, but so many more; Richard Diebenkorn, Ben Nicholson, Roger Hilton, Ivon Hitchens, Rothko, the list goes on and on . . .

What are you aiming for?

I aim to get represented by a few more galleries and sell more work. I also want to continue to develop my ‘artistic voice’, where a Chrissy Guest painting is instantly recognisable.

How will you get there?

I’ll keep painting. With each piece of work I discover new and exciting things. This year, I’ll also spend longer on self promotion.

Is anything holding you back?

Oh, big question. Probably lack of money more than anything. Paint, canvas and promotion is expensive. Exhibiting at good art fairs costs a great deal of money. Time is also a valuable commodity, and it’s difficult to prioritise promotion above painting, catch 22 for the self-representing artist.

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?

I like my work to be admired from a distance and have some element of surprise close up. Reactions are usually favourable and people comment on how they ‘see different things in the work’ every time they look at it.

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

Well, I build my work in layers and quite often work over old or unfinished paintings. I love the sense of history in the work, and the re-use of subtle mark making. The whole process can take months, but when I get to the final layer, it can sometimes be very quick and spontaneous.

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

I like to have a newsy local station on that has chat and middle of the road music.

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

I want to work on a series of paintings which won’t stray too far from what I’m currently doing. These will possibly be based on my coastal observation over a period of time.

Being inspired by art

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

Most of the artists mentioned above, mainly because I understand their drive to find something within themselves and put it to canvas. For instance, if you look at the work of Van Gogh, particularly the later work, you can see the frustration and fervour in his brushstrokes and feel his anguish while searching for his elusive goal.

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

I’m very drawn to the abstract expressionists, it’s a very special gift to have the ability to go beyond realism and paint from within.

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

My most recent painting ‘Seastorm’ (90cm x 30cm), there’s a lot of history to this one. It has many layers, some filled with frustration. I feel I’ve come a long way.

an artist’s advice

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

Never give up. Being part of the creative world has its ups and downs, but it can be really exciting and rewarding in many ways. Don’t ever measure success by how much money you make and never try to paint for the market, only paint for yourself. Work as hard as you can and always remember you have to spend as much time on promotion as you do on painting.

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

Art fairs are a really good way to show your work to the public and get yourself known. They are also an important way to network with other artists and gallery owners. Exhibit your work in local art events such as open houses to boost your sales. Have a good website and keep it fresh by changing the images as often as you can. Get your work seen by submitting to art magazines etc., you never know who might see it!

Thanks Chrissy!

You can visit www.chrissyguest.co.uk for more information on Chrissy including details of her upcoming exhibition at Parallax Art Fair in London this July.

Being an artist

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

I am an Australian artist and art teacher, and I live with my wife in an 800 year old house in a tiny medieval village in southwest France. I teach art to the locals and to guests who come to France on our art holidays. I have lived in South Africa, Australia and France, and I have had successful exhibitions in all three countries.

What training have you had?

I was trained at the Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg.

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

Regular successful exhibitions of portraits of the village locals held in the tourist office.

General Questions

What’s your favourite quote?

‘Warts and all.’

When Oliver Cromwell was about to have his portrait painted, he told the artist: “Mr Lely, I desire you would use all your skill to paint your picture truly like me, and not flatter me at all; but remark all these roughness, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me. Otherwise, I will never pay a farthing for it.”

Who is your favourite artist?

Lucien Freud.

What are you aiming for?

To paint portraits of as many of the village people as I can.

How will you get there?

By painting regularly – I have currently painted over 30.

Is anything holding you back?

Painting portraits is one thing, but I’ve also always enjoyed painting nudes. Nude portraits seems to be the answer. It certainly worked for artists like Hockney, Freud and Pearlman. But I’m not in that league anyway and our village is not London, California or New York. It’s not too hard to imagine the local response to an elderly (some would simply say ‘old’) Anglo Saxon male trying to mount an exhibition of nude paintings here in the heart of Gascony, in an isolated medieval village in La France Profonde. Whether I tried to exhibit male, female (or like the coiffures signs that advertise ‘mixed’) nudes of whatever age, there is every possibility that I would find myself shunned, ostracized – or even hounded out of town – by the welcoming, friendly, but very conservative villagers.

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?

I would like them to be surprised. In some cases confronted. Paintings stir emotions that remain submerged when considering other forms of art (novels, cinema, music, etc.)

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

About a day if working full time.

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

Beethoven, Beethoven and Beethoven. Sometimes Wagner.

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

I want to paint all the village people from the Mayor to the village street sweeper.

Being inspired by art

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

Van Gogh, because of his amazing output, technique and colour, colour and colour.

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

Nudes and faces.

