Artist Interview: Tom Gowen

I'm a curious type; I like to know what informs an artist. Who or what do they look to for inspiration? How do they work? Each month I will be asking an artist I admire a few questions, this month is Tom Gowen.

Bike Near A Tatty Door by Tom Gowen

Tom, we studied Fine Art together at the University of Gloucestershire. I can't believe that we are approaching 8 years since our graduation! What type of work were you doing at university and how has your practice developed in the 8 years since?  

Most of my student life was mostly spent glued to a sketchbook, travelling to different locations, research and utilising large areas of the studio in order to create and experiment with ideas on a broader scale. I developed a strong interest in landscape and architecture which has since carried through to much of my later work and it was a great opportunity for me to explore and develop my practise further using various mediums in order to establish a technique that suited my artistic ability.

Your oil paintings are made using predominantly palette knife, what is it about painting with palette knife that you enjoy so much?  

Using a palette knife gives me quick results with good colour saturation and allows me to create a more expressive, immediate effect in my work. I love using texture which is why palette knife painting became a bit of an obsession, it is such a versatile tool that is not only useful for mixing colours but can be used to apply thick layers of paint directly onto the canvas.

Cliffs Near Moylgrove by Tom Gowen

Trevose Head Lighthouse by Tom Gowen

Your subjects include harbour villages in Cornwall, rolling countryside hills, lighthouses and rugged coastal scenes as well as picturesque towns in Europe. How do you decide on a subject?  

I just paint what appeals to me I suppose. I would usually begin with a preliminary sketch often on site in order to help me decide on a suitable composition. Lighthouses have always been a favourite subject area, as have seaside towns, rugged coastline most notably Italy, Cornwall and Pembrokeshire and rural areas such as the Cotswolds!

Rosina’s by Tom Gowen  

What is the process of a painting from start to finish?  

I normally plan my work in stages so firstly would begin with a basic background wash and with oil paint to roughly map out the composition using relatively thick brushstrokes. I would then start to mix together thicker colours for covering large areas of the canvas in order to suggest background detail such as the sky and land. Once I’m happy with that I would then apply it directly over the top and spread evenly until it is completely flat and just keep adding more detail with a smaller palette knife.

What advice would you give to an artist graduating from university?

I remember wondering what style to adopt as a painter and I realised quite quickly that style needed to find me through practice and developing my painting technique on a personal level! Although it was an overwhelming experience I knew that graduating meant deciding what I wanted more than anything was to continue painting so setting up a website and promoting my work on social media is an essential starting point.

Scooter in a Street by Tom Gowen

Portofino by Tom Gowen

Tell me about your studio or creative space.

I currently occupy a room in my house as a studio space but would ideally like to have a proper purpose built studio with heating and more space to store my artwork. The fact that I’m based in the countryside means I don’t have far to go to look for inspiration and I like to work outdoors when it’s sunny!

What artists (living or dead) inspire you?

I‘m strongly influenced by the work Turner for his use of light and colour and gestured brushwork particularly in ‘The Fighting Temeraire’ (1839) and his more dramatic subjects such as the ‘Snow Storm – Steamboat off a Harbour’s Mouth’ (1842) as well as other pieces some of which featured in an exhibition held at the Greenwich Maritime Museum in 2014 where I went to see lots of his work including sketches. Cezanne is a particular favourite of mine for his use of strong colour as well as some of the more contemporary painters such as Robin Mason, Alice Hole and Kurt Jackson.

Craggy Rock at Trefin by Tom Gowen

I love learning random facts about people, tell me three things about yourself.

I have beautiful flat coated retriever called Benbow who I walk every day and I’m a bit of a coffee lover. I love to cycle, draw and I often go for morning runs before I start each day.

Finally, where can people follow your work online?

I have a page on Facebook, an instagram and twitter account and a shop on Etsy where I sell many of my paintings large and small and a website.

Thank you to Tom for agreeing to be part of my interview series, it's been lovely featuring someone who I studied with. Tom is heavily involved with Handmade Hour and Just A Card Hour on Twitter, you can follow him there for a chat. Please do take a look at his Etsy shop as well as his oil paintings really are stunning.

