Window Curators 'Bright & Bold', Pedestrian Gallery 2013
Tuesday, 27 August 2013
'Fists With Your Toes', 2012 was selected for the Window Curators 'Bright & Bold' open at Pedestrian Gallery (see exhibitions section). That painting is about a kind of vertigo during air travel.
I thought the wall selection was a tad less varied than the previous winter open, but it was a specific idea for a show. A few artists stuck out for me either pushing their medium or having something else going on in relation to the bright and bold criteria.
Information on the impressive organisation can be found at:
www.pedestrian.info
I am a local artist and study Fine Art at De Montfort University.
What informs your work, is it purely imagination? Do you have a specific plan about composition or do you paint intuitively?
My main inspiration comes from Aboriginal art I saw from my travels across Australia last year. My paintings are a merge of this visual inspiration as well as my constant urge to doodle patterns on pieces of paper lying around the place. Always drawing repetitive lines and shapes I linked this with the bold colours and patterns found in Aboriginal art.
Could you tell me a little about your working methods? The work must take a lot of patience and time to complete! Is the ‘dot’ a favoured way of mark making for you? How did this come about
My drawings of patterns on paper is quite intuitive and a quick process. I will go through many compositions before I find one that I think best to go onto canvas. It's an interesting process to go from quickly paced and throw-away sketches to long hours sitting on the canvas and painting dots - but what both of these processes have in common is the therapeutic quality it brings. By having the sketch already enlarged onto the canvas it's just a case of "filling in the gaps" - the only thing I really have to consider is the colour and what sizes to do the dots. So it's almost a form of meditation to sit there and to paint a repetitive gesture.
I'm still within the early stages of this practice so I hope to keep painting and understand this method better.
What did you think of the show overall?
I think the Bright and Bold exhibition has a wonderfully varied series of artworks - both within mediums and styles. The Window Creators are a fantastic organisation that helps support local young artists and to introduce them into the professional-artist arena.
I am a local artist living and working in the City.
Does the combination of representation and more abstract experimenting feature in all of your work?
The combination of representation and more abstract experimentation does not feature in all my work. For this particular piece I thought that the juxtaposition of the fairly realistically depicted oil pumps against the background of an over stylised abstracted idyllic landscape worked well both as a composition and to exaggerate(in the viewer's mind) the damage to the environmental that would naturally follow settlement of the oil wells, which although commonly known as 'nodding donkeys' I liken here to dinosaurs due to their sheer scale and menace.
The painting depicts oil pumps and agricultural land, are you interested in how the environment is used or overused by people?
Yes I am very interested in how the environment is used and abused by people for (in the main) capital interests although this isn't a main-stay feature in my work.
What did you think of the show overall?
I think the show is very good; well balanced with a broad range of styles and use of media. It admirably showcases the breadth and depth of talent in the area.
Having always dabbled in Art as a hobby I have recently taken it up more seriously due to changed circumstances in which I find myself with more time on my hands. I would like to get more involved in the Arts community both as an exhibiting Artist and as a support worker/volunteer promoting Arts in the region.
Yeh, always, though I went to the seaside for a few days last week, I attempted to do some landscape painting with watercolours, I don't think I've ever felt so relaxed.
I already know you have a keen sense of humour! Your prints especially had kind of visual comedy in them, is this an important part of the work?
Most of my work contain humorous/dark elements. I find it more enjoyable than painting fruit or flowers, even though doing that can be enjoyable too, I would just rather paint a condom in the fruit bowl and paint the flowers beheaded.
What attracted you to lino and printing in general?
I can't remember why or how I got into it. It's a method of printing that doesn't require much space, I don't have the space in my flat (where I do my work) for a large machine or anything industrial. I just have the space for my few desks and miles of washing line hanging from my walls. Also, there's just something therapeutic about carving up some nice lino and it's always a thrill when doing the first test print.
Lady in the rain has a strong atmosphere, kind of melancholy, does the image come from something you saw or is it imaginary?
