Being an artist
Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself
I live and work in Brighton. I have been a full-time art student for four years and am about to complete my Fine Art Foundation Degree (FdA) at Brighton University (City College).
When did you decide to pursue art as a career?
I have always worked in creative industries, but the opportunity to commit to fine art came in 2007.
What training have you had?
My first classes were in 1995, just after I moved to America for three years. I studied drawing, black and white photography, and critical studies. I went on to get a certificate from San José State University in California in 1999. It wasn’t until 2007 that I finally got the chance to do my Art Foundation Diploma, and from there I went on to Brighton University.
What has been the high point of your career so far?
Winning 2nd Prize in the Jerwood Drawing Competition 2010 was really amazing, and being involved in the marathon for its first two years has been brilliant. I designed and made the City College Trophies for the first Brightonian male and female to finish for both years.
General Questions
Who is your favourite artist?
I’m really interested in Mona Hatoum’s work at the moment.
What are you aiming for?
A long career.
How will you get there?
Hard work. I am applying for a Master of Fine Arts and am setting up with my friend as a bespoke trophy maker.
Is anything holding you back?
There are only so many hours in the day, I know my limits.
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 just hope to arouse interest, enquiry and reflection. I’m delighted when I succeed!
From start to finish, how long does it take for you to create your work?
From idea to realisation . . . I’m not sure that I’ll ever complete it, but if I have something which makes sense within two months then the idea usually has potential.
What music do you like to listen to when you work?
Silence, FIP or Radio 4, depending on the work.
What are you working on next? Any future plans or projects in the pipeline that we should look out for?
On my course I am lucky because we work really well as a group. We have had two successful shows together in the last year and we recently put on a First Thursday show at the Vyner Street Gallery in London. Then there’s our degree show at the beginning of June.
Being inspired by art
Who (living or dead) inspires you? and why?
I admire David Nash for taking himself and his family off away from it all so he could find his own way to work. I like admiring and appreciating most people I know.
What feelings, subjects or concepts inspire you as an artist?
Connections, continuum, lamentation, optimism.
What is your favourite work that you’ve produced so far and why?
I’m really pleased with how my material-specific Call series is coming on.
an artist’s advice
For those thinking about turning a passion for art into a career, could you give any advice?
The passion is essential – it’ll keep you working and you’ll be able to navigate by it if you get a bit lost.
Any tips on how to get your work seen and get the commissions coming in?
Talk to people. Read things, look at things and write things. Submitting for calls for entry and volunteering are great ways to find out about current practice. The Arts Council email list is great and the Artists’ Newsletter is my favorite read.
Thanks Cadi!
More information on Cadi can be found over on www.cadifroehlich.co.uk