If you'd like to take part in my artist interviews series then please do get in touch at claireleanneleach@gmail.com. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them. ❤️

Artist Interview: Cally Conway

I'm a curious type; I like to know what informs an artist. Who or what do they look to for inspiration? How do they work? Each month I will be asking an artist I admire a few questions, this month is Cally Conway.

Callieach Bheara Print By Cally Conway

Cally, many of your prints are made using a linocut process, what is it about this process that you love?

With linocuts, I love how egalitarian they are. You don’t need fancy equipment or a big studio, you can get hold of fairly cheap tools and just carve away, and then print it all by hand with the back of a spoon if you want! That’s how I started. I also love the physical process of carving an image, I find it really meditative. 

The intricacy of your prints is staggering, how long does it take to go from an idea to a finished print?

Sometimes it can take me an age from starting an image to finishing. It really does depend on what I’m doing, the size of it, intricacy etc. And the fact that I teach means I can’t work on a piece continually every day. It can be anything from a few days to weeks or months even. I seem to need to do a lot of thinking at every stage too. I’ve realised recently just how I work, and I reckon I’m quite slow...! 

Nature and folklore are your biggest sources of inspiration, what is it about recording nature that appeals to you and how do you use folklore in your work?

For me, nature is not only beautiful and essential, but it continually inspires and sustains me. Being in nature makes me feel that everything is alright with the world, even if it’s not. And I think too many of us have lost touch with that. So I like to try and capture its beauty if I can, and maybe distill some of that. With my interest in folklore, sometimes it’s not that obvious, but I love finding out stories and meanings associated with plants or animals. When I’m creating a print I will research any folklore associated with what I want to include so that there might be a connection between the different elements. 

Fallow Deer Print By Cally Conway

Hare Print By Cally Conway

Fox Print By Cally Conway

Mouse Print By Cally Conway

You are based in London and yet your work is mostly nature inspired, where do you go to source inspiration for a new piece or series of work?

Ah yes, living in London you could say it would be hard to find any aspect of nature to work from, but in truth there’s actually lots in London if you know where to find it! I spend most of my time at Kew Gardens and Hampstead Heath. I’m lucky enough to live really near Hampstead Heath and just a short train ride from Kew. Since becoming a member of Kew Gardens a few years back I can honestly say it feels like a second home. 

Tell me about your studio or creative space.

My ‘studio’ is actually a small rectangular space off my front room, where I’ve managed to fit a work table, inking table, and printing press. No idea how I managed to squash it all in. I’d love to have more space but it just about works as a mini studio. It has a large window great for light, and for watching the local foxes and birds. And it also has the added bonus of being the place my cat races in from outside- usually with muddy paws and straight onto any print I’ve left laying around!  

Wildflowers by Cally Conway

Welsh Poppies by Cally Conway

What artists (living or dead) inspire you?

There are tons of artists I admire so I’ll mention some of my long time favourites: I’m fascinated by Louise Bourgeois’ work, I began experimenting with printmaking after discovering her work at art college. Marthe Armitage creates the most wonderful linocut repeat prints for wallpaper and Agnes Miller Parker is a long time favourite for her exquisite wood engravings. 

I love learning random facts about people, tell me three things about yourself.

• I’m a bit small, probably 5ft (I never measure myself, maybe I should?) every item of clothing is always too long...!
•  My cat Arwen is named after the beautiful elf in The Lord of the Rings, her middle name is Monkey (do other people give their cats middle names?!)
• I’m a proper insomniac which is really frustrating. Once I read an Alan Moore biography (called ‘Storyteller’) in two weeks just in the hours I couldn’t sleep. It became my ‘not sleeping’ book (great book if you love the writer Alan Moore!).

Finally, where can people follow your work online?