The Lady in the Rain is actually myself. I've got into the habit of taking a notepad with me whenever I head out to jot down any ideas I get. I met a friend for lunch one day, it was sunny, so I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, I got caught in heavy rain. So I got inside and did a little doodle. When it came to doing the linocut I switched it to a woman, mainly because I done some work previously that featured a lot of male characters. I thought that adding a woman would make it look more pretty. I used reduction method to give her a colourful summer dress. This is a one off print made especially for the Bright and Bold exhibition at the Pedestrian.
What did you think of the show overall?
It was definitely Bold and Bright. The quality of work was excellent and it was nice to see my work hanging amongst it. I've taken on board quite a few names and had the pleasure of checking out more of their work. I look forward to the closing night and hopefully meeting some of the other artists in person. Unfortunately I didn't have time to hang around on the opening night, I didn't even have time to sample the wine!
I have nothing exciting planned for the future just yet. I recently set up a website and an etsy shop. For someone who is terrible with computers, I think I'm doing ok...
Is Leicester your main area for practicing art?
Yes - my studio is based at an industrial estate near the heart of the Leicester and that's where all my painting happens. However, I sell / enter competitions inside and outside of Leicester (especially in London where competitions are concerned).
At first glance (not knowing this was your painting!) I thought the piece was a symbolic pairing of hands to do with race. Then I noticed the second hand, and the piece became a more tender and personal moment. *regarding recent work at the New Walk Museum
Are you interested in different readings?
Definitely. It's virtually impossible to guess why you as an individual will like / dislike a painting and hearing different interpretations can make me look at a painting in a new light! Fundamentally, I'm trying to make a good painting but I won't deny it's free from certain motivations or contextual choices.
Oil painting in a realist manner needs a lot of skill and technique, yet you also paint in a more painterly style, could you tell me about your different styles?
When I began painting again, I felt I needed to begin at a point where I would be understood, hence why I did the realist work. I hoped that it would show my ability and understanding of the human form to you, the 'audience', so that you could trust in my skills.
The more painterly style was a natural progression. For me, once you are able to do the realist style to a relatively comfortable degree, it holds no more mystery. It had to be dropped. Sharing a working space with local artist Paul Wright had a big influence on me and my more recent work has been inspired by his style. This has led on to a lot of new learning for me, especially in mark making and use of colour.
However, looking at a recent self-portrait I've done, I feel the next shift in my style about to occur...
Are there any particular artists or periods that relate to your own practice?
As stated above, Paul Wright is a big influence - both his work and his words to me as a mentor. I have a tendency to look at artists when I need support; if I'm faced with a particular dilemma in my work, I will look at how they handled the problem to see if I can find a solution for my painting.
Gerhard Richter's book 'TEXT' was also an eye-opener for me. Another author I respect deeply is Ernst Gombrich - I'm currently reading his 'Preference for the Primitive' book.
So, some oldies that come to mind are...Eugene Delacroix, John Singer Sargent, Vincent van Gogh, Lucian Freud, Edouard Manet, Paul Cezanne, Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci.
Some contemporaries are...Gerhard Richter, Adrian Ghenie, Jenny Saville, Alex Kanevsky, Nathan Ford, Ryan Hewitt, Simon Birch, Benjamin Cohen, Andrew Salgado.
What did you think of the show overall?
For B&B, I think it showcased a variety of young talent and fitted in with their agenda. The Open 24 attracted a similar (and bigger) variety of local talent but professionals that have been in the business longer.
As hinted at above, I feel a new 'breakthrough' for my art has just occurred and I'm really excited to start exploring this. There is an immediacy and freshness to it but it also maintains a painterly feel, which I don't want to lose. I'm very interested in works that evidence the different stages of creation in their final outcome. As a good friend said, plan a year ahead - make sure you know what competitions are upcoming and see if you can set aside some time to complete them. I will be entering local, regional and London-based competitions so fingers crossed and watch this space!
