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1)
Past or present artists who
would have had some influence on your work over the years
William Bouguereau, Tamara de Lempicka, Ingres,
Carravagio, Lucien Freud, David, Flandrin, Velazquez, John
Singer Sergeant, Vermeer, Jenny Saville and Frank Franzetta.
2)
You
describe yourself as a contemporary figurative artist. What
is the main appeal of figurative
art for you?
The rendering and execution of subtle skin tones and
the use of the nude figure to create an aesthetic mood.
3)
Painting the nude in the 21st
century
Painting the nudes in the 21st century means
creating a niche for oneself, having studied the old masters
re-inventing or re-interpreting the use of the nude figure.
The challenge lies in relating the old techniques to
today’s tastes, to be realistic but at the same time to be
contemporary.
4)
Can you give us a definition
of your work?
A celebration of the aesthetics of various poses and a
collage of luminous skin tones. At the moment a gradual
departure from the study into the exploration of the
internal voice or metaphor. The use of the figure to tell
and explore elements of my own life using symbols.
5)
Can you describe your
technique?
Firstly the creation of the image in the studio, using
suitable lighting. The preparation of the masonite, then
transfer of the drawing. The gradual development of the
painting from Grisaille
(monochromatic underpainting), glazing, final
layers of painting, finishing with varnishing. Many of the
old masters painted indirectly as well, as opposed to alla
prima (i.e. directly or in one sitting).
6)
Can you tell us about the
apparently restrained palette of colours in your work?
My use of colours is limited and faithful to the life
model. I like to think of painting as a mosaic of colours. I
believe the simpler the palette of colours, the more
homogenous and connected the result. Likewise, my
backgrounds, or absence for the most part in the present
show, are designed to dramatize and focus the viewer’s
eye.
7)
How do you work with models?
My work with models is usually for the purpose of life
drawing, which I practice on a regular basis, or for
photography. I would before the hiring of the model have a
rough idea of the poses and concepts I wish to explore. It
is really just a case of getting the model to pose in a
variety of ways which ties in with my ideas or concepts.
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