Monday, July 15, 2013

SIRI KOLLANDSRUD



Untitled, 2013, oil on canvas, 150 x120 cm
 
 
 
 

What are you working on in your studio right now?
 
 
I have started working on a new series of paintings which are 150x120 cm. in size, and I continuing working on some older pieces in various sizes. I am also making crochet objects, which I call "crochet growth or crops". I just finished an installation in Gallery Merde, Copenhagen.



Can you describe your working routine?
 
 
I don’t have a very regular routine. I can work at any time, depending on whether I have a show coming up or how busy I am with other work, but preferably I come to my studio early morning having a long day to "waste time". Getting into the work, look and wait. But lately I mostly just start painting almost at the very moment I enter my studio. I work maybe one or two hours on one or more pieces. Then I sit and look. And then maybe continue on the same or other pieces. Some days I can also paint non stop for hours and others not at all. Then I look and think, write, draw or something else. But most days I paint something. I’m always having many pieces going on at the same time. Sometimes it’s a bit like every day I begin from a new zero. I don’t know at all how to do it, but of course it’s also nonsense to say, after so many years of experience and practice. I come to my studio almost every day. I also work at home, on paper and the computer.






 
 
 
 
 

Can you describe your studio space and how, if at all, that affects your work?
 
 

I love my studio. It’s only about 10 minutes on bike from my home in an industrial and living area, with other studios and close both to the centre and the sea. The studio is not so big and has four south facing windows. This means the light changes a lot and the room can be like an oven, in hot weather. The light is of course very important for me as a painter. (So when it is cold and grey outside I am mostly happy.) In the beginning I found this quite challenging, like I had to work more quickly than before when I had 3 big north windows with the perfect clear stable light. But I got used to this sunshine now, (I have been here many years), and its fine. I move around, use curtains and a cap. I work mostly on the floor or wall.

 

 

Tell me about your process, where things begin, how they evolve etc.
 
 
I might start a painting with a vague or clearer idea. It can come from everywhere or anything. Like a collage of visual and mental observations.  Some things I see, think, or a composition, just to start. I put up something, and then kind of start a dialogue with the canvas. Things evolve through working. It can change from the first idea. I am always open and asking questions. I work intuitively, but always reflecting and changing between this. The canvas can be like a playground, where I put out different elements and opposite movements and somehow try organizing this, searching for a stage or room where it feels set, balanced or at a certain point or edge. Or it just leaves me.
 
I am curious and fascinated by what the colours and strokes can do, how it behaves, and how easy and quick it is to change or damage it all. Sometimes I start by putting up a difficult colour just to make some resistance to work on, or also to crash and open a painting that doesn’t really work. I can never know if it will work. But I have to continue. It is of course wonderful when the work is in a flow; I just paint certainly without thinking. It is important some times to wait and look, and also just work with the uncertainty. It’s always a balance.





If I had promised you a rose garden,
 installation Esplananden, Copenhagen, 2009
 
 
 
 

What are you having the most trouble resolving?
 
 
Stop in time. Or not stop. Some times I work too much. Sometimes I just stop because I am tired of it. It is always the balance. Being warm and cold, close and distant. Going in details and all over. I am seldom satisfied, and this drives me.



Do you experiment with different materials a lot or do you prefer to work within certain parameters?
 

I work primarily with oil paint in my studio, but I also use aquarelle, pencil colours, print and drawings. Everything. It depends on the circumstances or place. I can also make installations with different materials and crocheted objects. The crocheted "plant-like crops" I used in installations alone or together with paintings. I always did crochet, it can be more relaxing, in a way easier to make than a painting, more slow handwork of course. Although painting is like the primary thing for me, it is in a way all the same. I am always taking many photos.
 

 
 
 
Untitled, 2013, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 cm
 
 
 
 

What does the future hold for this work?
 
 
I always hope and try to explore and make better works, more clearly and simple (and complex) I am curious and this makes me continue. I am just planning some interesting group exhibitions with colleagues, and this summer I will go to paint in the mountains in China, in Xu Cun international art residency. I am excited about this. I was there in 2011 and it was very fantastic.
 


