Where are you from, and how old are you if i may ask?
I live in the U.S. in a place called Rhode Island, which isn’t really an island, about 3 hours from New York City.
When did you decided to become an artist?
I think I’ve always been an artist—it just took me 40 years to realize it. I used to think that you had to draw really well to be an artist, and I couldn’t. Now I know it doesn’t matter.
What artists inspire you the most?
Children. DuBuffet (of course.)
Do you remember the very first painting/sculpture you ever made?
When I was six years old, I made an entire zoo of tiny animals out of clay, so small they all fit into a matchbox. It was very impressive!
Is there a favorite painting/sculpture you made that you would never sell?
Dear to my heart are some of the sculptures I’ve made from objects I found on the beach. I’m especially fond of a mermaid face I created out of a rusty sieve and a scrap of canvas with holes in it. The holes became her eyes and mouth. Her nose is the thumb from a fisherman’s glove. Her spectacular hair is many different colors of
rope.
What mediums do you like to use in your work, and and why?
Basically, I use anything but oils. I have no idea what to do with oils plus they’re toxic and take a long time to dry – and I’m much too impatient. I love collage, and I love to work with found objects – especially stuff I find on the beach. There are just so many surprising, interesting things that wash up on shore especially after a big storm.
Do you find it easy to exhibit your work where you live?
I work with some galleries here in the U.S. and also Carre d’Artistes, a Francebased
gallery with branches in many other countries. I’d love to find a gallery in New York. Do you hear that, New York? You know you want me!
Are there any other forms of creativity that you like to practise, other than painting and sculpure?
When I was young I played the trumpet. But I gave it up because I thought that boys wouldn’t be interested in a trumpetplaying girl. How stupid is that? Recently I’ve taken up African drums. A friend from France sent me a clip of a group called Zalinde. It’s a bunch of beautiful, powerful women who dance and bang on drums. My dream is to be one of them.
Is there a favourite color you feel that you have to use on all your paintings?
In life, I’m invariably drawn to bright lemony green. But in my artwork I love all colors. Color is such a magical thing don’t you think?
Do you have titles for your paintings, and are titles important to you and your work?
My paintings often name themselves. I’ll be working on something, not sure where I’m going with it and suddenly the title will float into my head. It feels like the painting is telling me what it wants to be.
What would be your ideal studio like?
My fantasy studio! Well, there would be lots of space, of course. High windows. Lots of light. Someone would come in and help me organize it, because I find organization an impossible task. And it would be in a warm, sunny place – like
California or the Greek island of Naxos, right on the sea so I could pop down for a swim whenever I liked.
Tell me about your working space and your creative process?
My studio—for now—is on the third floor of an old brick building in an industrial part of town. The traffic outside is very loud, especially in the summer when my windows are open trucks, buses, screaming fire engines, once a day a train clatters by. Once I start working, though, I don’t hear any of it. I’m in my own world.
Do you like to paint on a smaller or a bigger scale?
It’s getting harder and harder to paint small, that’s for sure.
Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art. How do you sell your work? And how do you market yourself?
Like many of us artists, I find self promotion very difficult, and I don’t think I do a very good job at marketing myself. My New Year’s resolution is to do more of it.
Do you make enough money to live of your art?
Alas, no. But I’m working on it.
Do you participate on any Artfairs, and is there one where you exhibit regularly?
I’m very excited because I just got into a well known outsider Art Fair in North Carolina, in the southern part of the U.S. (where they love outsider art.) So, I’ll be heading down there in February.
How would you classify your work?
Selftaught, outsider, primitive, intuitive, brut, naïf….
What does your work mean to you? What statement do you hope to make?
I applaud good art that makes political or cultural statements, but that’s not what I feel drawn to do. My work feels very personal to me, and I hope people feel a personal connection to it. A woman who bought one of my paintings told me that it helped her get through breast cancer. That just knocked me over.
What advise would you give to upcoming artists?
Play. Make mistakes. Don’t be afraid. Have fun. Didn’t Picasso say, “The greatest artist is a child at play.” ? I’ve been looking all over and haven’t found that quote, so maybe I imagined it. Anyway, I agree with it.
Thank you for this interview Lucy :)
Thank YOU, Nuno!
