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 Can you provide an overview of your artistic background and journey?

 

I have always loved art and dabbled a bit when younger – mainly more crafty -type things. A good friend asked me about 25 years ago: Why don't you paint pictures? So, I started then and haven't stopped.

 

 

 What mediums do you primarily work with, and why did you choose them?

 

Mostly acrylics – they are so easy, accessible, and bright. I feel they are simple, and that's the kind of artist I am. I have also made several pictures to hang outdoors in the garden.  For these, I used the kind of paint you buy in B and Q for fences and gates! It is amazing what you can do with them. (I’ve included a couple of photos of these).

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 How would you describe your artistic style or approach?

 

Mostly very simple, enjoying the colour and the texture. The actual application of the paint is a sensual pleasure.

 

 Could you walk me through the conceptual process behind some of your notable works?

 

Here's an example of my recent process, which is not very conceptual at all. Come across a great photo, e.g., on Facebook. (Or take my own photo, say a scene or flower). Make a print of it. Where appropriate, ask if I can paint from it. I have done this with several marvellous Love Sheffield photos. Then do my best to paint a version of it. Know that I am not trying to make an exact copy but a lovingly painted version of that same beautiful image.

I have sometimes done artwork which is rather more conceptual than that.

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 What themes or subjects inspire you the most?

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Interesting scenery, sometimes townscapes rather than the countryside. Interesting angles. Flowers, in close-up. Bright colours.

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 Can you explain the techniques or methods you use to create your art?

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Probably not! Not any more so than I have done already. Slap on the paint, often quite thick, to get texture. Mix and enjoy striving to get subtle colours. E.g. the corridor painting I have included here, which is a shadowy indoor space and the colours were very interesting to make.

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 Do any specific art movements, artists, or historical periods influence your work?

 

Howard Hodgkin. David Hockney. Some of the impressionists – in particular Matisse.

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 How do you ensure that your artistic vision and style remain consistent across different projects?

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I don't. I don't think this really applies to how I work.

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 Can you talk about any challenges you've faced during your artistic career and how you overcame them?

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Some years ago, I worried about what to paint. I believed that each painting needed to be unique and totally original. Once I decided it was ok to paint from photographs, I have been completely liberated. I almost always have 1 or 2 ideas (i.e. photographs) waiting to be worked on.

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 What is your favourite piece in your portfolio, and what makes it special to you?

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Probably the tree.  It was one of the first I did from a photograph, my own, and I love it. It is a real tree in Cleve Abbey, a beautiful place in Somerset. I went again a few years later, took another photo, painted that one and sold it very quickly.

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 Have you exhibited or sold your artwork before? If so, could you share some of those experiences?

 

I have sold a few pieces, mainly to friends. E.g., from people seeing them on Facebook or similar.  I have taken part in Sheffield Open Studio several times (not recently) and have had my own open studio day at home. Selling something always feels wonderful.

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 How do you approach collaboration or working on commissioned projects?

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I've occasionally been commissioned to paint a particular thing, and I've enjoyed that and done it in a similar way to my other work.  Collaboration? Not so much in an art project as in this Love Sheffield Artists show.... exciting to be working with 19 other artists. Not sure what I can say until after we have achieved the show. I would approach collaboration very humbly, knowing that my artwork is simple and quite unsophisticated – but also with a sense that it has been a joy to make and may provide joy to someone else.

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 Do you have any particular goals or aspirations for your artistic career?

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Not really. Take part in any shows I can.  I also love the curating and hanging side of an art show.

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 What feedback or reactions have you received from viewers or clients in the past?

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Variable. I have never forgotten hearing someone say, 'They're very decorative' about my work. I am pretty sure it was not intended as a compliment. But I regard many great artists’ work as very decorative actually – Matisse, Picasso, Hockney, Klimt. Is decorative such a bad thing?!

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 Do you actively seek out critique or feedback to improve your work? How do you handle constructive criticism?

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No, on the whole I don't. I paint because I enjoy painting and at my age, don't really seek to 'improve' or progress. Each piece I paint stands on its own, for what it is, there and then. I don't regard myself as getting better or worse. Though I hope I would take on board people's comments and suggestions and at least consider trying them.

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 How do you consistently stay motivated and inspired to create new art?

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Probably by going to as many art shows and art galleries as I possibly can. Holidays almost always involve visiting galleries. Also, just being open to possibilities for projects that I could get involved in relatively easily, like the 20x20 show in Sheffield (in the pop-up gallery on Fargate) in March this year.

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 Can you talk about any ongoing or upcoming projects you're working on?

 

Mainly the Love Sheffield Artists show in October. Organising that is a big and exciting project in itself.

 

 Do you have any long-term artistic projects or series that you're passionate about?

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This is a big question. I think that how you live is an artistic project. I am likely to move from my current home to somewhere else in the next couple of years. That will involve a huge amount of selectivity about what art I take with me and what has to be given or thrown away. Creating a new home for the next stage of my life will be an artistic project.

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 What role do experimentation and exploration play in your artistic process?

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Mostly, not a lot these days. At one time, I would have felt more experimental, e.g. with different media and styles.

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 Lastly, is there anything else you would like to share about your portfolio or artistic practice?

 

I think the way I paint can be a very therapeutic thing – I would hope that it might encourage others to just have a go. Acrylic paints are easy and cheap to buy and easy to use. Canvasses can be very cheap to buy, or often I use old pictures from charity shops and paint over them so there is a gratifying sense of 'recycling' too.

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