Is there anything else you would like to add?
 
 
Thanks for the invitation to this site Valerie and my good friend and colleague Rodney Dickson. It was interesting to do this answering, and to know your site.
Thank you and all the best!




 
 
 
Come Wait, 2013, oil on canvas, 40 x 40cm






Thursday, July 11, 2013

NIALL SHEERIN

 
 

Oil on found drift wood, 2013
 
 
 
 


 

What are you working on in your studio right now?

 
Recently I had a nice experience of finding a lovely weather/sea-beaten piece of wood which I felt I could do something with.  After working on it fairly quickly and loosely I was happy with the outcome as an authentic representation of where it was found. So now and again I take scavenging outings along the coastline, looking for other possible materials to paint on. These found materials lend themselves very well to what I am trying to achieve and are very much part of the finished work. I continue to paint on various sizes of canvases and boards having many on the go at once.
 
 


Can you describe your working routine?

 
I don't have a particular routine but I do spend as much time as possible putting down paint and letting it take me in a certain direction, eventually allowing a finished image to win out. I have to work to pay the bills so my days off are dedicated to painting or creating something that works for me. Often at the end of a working day I will spend a brief time doing a little painting, good therapy!
 




Studio

 




Can you describe your studio space and how, if at all, that affects your work?

 

In reality our home is the studio; I have a very understanding and supportive wife. I have assigned a relatively small area for painting and converted a larger attic space for storage of finished work.  All the time I have paintings at various stages of completion scattered around the house. This suits me very well as I love being surrounded by paintings - the last thing I do before going to bed at night and the first thing I do when I go downstairs in the morning is to look at the paintings. I also try to surround myself with paintings of other artists whom I admire. Having the in-progress paintings easily available gives me the freedom to step in and out of my painting quickly, although it does mean that if I want to tackle a larger canvas it takes more preparation and can take some of the spontaneity out of it for me.







Oil on found wood & metals, 2013






Tell me about your process, where things begin, how they evolve etc.


This can be very varied, sometimes a found object will point me in a particular direction. I will sometimes have a reference point and take it from there but I do not get overly concerned if the finished image tends to be more representational or a more abstracted interpretation of the landscape around me. Although I am aware that painting the landscape may be not very fashionable, my finished works are very much rooted in my surroundings and are also about putting down paint to achieve an aesthetic which is true and pleasing to my seeing. At all times I am trying to represent my surroundings and their authentic and unforgiving characteristics. I often listen to music while painting and I am sure this very much contributes to the direction my work takes.







Donegal

 
 
 
 
 
What are you having the most trouble resolving?
 
 
Every time I start a new painting I am a little daunted and not sure how to start or what to do. I have to remind myself to be a bit freer but I certainly don't want to be too casual in my approach as think this would definitely show through. Also I am quite impatient so using oils can be challenging but it does make me wait and live with the painting for a time; this is why I have many paintings on the go at once, all at various drying stages. I do not over-analyse what I have done or what I am going to do next, rather follow my gut instinct.
At the moment I have two large canvases on the go which are giving me a battle but it's a good fight.
 
 
 
 
 
 
The good fight, work in-progress


 
 
 
 
Do you experiment with different materials a lot or do you prefer to work within certain parameters?
 
 
Generally I am sticking with oils for the moment but I do like to paint on a variety of surfaces; anything from perspex, canvas, boards, found wood or anything that will give me a finished look that I am satisfied with. The found objects and surfaces are key components of the finished pieces, they will have been found in the area or landscape that I am trying to represent. For me, painting on different surfaces ensures variety and presents different challenges every time. Currently I am satisfied using oils as they give me the texture and ruggedness I am looking for, and I love the layered effect when applied thickly.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oil on found wood, 2013, 9 x 16cms (irregular)






What does the future hold for this work?