I thought the wall selection was a tad less varied than the previous winter open, but it was a specific idea for a show. A few artists stuck out for me either pushing their medium or having something else going on in relation to the bright and bold criteria.
Information on the impressive organisation can be found at:
www.pedestrian.info
Melissa Fletcher
http://melissafletcherartist.blogspot.co.uk
Are you a local artist?I am a local artist and study Fine Art at De Montfort University.
What informs your work, is it purely imagination? Do you have a specific plan about composition or do you paint intuitively?
My main inspiration comes from Aboriginal art I saw from my travels across Australia last year. My paintings are a merge of this visual inspiration as well as my constant urge to doodle patterns on pieces of paper lying around the place. Always drawing repetitive lines and shapes I linked this with the bold colours and patterns found in Aboriginal art.
Could you tell me a little about your working methods? The work must take a lot of patience and time to complete! Is the ‘dot’ a favoured way of mark making for you? How did this come about
My drawings of patterns on paper is quite intuitive and a quick process. I will go through many compositions before I find one that I think best to go onto canvas. It's an interesting process to go from quickly paced and throw-away sketches to long hours sitting on the canvas and painting dots - but what both of these processes have in common is the therapeutic quality it brings. By having the sketch already enlarged onto the canvas it's just a case of "filling in the gaps" - the only thing I really have to consider is the colour and what sizes to do the dots. So it's almost a form of meditation to sit there and to paint a repetitive gesture.
I'm still within the early stages of this practice so I hope to keep painting and understand this method better.
What did you think of the show overall?
I think the Bright and Bold exhibition has a wonderfully varied series of artworks - both within mediums and styles. The Window Creators are a fantastic organisation that helps support local young artists and to introduce them into the professional-artist arena.
Jonathan Gunner
Are you a local artist?I am a local artist living and working in the City.
The combination of representation and more abstract experimentation does not feature in all my work. For this particular piece I thought that the juxtaposition of the fairly realistically depicted oil pumps against the background of an over stylised abstracted idyllic landscape worked well both as a composition and to exaggerate(in the viewer's mind) the damage to the environmental that would naturally follow settlement of the oil wells, which although commonly known as 'nodding donkeys' I liken here to dinosaurs due to their sheer scale and menace.
The painting depicts oil pumps and agricultural land, are you interested in how the environment is used or overused by people?
Yes I am very interested in how the environment is used and abused by people for (in the main) capital interests although this isn't a main-stay feature in my work.
What did you think of the show overall?
I think the show is very good; well balanced with a broad range of styles and use of media. It admirably showcases the breadth and depth of talent in the area.
Having always dabbled in Art as a hobby I have recently taken it up more seriously due to changed circumstances in which I find myself with more time on my hands. I would like to get more involved in the Arts community both as an exhibiting Artist and as a support worker/volunteer promoting Arts in the region.
Matt Macken
http://www.mmacken.com - http://etsy.com/shop/mattmackenart
Are you mainly based in Leicester in terms of art practice?Yeh, always, though I went to the seaside for a few days last week, I attempted to do some landscape painting with watercolours, I don't think I've ever felt so relaxed.
I already know you have a keen sense of humour! Your prints especially had kind of visual comedy in them, is this an important part of the work?
Most of my work contain humorous/dark elements. I find it more enjoyable than painting fruit or flowers, even though doing that can be enjoyable too, I would just rather paint a condom in the fruit bowl and paint the flowers beheaded.
What attracted you to lino and printing in general?
I can't remember why or how I got into it. It's a method of printing that doesn't require much space, I don't have the space in my flat (where I do my work) for a large machine or anything industrial. I just have the space for my few desks and miles of washing line hanging from my walls. Also, there's just something therapeutic about carving up some nice lino and it's always a thrill when doing the first test print.
Lady in the rain has a strong atmosphere, kind of melancholy, does the image come from something you saw or is it imaginary?