I have a website; callyconwayprints.com (which I must get better at updating) to view my prints. 
@callyconwayprints on Instagram
@callyconway on Twitter
@callyconwayprints on Facebook
And my prints are for sale on: Made By Hand Online and Folksy

Thank you to Cally for taking part in my artist interview series. I just love Cally's intricately detailed prints of botanicals and find her animal pieces enchanting. To purchase a print from Cally please take a look at her store on Folksy and Made By Hand Online and be sure to follow her creative endeavours on social media using the links above. 

If you'd like to take part in my artist interviews series then please do get in touch at claireleanneleach@gmail.com. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them. ❤️

Artist Interview: Louise Chatfield

I'm a curious type; I like to know what informs an artist. Who or what do they look to for inspiration? How do they work? Each month I will be asking an artist I admire a few questions, this month is Louise Chatfield.

Louise Chatfield, Looking Across The Water 

Louise, your landscape paintings are so vibrant. Is making work with a lot of colour important to you?

It is. I find I am drawn to colour, and it is very uplifting! People tend to smile when they see colour. And I like the unexpectedness and surprises you get when putting colours next to each other. Having said that, I do start off a painting sometimes intending to use many and it ends up with perhaps only 3 or 4. Something in my subconscious no doubt!

What first drew you to focus on landscapes?

I just love the countryside and its many moods. We are so lucky to have such a variety of landscapes in this country, from Scotland to the Peak District, Wales, Cornwall... and everywhere really. And the play of light and dark, especially around the coast. 

Louise Chatfield, Dreamtime

Louise Chatfield, Autumn Glow - Brecon Beacons 

You use a variety of mediums in your work, from oils to acrylics. Do you have a favourite medium to work with or a favourite method of applying the paint?

I do love oils. They are so buttery, wonderful colours and can be moved around, used thickly or thinly and generally ‘gloopy’ (a technical term!) I use palette knives a lot, and often my fingers - having to remember to wear thin gloves - as well as wipes. They are great for blending. 

You are based in landlocked Rutland, does the area local to you influence your work at all?

It is a beautiful county! We have some wonderful countryside and also Rutland Water, which is incredible. I rarely paint outdoors, I tend to absorb what I see, occasionally take photos, then see where that takes me. However, I must say I do wish I was a bit closer to the sea sometimes. 

Louise Chatfield, Early One Morning

You are part of the Welland Valley Arts Society and the Rutland Open Studios -  is being part of two artist organisations important to you? What opportunities do they give you?

Having moved here just about a year ago, joining organisations does mean getting to know local artists. I think it is important to share ideas, contacts, as well as problems and (hopefully) solutions. Painting can be quite an isolating thing, if we are not careful! And, of course, it means I can exhibit my work, get feedback, and see others’ work as well. 

Tell me about your studio or creative space.

Ah. Well. I have the spare bedroom! Oh for space for a large studio in the garden - no such luck, and actually no room! I try to be organised, but don’t succeed very well. 

Louise Chatfield, Morning Light (Cornwall Series)

What artists (living or dead) inspire you?

I first ‘noticed’ paintings when I was introduced to the Pre-Raphaelites years ago. Also, John Singer Sergent - I saw an exhibition in London and was fascinated with how he applied the paint. Joan Eardley - still very underrated in my opinion, I love her work. Turner. 

More recently, Kurt Jackson, Paul Wadsworth... there are probably many more, but they don’t spring to mind at the moment. I’ll think of them when it is too late! 

I love learning random facts about people, tell me three things about yourself.

• I am getting very interested in exploring using textiles and stitch with paint. A new project!
• I love steam engines, watching them, riding in them - I had a ‘drive a steam engine day’ for my birthday once. It was great. 
• I can’t swim or ride a bike - is that random?! 

Louise Chatfield, Sennen Cove (Cornwall Series)

Louise Chatfield, Reflection (Cornwall Series)  

Finally, where can people follow your work online?

www.chatfieldart.com
@lou_chatfield on Twitter

Thank you to Louise for taking part in my artist interview series. I love her description of oils and how she involves her fingers in the blending process, I really feel like I need to dig out my old oil paints and have a play too. 

If you'd like to take part in my artist interviews series then please do get in touch at claireleanneleach@gmail.com. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them. ❤️