Earlier this year I had a solo exhibition and I would like to continue to develop this work. I am trying to introduce new elements into the work, but not just for the sake of it - it has to be meaningful and true to my place and surroundings. I would love to bring this work to a wider audience in order to learn from feedback. While I do believe in the work, I do not have the best marketing skills, so I hope the work will speak for itself. Further gallery representation would be of huge benefit to my development of the work. Also I am very open to the idea of joint projects with other artists.



Is there anything else you would like to add?


I would like to thank you Valarie for this opportunity to talk about my work. Also I find this blog very beneficial and I really enjoy learning about how other artists work.







Oil on torn canvas attached to found frame, 2013, 18 x 23 cm








Tuesday, July 9, 2013

KYLIE GAVA

(yf2) Untitled, acrylic, farinha, 2013
 
 
 
 
What are you working on in your studio right now?
 
 
Right now, the studio has been pretty dry. I just finished the yellow paintings and have been mostly working on FORGETGOOD. I am also teaching English, which takes up more time than anything.
 
 
 
Can you describe your working routine?
 
 
I wish I had more of a routine. I feel pretty guilty about how off-and-on I work. While I've been in Brazil, I've been consistently cranking out a bunch of work every other month. I think the month in-between allows for some tension to build up, so that when I'm actually in the studio, I'm very productive. I think it's also because I'm still figuring out how to be an artist outside of an academic institution. It's a heavily self-motivated situation. However, even when I'm not in the studio, I'm always thinking about art. I try to make videos  or something on the computer at the very least. I always carry a disposable camera too.





 
 
 
 
 
 
Can you describe your studio space and how, if at all, that affects your work?
 
 
My current studio space isn't much of anything at all. I think that's part of the reason my studio routine is non-existent. I keep more of a virtual studio. I try to collect images and keep scanned archives. I moved to Brazil in September of last year and am living with my aunt and uncle here. There isn't any space dedicated solely to my art making, so each time I work, I have to clean and put everything away, which can really be a bummer. I do a lot of table painting, but I've never been a very neat painter. In the next year, I'm trying to figure out a better studio plan - I'm really missing my old studio in Chicago.
 
 
 



Brazil I & II, digital collage, 2013
 
 
 
 
Tell me about your process - where things begin, how they evolve, etc.
 
 
Most times things begin off of an image, whether I see it online or in real life. From there, it might be a while before I actually make it into the studio, so most of the images end up disregarded. My ultimate goal in the studio is to forget that I'm working. I usually create four or five paintings rather quickly, hang them up and look at them for a bit; then, sometimes I go back in to fix some things and put them all away. The next day, I come back in to photograph them. Usually by then, they've lost most of their magic, but I almost never go back in with these little ones. I've just been kind of collecting them over the last year. I find that going into the studio with no ideas usually leads to some pretty awful work, but sometimes it's okay to make some really bad stuff.

 
 
What are you having the most trouble resolving?
 
 
Over the last year, I've had the most trouble finding artists to be around. I went from a great arts community in Chicago to an almost non-existent one in Serra, Brazil. I really rely on online support/conversations, otherwise I go crazy not being able to discuss work/see shows. It's very surreal painting without receiving feedback. I have no idea what comes across with most of the work I've made over the past year.
 
 
 
 
 
Untitled (mold), acrylic, farinha, 2013
 
 
 
 
 
Do you experiment with different materials a lot or do you prefer to work within certain parameters?
 
 
I'm pretty open to materials, but right now everything is very simplified. I've just been working with acrylic, small canvases, and dirt or farinha de milho amarelo for texture. In the past, I’ve used flour. But, I would really like to get back into fibers, sculpture, and oils - it's just a lot more difficult when you don't have all of the facilities and space.
 
 
 
What does the future hold for this work?
 
 
The future for this work I'm making here in Brazil? I'm really not sure. I may do a residency in December or lug everything back to the United States next year. Otherwise, everything is pretty wide open.
 
 
 
Is there anything else you would like to add?
 