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

A painting of a nude on a chair in a large room on a yellow carpet.

an artist’s advice

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

Start early, and when all your peers are being offered good jobs and salaries be prepared to work on a shoe string. Suck up to galleries, the media, potential clients and have regular shows.

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

Keep bashing away at the internet.

Thanks Ray

More of Ray’s colourful characters (and other subjects) can be found on www.rayjohnstone.co.uk

Being an artist

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

I grew up in East London during the ’50s and ’60s. At school I casually mentioned I wanted to be an artist. I was persuaded to get a ‘proper job’. “You can always paint in the evenings if you really want to. Unless you’re extremely talented you will never earn a living out of it.”

I ended up working with mainframe computers, just off Piccadilly in the West End, and moved to the West Country when my firm relocated to Bristol in the ’70s. Although working full-time I discovered photography, partly prompted by the change in environment, and built a darkroom in the loft; developing and printing from black and white film.

It was freezing in the winter and baking hot in the summer. I couldn’t start till after 10 o’clock at night, waiting for the space to either warm up or cool down depending on the time of year. However quite early on it confirmed that I was sufficiently interested and committed to find/make the time to pursue it, in spite of any hindrances. It also highlighted my levels of patience, and my ability to fit photography in and around my work, family and social life.

When did you decide to pursue art as a career?

I started a course of evening classes at a local college in Bath; just general painting, but I loved it. Regardless of what had been going on during the day/week, after 20 minutes I had forgotten everything and gotten totally absorbed. The look, smell and feel/feedback from the paint was excellent. This was far better than gawping at a screen all day. It was far more instinctive, intuitive and deeply satisfying.

Having spent 30 years working on and around computers; in scheduling, operations and finally systems analysis, my role was relocated to Halifax. After developing some form of short-term memory loss in 2004 I decided to take early retirement.

Over the next few years, as my memory gradually improved, I continued painting. It occurred to me that I had always felt restricted by photography. For reasons of practicality and economy I had settled on a print size of 50cm x 60cm. Although there was scope for a certain amount of aesthetic creativity in the darkroom I was basically producing records of what was in front of the camera. Painting offered the opportunity to work at any scale I liked and I didn’t need to be physically with the subject, or at a specific location.

As my painting experience and confidence increased I realised that I was more than capable of finally becoming an artist, but needed some guidance and tuition in order to become proficient.

What training have you had?

I started a Foundation degree in 2005 and graduated with a BA in Fine Art Creative Practice in June 2010.

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

Starting a degree in Fine Art was the most profound breakthrough in my visual awareness. Although aware of art at school I didn’t pay it much attention. Abstract art seemed to be rubbish and I thought pop art was appalling. It seemed like artists were dumbing down their work just to make money; as though they had somehow lost any sense of integrity.

In my first year at art school I discovered the Abstract Expressionists and got excited about the very artwork that I had despised when I was young. One of my tutors once said that if you always work in a small space with a low ceiling you never consider producing anything bigger. The ceilings at college were 12ft high!

By the end of the course I had developed an enormous sense of enablement, as though I could achieve anything. I am now sharing a studio in Bath and I bought a big van in order to transport my artwork.

General Questions

What’s your favourite quote?

“Truly to look is one’s own responsibility.”

Who is your favourite artist?

It is more an approach to art rather than an individual. But if pushed I would say Gerhard Richter, Franz Kline, Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko; or John Virtue if you want someone who is still alive.

What are you aiming for?

To produce a body of work that meets my expectations.

I am exploring materials, using conventional studio mediums such as inks, oils and acrylics, alongside or in combination with household and industrial materials like bitumen, shellac, gloss and emulsion.

How will you get there?

Practice, experimentation and feedback/constructive criticism from my peers.

Is anything holding you back?

The cost of materials, running a studio and having to work part-time in order to pay for them.

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?

I am always fascinated by reactions to my work. I believe each piece of work has a life of its own, and once produced it is no longer your own, particularly with abstract art; it has the most scope for interpretation.

Each artwork has three phases, the artist’s initial intention, the final result (which may not be the same) and the viewer’s reaction/decision about the artwork. Other people decide what your work is about, or what it means; and the subsequent feedback gives you an insight into the rest of your work.

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

I seem to be able to work quite quickly but I’ve never really timed it. Each painting is governed by the materials/mediums used. Sometimes I have to wait ages for layers to dry before applying another one, whereas with acrylics or emulsion I can get several coats on in a day. The work drives itself; I can see and feel what is happening on the canvas and this in turn prompts the next course of action.

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

It depends who else is around at the time. Either Radio 4 during the day, (please stop endlessly repeating the Archers!), or something loud/dynamic when no-one else is in. I’ve quite an eclectic taste in music really, but then I’ve been around for a long time – The Who, The Stones, Kings of Leon, Pink Floyd, Elvis Costello, Bowie, Gorillaz, John Martyn, Paloma Faith . . .

