When you start a new work or project, do you plan what you’re going to create or do you improvise? 

 

I tend to find if i really clearly set out what the end result will be that the painting never survives. It gets destroyed as soon as it is finished.  I go on instinct and improvise. I love the process of building up a painting, reacting to what is happening and then pondering where the fuck it came from!

When you are in a flow it does feel like there is magic at play. Saying that I do sketch quite a lot and every now and again I will take from the sketches, but i far prefer a blank canvas. The challenge of bringing something into existence. 

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Can you highlight some of your influences and discuss how your influences have made an impact on you and your practice?

 

I am from a musical background which was very improvisational + DIY and I've taken this approach into my artistic practice for sure. It gave me the confidence and tools to fail and get onto the next thing without being weighed down by self-loathing (too much) . Also it taught me that making the thing is everything, be it a song or a painting. Not to overthink and let it get to where it needs to go.Artist wise I try to soak in as much as possible from everywhere. Obviously love the whole Bad Art stuff (Nava, Bozo etc) Karel Appel and the COBRA movement. Basquiat, Jenny Brosiniski, Kathe Bradford,Jo Kitchen,David Hicks, Roz Lord, Jonas Wood...too many to mention really. They give me energy. Seeing the living artists working hard and just fucking going for it, invigorates me and drives me forward. And to see some of these works in the flesh definitely made something click in my head. Basquiat 'Boom For Real' in London 3 years ago really showed me how disrespectful you can be towards the piece you are making! And Jonas Wood's 'Pots' a couple of years back was so emotional i was in tears, his connection with his inner-child resonated with me.