 
Thanks a lot Valerie! I think it's really important for artists to stay connected and it's been especially important for me over this past year.
 
 

 

(yf3) Untitled, acrylic, farinha, 2013









Thursday, July 4, 2013

ANNE RUSSINOF

Fun House, oil on canvas, 28 x 22", 2013
 
 
 

What are you working on in your studio right now?
 
 
I am trying some smaller oil paintings, canvases of about 16 x 12 inches. And continuing to work on paintings of 40 x 30" and larger. I’ve done a lot of work in between those two sizes, but am currently interested in the contrast between small and large.
 
 
 
 
New oils on canvas, each 16 x 22",2013

 
 
 
Can you describe your working routine?
 
 
Midday through evening is the best studio time for me, for as many days a week as I can manage. Extended periods are better than short bursts. That’s why attempts to clear my desk (down the hall) occur in the morning or late evening. Right now I’m back to oil painting, although I recently spent about a month working on paper: one series using oil sticks, and the other using water-based casein paints.



Can you describe your studio space and how, if at all, that affects your work?


My studio is in my home. It’s a room of about 240 square feet, with two Southern windows and good overhead “daytime” fluorescent lights. Last summer I added an 8' x 4' wall, which gave me more working surfaces and additional storage space. I wanted to be able to stand away from single works in progress without having anything else in my line of sight. Storage areas have to be organized pretty tightly. There are definite benefits to having my studio at hand when things like documentation are needed, or I just need to wander in for a look. The smallness of the space, however, does force me to separate canvas sessions from paper sessions. And probably it has hindered my attempting much larger work, which I am now trying to address.



 
 
 
 
Tell me about your process, where things begin, how they evolve etc.
 
 
Color is the instigator. Glimpses of things I see trigger the physical sensation of wanting to paint, which is in turn very much tied to my love of gesture, and long ago, of figure drawing. My desire is to create form out of color. I no longer keep reference material posted in my studio, but prefer to open my book collection randomly in order to jump start or remind myself of that sensation. With this current smaller work, I have two or three canvases ready at the same time, and they are laid flat because I work in layers, wet on wet, with the paint on the liquid side. It is a very suspenseful process. If I lose either the structure or a sense of interior light, the whole thing gets scraped down. What I am after is a point where I have somehow managed to create a gestural grid that works as a structural space, and where things almost dissolve into chaos, but don’t.
 


Yellow Swipe, oil on canvas, 16 x 12", 2013
 
 
 

What are you having the most trouble resolving?
 
 
I am trying to resolve how much to take out before losing everything. Which sounds odd because my process is very sticky and additive. I only ever want to build or create what is necessary: when things feel artificial, I start over again. Sometimes I give up on a work, essentially making destruction the subject, by paintings things out, which is how I discover new things. The process of negating can turn into what I was after all along: to create a new space where the eye is held for a while, and then allowed to be released.
 
 
 
Do you experiment with different materials a lot or do you prefer to work within certain parameters?
 
 
I spent a long time working my way to oil painting, particularly on canvas, and so that is my primary interest. I got to painting through printmaking, mainly stone lithography, because of its luscious line quality. Later I moved to monoprinting and eventually started painting in oil on multi-panel wood constructions that I made myself. It finally seemed to me that I’d been avoiding certain formal issues and that working on the single plane of the comparatively lighter-weight canvas or linen would unify all. Experimentation with different materials occurs more readily on paper, where I move between ink, watercolor, and now mainly casein, a gouache-like paint that suits my layer-based process.





Line on Line Series,
recent caseins on paper, 13 x 11", 2013
 
 
 
 
What does the future hold for this work?
 

Variations and paths are always presenting themselves. I would follow each of them if only the studio was larger. I think that is the desire behind the newer small paintings: to run through some new ideas a bit faster. So for now I’m just going where my hand leads me.
 
 


Is there anything else you would like to add?
 