The Lady in the Rain is actually myself. I've got into the habit of taking a notepad with me whenever I head out to jot down any ideas I get. I met a friend for lunch one day, it was sunny, so I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, I got caught in heavy rain. So I got inside and did a little doodle. When it came to doing the linocut I switched it to a woman, mainly because I done some work previously that featured a lot of male characters. I thought that adding a woman would make it look more pretty. I used reduction method to give her a colourful summer dress. This is a one off print made especially for the Bright and Bold exhibition at the Pedestrian.
What did you think of the show overall?
It was definitely Bold and Bright. The quality of work was excellent and it was nice to see my work hanging amongst it. I've taken on board quite a few names and had the pleasure of checking out more of their work. I look forward to the closing night and hopefully meeting some of the other artists in person. Unfortunately I didn't have time to hang around on the opening night, I didn't even have time to sample the wine!
I have nothing exciting planned for the future just yet. I recently set up a website and an etsy shop. For someone who is terrible with computers, I think I'm doing ok...
Greg Harris
http://www.greg-artist.com
Yes - my studio is based at an industrial estate near the heart of the Leicester and that's where all my painting happens. However, I sell / enter competitions inside and outside of Leicester (especially in London where competitions are concerned).
At first glance (not knowing this was your painting!) I thought the piece was a symbolic pairing of hands to do with race. Then I noticed the second hand, and the piece became a more tender and personal moment. *regarding recent work at the New Walk Museum
Are you interested in different readings?
Definitely. It's virtually impossible to guess why you as an individual will like / dislike a painting and hearing different interpretations can make me look at a painting in a new light! Fundamentally, I'm trying to make a good painting but I won't deny it's free from certain motivations or contextual choices.
Oil painting in a realist manner needs a lot of skill and technique, yet you also paint in a more painterly style, could you tell me about your different styles?
When I began painting again, I felt I needed to begin at a point where I would be understood, hence why I did the realist work. I hoped that it would show my ability and understanding of the human form to you, the 'audience', so that you could trust in my skills.
The more painterly style was a natural progression. For me, once you are able to do the realist style to a relatively comfortable degree, it holds no more mystery. It had to be dropped. Sharing a working space with local artist Paul Wright had a big influence on me and my more recent work has been inspired by his style. This has led on to a lot of new learning for me, especially in mark making and use of colour.
However, looking at a recent self-portrait I've done, I feel the next shift in my style about to occur...
Are there any particular artists or periods that relate to your own practice?
As stated above, Paul Wright is a big influence - both his work and his words to me as a mentor. I have a tendency to look at artists when I need support; if I'm faced with a particular dilemma in my work, I will look at how they handled the problem to see if I can find a solution for my painting.
Gerhard Richter's book 'TEXT' was also an eye-opener for me. Another author I respect deeply is Ernst Gombrich - I'm currently reading his 'Preference for the Primitive' book.
So, some oldies that come to mind are...Eugene Delacroix, John Singer Sargent, Vincent van Gogh, Lucian Freud, Edouard Manet, Paul Cezanne, Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci.
Some contemporaries are...Gerhard Richter, Adrian Ghenie, Jenny Saville, Alex Kanevsky, Nathan Ford, Ryan Hewitt, Simon Birch, Benjamin Cohen, Andrew Salgado.
What did you think of the show overall?
For B&B, I think it showcased a variety of young talent and fitted in with their agenda. The Open 24 attracted a similar (and bigger) variety of local talent but professionals that have been in the business longer.
As hinted at above, I feel a new 'breakthrough' for my art has just occurred and I'm really excited to start exploring this. There is an immediacy and freshness to it but it also maintains a painterly feel, which I don't want to lose. I'm very interested in works that evidence the different stages of creation in their final outcome. As a good friend said, plan a year ahead - make sure you know what competitions are upcoming and see if you can set aside some time to complete them. I will be entering local, regional and London-based competitions so fingers crossed and watch this space!