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

I am planning a joint show at ‘The Octagon’ in Milsom Street, Bath: 16th-22nd May with fellow studio artist Karen Wood. It’s a good space and will easily take our artwork – we both work on canvases averaging 1.5–2.5m (5-7ft).

Being inspired by art

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

I appreciate an obvious serious commitment to producing high quality artwork, a good sense of aesthetics and a natural sympathy/feel for the materials being used; I don’t care who produced it.

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

The primary feelings are those that I get back from the end of the brush in my hand. Due to the nature of my work I end up with abstracts by default, therefore there is no subject matter as such, other than the materials themselves and the way they behave/interact.

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

I am learning from all the artwork I have produced, successes and failures are equally important, so I don’t really have a favourite. The most satisfying is the one in someone else’s house. Of all the millions of images to potentially choose from, it is the thought that someone wanted this particular one so much that they decided to hang it on the wall and live with it.

an artist’s advice

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

It’s not a way to make money! Get a part-time job to subsidise your art practice; preferably on the periphery – at a gallery, museum or within the creative industry. If you can afford the time and cost take a college course, ideally a degree; primarily because it teaches you to think about art and view it differently, it opens your mind to endless potential.

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

Research shows and galleries to find an outlet that suits your work. Submit to open exhibitions and group shows until you find your feet. Promote yourself as much as possible, within reason. Don’t spend a lot of money on the internet.

Thanks Joe!

More of Joe’s paintings can be seen at www.joetymkow.co.uk and at his upcoming exhibition at The Octagon, Bath in May (see his website for details).

Being a painter

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

I studied photography at college and became a press photographer in Fleet Street and then Manchester. I was very lucky, having turned my hobby into my career. Sadly, I was hit by a car and badly injured so turned to painting as a way of filling my time.

When did you decide to pursue painting as a career?

I started painting in 2005, though only thought of it as a ‘career’ in the last 12 months. I’ve had a studio in an old mill in Stockport near Manchester since 2007.

What training did you have?

None. I’m self-taught, though Sandra, my wife, model, muse and critic, gives much needed advice and the artists at my studio have been known to offer the occasional comment.

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

Take any from . . . two sell-out solo shows at one of the north’s top galleries, being on local tv and radio, featuring in magazines and newspapers, and (most of all) meeting some of the fantastic people who make up Manchester’s artistic community.

General Questions

What’s your favourite quote?

My wife has been known to ask me, “Is it finished?”, which I find quite funny because it usually is.

Who is your favourite artist?

Matthew Smith.

What are you aiming for?

The moon.

How will you get there?

Rocket ship.

Is anything holding you back?

Chronic pain, unfortunately.

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?

Joy. I paint to make myself happy and sometimes others feel the same way, though it still surprises me that people like the work so much.

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

It varies from a few days to months and months. Sometimes they work straight away and sometimes they take time to ‘evolve’, which entails a lot of head scratching and banging of head against wall. Currently, I finish just over one work a week though I’m hoping to slow down in future.

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

I’ll often work to silence, though I do sometimes like loud music when I paint; anything from Gershwin to Paul Weller, via Mozart, to Florence and the Machine.

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

My next solo show opens at Collect Art on Friday 20th May and the work for that is almost complete. I’m fortunate to have been offered solo shows at the gallery for the last few years and am hoping that will continue, with exhibitions becoming more thematic over the years.

Being inspired by painting

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

Frida Kahlo because she showed me how to paint despite being in a lot of pain. When I’m having a really bad day I call up her ghost and she speaks to me.

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

Life, landscapes and teapots.

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

That’s a tough question. My feelings about the work are very fluid. Usually when a painting is finished I’m disappointed. It takes time for me to realise that it’s okay. But of my latest work, ‘Still life with French coffee pot’ is one I do like. It’s what I call an ‘alligator’ painting – I had to wrestle with it.

a painter’s advice

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

Don’t. Seriously, if you’ve got a job stick with that and paint in your spare time. You’d be mad to do otherwise. I lost my job and then started painting, so if you’re one of the thousands about to lose theirs it could be just the opportunity you need. But there are very few opportunities for artists. To make money you need to be very lucky and hugely committed. It can be utterly amazing when things go well, a real high. But factor in studio rent, materials, no sick pay/pensions/holiday pay and a total lack of security when you’re trying to calculate if it’s worth giving up the day job.

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

I don’t do commissions as I don’t want any outside interference. But there are things you can do to get your work seen. Joining an artists’ co-operative if there’s one anywhere near you is a great idea. It made a huge difference to my ‘career’. Art fairs can be good for connecting to collectors, but avoid the small ones. Try and be professional if you’re looking for a gallery to show your work (show them less not more). A website is a must, but cut out the text and let your work speak for itself.