I live in the U.S. in a place called Rhode Island, which isn’t really an island, about 3 hours from New York City.
When did you decided to become an artist?
I think I’ve always been an artist—it just took me 40 years to realize it. I used to think that you had to draw really well to be an artist, and I couldn’t. Now I know it doesn’t matter.
What artists inspire you the most?
Children. DuBuffet (of course.)
Do you remember the very first painting/sculpture you ever made?
When I was six years old, I made an entire zoo of tiny animals out of clay, so small they all fit into a matchbox. It was very impressive!
Is there a favorite painting/sculpture you made that you would never sell?
Dear to my heart are some of the sculptures I’ve made from objects I found on the beach. I’m especially fond of a mermaid face I created out of a rusty sieve and a scrap of canvas with holes in it. The holes became her eyes and mouth. Her nose is the thumb from a fisherman’s glove. Her spectacular hair is many different colors of
rope.
What mediums do you like to use in your work, and and why?
Basically, I use anything but oils. I have no idea what to do with oils plus they’re toxic and take a long time to dry – and I’m much too impatient. I love collage, and I love to work with found objects – especially stuff I find on the beach. There are just so many surprising, interesting things that wash up on shore especially after a big storm.
Do you find it easy to exhibit your work where you live?
I work with some galleries here in the U.S. and also Carre d’Artistes, a Francebased
gallery with branches in many other countries. I’d love to find a gallery in New York. Do you hear that, New York? You know you want me!
Are there any other forms of creativity that you like to practise, other than painting and sculpure?
When I was young I played the trumpet. But I gave it up because I thought that boys wouldn’t be interested in a trumpetplaying girl. How stupid is that? Recently I’ve taken up African drums. A friend from France sent me a clip of a group called Zalinde. It’s a bunch of beautiful, powerful women who dance and bang on drums. My dream is to be one of them.
Is there a favourite color you feel that you have to use on all your paintings?
In life, I’m invariably drawn to bright lemony green. But in my artwork I love all colors. Color is such a magical thing don’t you think?
Do you have titles for your paintings, and are titles important to you and your work?
My paintings often name themselves. I’ll be working on something, not sure where I’m going with it and suddenly the title will float into my head. It feels like the painting is telling me what it wants to be.
What would be your ideal studio like?
My fantasy studio! Well, there would be lots of space, of course. High windows. Lots of light. Someone would come in and help me organize it, because I find organization an impossible task. And it would be in a warm, sunny place – like
California or the Greek island of Naxos, right on the sea so I could pop down for a swim whenever I liked.
Tell me about your working space and your creative process?
My studio—for now—is on the third floor of an old brick building in an industrial part of town. The traffic outside is very loud, especially in the summer when my windows are open trucks, buses, screaming fire engines, once a day a train clatters by. Once I start working, though, I don’t hear any of it. I’m in my own world.
Do you like to paint on a smaller or a bigger scale?
It’s getting harder and harder to paint small, that’s for sure.
Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art. How do you sell your work? And how do you market yourself?
Like many of us artists, I find self promotion very difficult, and I don’t think I do a very good job at marketing myself. My New Year’s resolution is to do more of it.
Do you make enough money to live of your art?
Alas, no. But I’m working on it.
Do you participate on any Artfairs, and is there one where you exhibit regularly?
I’m very excited because I just got into a well known outsider Art Fair in North Carolina, in the southern part of the U.S. (where they love outsider art.) So, I’ll be heading down there in February.
How would you classify your work?
Selftaught, outsider, primitive, intuitive, brut, naïf….
What does your work mean to you? What statement do you hope to make?
I applaud good art that makes political or cultural statements, but that’s not what I feel drawn to do. My work feels very personal to me, and I hope people feel a personal connection to it. A woman who bought one of my paintings told me that it helped her get through breast cancer. That just knocked me over.
What advise would you give to upcoming artists?
Play. Make mistakes. Don’t be afraid. Have fun. Didn’t Picasso say, “The greatest artist is a child at play.” ? I’ve been looking all over and haven’t found that quote, so maybe I imagined it. Anyway, I agree with it.
Thank you for this interview Lucy :)
Thank YOU, Nuno!