Oyster World Fashion magazine. :HYPE ISSUE: August/Sept 2004.issue 53.

Article by Lucia McCarthy
Photography: Kathryn Kaars

How did you get into painting?

I’ve been drawing since I was very young. I used to draw pictures for my dad and he’d put them in his office at work. It always made me so proud I’d draw more. I guess it’s just something I’ve always done and is the one of the few things which I feel completely confident about.

What materials do you use?

Charcoal, pencil and oils mostly. I like the time oils gives you to play around with the images. Acrylics dry too fast and you can’t move them around too easily. There is something sensuous about oil paint. The smell and the texture is quite seductive.

Who are your favorite artists and other creative types?

Old masters such as Caravaggio, Velasquez, Soutine, Contemporary one I can think I like at the moment are Chris Cunningham, Fontana, Chris Offil and Steven Meisel.

I look at a lot of fashion photography. I get ideas from the way models pose, Fabric designs and materials from dresses and garments. My studio id full of magazines and Japanese design books. I went to Tokyo at the beginning of the year and I brought back some wonderful photos and kimono books. The detailed intricate designs and the rich colours are what interest me.

 What is your personal style.

Hmm…difficult to say. I guess simple but casually smartish with an edge. I guess It’s my rebellion against the art school look. It’s so fucking boring. Everyone used to try and dress so outlandish it just became so fucking boring. I know it’s a form of expression but some people would just go over board as if to shout for attention. Everybody wanted to play the artist and I got so bored with their egos and pretentiousness. I think a lot of people thought if they dress this way and acted in a certain way that made them ‘artist’. That’s all bullshit. The only thing that makes you an artist is when you produce work. Nothing else.

I tend to like Japanese and Scandinavian designs. I like there simplicity and eye for discrete style. It’s echoed in a lot of their art through to fashion and architecture. I think fashion is all about having a good eye. It’s not about money or designer names. You can have all the money in the world but still look shit.

 How do you work?

Painting can be strange. Sometimes you feel confident and other times intimidated by the task ahead. But I’ve learnt you have to face it head on. There is always a part of the painting you fear the most or you know that will be the pivot in making that particular piece work. Once that’s tackled and you’re happy with it you feel the rest of the journey will be easy. But I’ve also learnt never underestimate the problems which can lay ahead either. The trick with painting is to work with the piece rather than just to implement what you think how it should look. It’s like a relationship and you have to work with the piece.

What two pieces of advice would you give aspiring artists?

You’ve got to believe in your self. If you do your more than 80% there. So just keep sending away your stuff. I used to have a huge pile of rejection letters from galleries saying “Yeah we like the work, but were not looking for artist right now or it’s not good enough.” Screw them. The Beatles or bands like Nirvana never got deals or were signed straight away. Infact I think Nirvana got booed off stage on their first gig. You just got to keep carrying on and keep hassling people to look at your work. It’s finding that one person with vision who can make a difference. That’s where the luck comes in.

What have been the highlights of your work right now?

Michael Stipe of REM bought a piece of my work; he did some work with Jamie Catto on the album “One Giant Leap”. Michael came over to England and saw my work around Jamie’s house and asked about buying something for himself. I was really flattered and honored when I found out as I love his work too.

Also winning 2 nd prize in the BP portrait award at the National portrait Gallery. This kind of launched my career really. For a long time it was always me approaching galleries. But after winning the prize they came to me.