Thanks Malcolm!

You can check out more of Malcolm’s art at www.croftart.com and his upcoming May exhibition at Collect Art.

Being an artist

Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself

Painter/printmaker making semi-abstract work influenced by everything from punk graphics to Rembrandt.

When did you decide to pursue art as a career?

After seeing a sculpture by picasso in Antibes in 1976 when I was 12.

What training did you have?

Two year foundation course at West Sussex College of Design followed by BA in Fine Art in Cardiff.

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

Exhibiting at the Royal Academy in the Stowell’s Trophy exhibition in 1984 was nice as a start. These days I love it when old clients track me down on the web to say they still love the print they bought 20 years ago (even better if they want to buy a new one!).

General Questions

What’s your favourite quote?

Traveller; there is no way, you make your way by walking – (loose translation from the Spanish by Antonio Machado).

Who is your favourite artist?

Currently Richard Diebenkorn but it changes every few months. I never tire of Matisse or Picasso – especially very early and very late work. Peter Saville is sublime.

What are you aiming for?

Just to keep working, improving and increasing exposure.

How will you get there?

Hard work and planning with my agent!

Is anything holding you back?

Periodic bouts of pessimism.

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?

I had an old woman come up to me in tears last year at an Open House saying she found my paintings ‘very moving’, which was a bit disconcerting, but she went on to explain that she had been looking at paintings all her life, often with her now deceased husband and that she was sure he would have loved them too. I hope to provoke emotional responses and for people to form their own interpretations of the work, which is more interesting than being asked what a particular piece is ‘about’. I try to leave enough space in the pictures for people to breathe in their own ideas.

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

It depends, I destroy as much work as I finish. A lot of time is spent waiting and looking when I’m painting. Printing is more straightforward as I’ve been doing it for 30 years now and I know the materials and what I want to achieve, I try to keep experimenting within the parameters of the medium. Painting can be painfully slow but you can’t rush it, I take my refuge in screen-printing when the painting stalls, which helps me work through my ideas.

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

Old punk/post punk, Arvo Pärt, Grieg, lots of Mogwai, ’70s Jamaican reggae (Misty, U-Roy, Heptones) and Radio 4. I love Jarvis Cocker’s Sunday service on BBC 6 music and listen to it on the iPlayer often, Desert Island Discs as well.

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

Preparing new work for the 2011 Open Houses Festival, gallery submissions post-Easter, and a gallery submission in LA.

Being inspired by art

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

Patti Smith for her commitment to her vision, her belief in the redeeming power of Art, her beautiful words and music, and her incredible voice which still sounds like it did when she was 20. I see her live whenever I get the chance. Writers like Colm Toibín and William Boyd astound me with their work, I would love to be a writer but would never have the patience. All teachers worldwide. Amnesty International for having the vision years ago for what has now become a mainstream push for global human rights.

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

Colour and shape are what inspire me more than subject matter. You can keep your concepts – I have my own ideas thank you! Give me something to look at or listen to. Painting is such a subjective thing. I love twentieth century abstract-geometrical painting and I love Renaissance fresco artists like Massaccio who died when he was just 27, the work is completely different to look at, but makes me feel equally passionate. Who knows what that is? Art.

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

The last print I completed called Legacy is about my father’s early life as a spitfire pilot. He flew over North Africa taking recconnaisance photos and I have used the cutting-room photo scraps from his diaries of the time as a basis for a print, the green spitfire-shape is to signify his naivite and youth. He was 19/20 years old flying solo missions, unthinkable today, and it was good to reflect on this in my work.

an artist’s advice

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

Be prepared to be patient. You will not be an overnight success, there are too many artists these days for that to happen. David Hockney apparently used to have a note above the foot of his bed that read ‘Get up and work immediately’ – I think that about sums it up. In terms of commercial opportunities, if it sounds too good to be true – it usually is. Open exhibitions are often a way for inefficient commercial galleries to raise funds due to not selling work, so choose which ones you apply for carefully as it can be very demoralising and is more a matter of luck than judgement. Never leave work with a gallery without a signed consignement note. Be in it for the love of it, enjoy yourself, trust yourself, be true to yourself and don’t be afraid to experiment. I am happy to be able to live my life as an artist and that is enough for me, when I get more that’s great, but it’s a luxury just to be able to paint in a country where you are free to do that. Be thankful.

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

Choose where you exhibit carefully, establish who is interested in your work and find a venue that reflects that. Watch your prices, too low can be just as off-putting as too high, be professional and make sure frames and any accompanying information are of a high standard. Never begin a commission without a non-refundable deposit to cover your materials, but if you are uncomfortable talking about money, don’t do them.

Thanks Alex!

You can see more of Alex’s work on www.alexander-johnson.com and look out for him in the Artists Open Houses Festival this year.

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.