 
Thanks for having me here. Your blog has been so informative and helpful. The more I see and read about what other artists do, the more I think that what painters want most is to surprise themselves. In this there is a not-so-simple element of play, and something specifically about making things by hand that provides a very basic pleasure. It’s great when that pleasure gets communicated well, as I so often see here.





Inspiration







Monday, July 1, 2013

DONALD MARTINY

Burnt Hills, 2012, 81 x 42.5",
polymers and dispersed pigment
 
 




What are you working on in your studio right now?

  
I recently received a commission to make paintings for the lobby of a new building in mid-town Manhattan by the Durst Organization. I am also preparing for a solo show of my work that will be in the lobby of the Conde Nast building at 4 West Times Square in New York from November 2013 to January 2014.



Can you describe your working routine?

 

I am usually in the studio between 8:30 and 9AM and work until around 7:30 PM.  I work seven days a week.  There is no set routine other than that. One day may be spent working on paintings, while the next day may be spent building shipping creates and ordering materials.





 
 
 
 
 


Can you describe your studio space and how, if at all, that affects your work?


I have had many different kinds of spaces. The large works that were exhibited last January at George Lawson Gallery, LA were all made on the cement floor of a converted tobacco factory in Durham. That space was extremely tight and challenging to move around in.  I had a wonderful large space in Philadelphia when I lived there.  I could leave things up on the wall to consider over a period of time. My current studio space is the main part of the house.  It consists of two large rooms, an office and a workshop. The painting studio has an abundance of natural light and big double doors to move large works in and out. In the morning and evening hours I often see deer, eagles and owls. These natural surroundings provide a stimulus for my work. I am certainly affected and inspired by the movement, rhythm, time, changing light, color, and mood.
 
 
 
 
 
 Installation at George Lawson Gallery, 2012
 


 

 

Tell me about your process, where things begin, how they evolve etc.

 
My process has evolved quite a bit.  When I first considered the idea of working freely with forms in my paintings, I tried to use epoxy resins. I had experience working with fiberglass and resins from when I built boats as a summer job while I was in school near Lake Michigan.   But the resins didn’t work. The paintings were prohibitively heavy and brittle and I couldn’t control the color.  Additionally, the materials were hazardous.  I nearly set my studio on fire once when I put too much catalyst (MEK) into the mixture. In terms of process, I draw and sketch all the time.  I am constantly experimenting with gestures and forms, relationships and color. I usually make small paintings first.  I think of them as finished paintings but they also inform the larger works. My large paintings are a huge investment in time, effort and materials.  Some of them consist of 10 to15 gallons of paint. One part of my studio is set up much like an arena. I paint on the floor walking around the work. I often make brushes out of large floor mops or brooms. The act of painting is much like a dance. While creating a large painting, I am stretched to the limits of my physicality. The act of painting records my reach at a specific time and place. I suppose one could say in this way that my paintings are self-portraits.
 
 
 
 
 
Installation at Marlboro Gallery at  Prince George Community College 
 
 
 
 
 
What are you having the most trouble resolving?
 
 
I would like to spend more time making paintings and less time dealing with the business aspects of running a busy studio e.g.,  making schedules, shipping, building boxes, ordering materials, etc. 
 

 

Do you experiment with different materials a lot or do you prefer to work within certain parameters?

  
I truly enjoy working with traditional oil painting methods but once my concept or idea of what a painting could be changed, my materials had to change too.  I’ve spent several years talking with chemists all over the world and am on a first name basis with virtually every art materials manufacturer in trying to perfect my paint and process. I can finally say that I am happy with the materials I am using now.  They are safe, odorless, water based, light-weight, and I can do just about anything I want in terms of painting. Because I mix micro bubbles into my paint I suppose one could say I am using nanotechnology in my painting process.
 
 
 
What does the future hold for this work?


The conceptual area I am working in opens up so many possibilities in painting. I haven’t even scratched the surface.  I have numerous sketches and prototypes of new directions I am interested to explore. Each direction could keep me busy for years. 
 
 
 
 
Pigeon Lake, 2012, 83 x 45",
polymers and dispersed pigment