CH.89: If you were to categorize or describe the style of your artwork, what would it be and why?
FW: I create contemporary paintings with an old world charm. My art is full of nostalgic details, captured in fresh colour palettes.
CH.89: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
FW: I find inspiration in many places, a lot of the time unexpectedly. Sometimes it will be obvious, like visiting a gallery and seeing a painting I admire or looking through an old book of flowers. But other times I come across a little everyday scene or objects at home which can strike an idea. I am always looking at shapes and colours wherever I go and a lot of it is emotional too - a feeling I have in a certain place can make me want to go home and immediately get to work.
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about what your creative thought process is like when starting a new project/ piece of artwork?
FW: I will start by choosing my subject matter (looking at inspirational photos I may have taken or lists of ideas) and I will begin sketching small thumbnails in pencil in my notebook. This sketch process is quick, but it really helps to refine the details of the painting such as composition and shapes to feel out what is working together. I rarely start a painting without some form of a sketch. As I draw I think about the colour palette; this is often derived from colours I am currently enjoying, or a specific group of colours I may have seen somewhere which excites me. I will create swatches of these colours to see how they look side by side and all the time I am thinking about how they will come together in the painting and what will be placed where. I trust my intuition from this point on as I work on the painting, but this is usually how I start my work.
CH.89: Is there anything in particular that you would want people to take from your artwork?
FW: I hope that people will feel an emotional connection to my artwork - that it reminds them of a fond memory or the colours speak to them somehow or that it simply makes them happy in that moment. That is where a little bit of magic happens and I hope my artwork can create those feelings for people.
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about your lifestyle as an artist and what that is like?
FW: On the whole, my lifestyle as an artist feels very positive and I feel lucky to do something I enjoy. I work from home so have set my own routine for the morning to get me started for the day. It is not always easy to be disciplined and I often have quite a few things to juggle in a day. But what I do enjoy is being able to choose my hours and how they are used. I have friends living close to me who also work from home and it is important for me to connect with them. I am always thinking about my art and find it difficult to switch off sometimes, it can also be a little lonely as so much of it is within me.
CH.89: When starting out an artistic task, do you think it is better to have a particular direction/set plan guiding your way? Or, is it better to act on impulse and go from there?
FW: I don't think either is better than the other - it would very much depend on the artist and their own way of working. I am more of a planner and like to have some idea of what I am about to create, but the degree of this varies. Sometimes unexpected results come from working spontaneously so I think there are merits to both.
CH.89: What is one major lesson you've learned as an artist thus far?
FW: To follow your own path and keep creating what you enjoy the most, no matter what other people are doing. When I was starting out, I would look at trends and what was popular, but as time has gone on I know that when I create paintings which truly come from the heart I make my best work.
CH.89: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being an artist?
FW: The vulnerability I feel when I put new work out there - my work is an extension of me on paper.
CH.89: What is one thing you love about being an artist?
FW: I love knowing that I don't want to do anything else but work in the creative field.
CH.89: Is there anyone in particular, any artist's that inspire you in any way?
FW: I have always admired the dream-like and textural quality of Marc Chagall's paintings. You can get lost in them and in to a whole other world. Japanese artist Takehisa Yumeji is also a favourite; his paintings are often soft and minimal, but they evoke so much emotion.
CH.89: What do you think of technology in terms of being a useful tool for artists today?
FW: I think technology can be enormously useful in some circumstances and it is incredible how advanced it has now become. I think it has opened up possibilities and is just a different way of working. I am personally quite old fashioned and nothing compares to the feeling of paint on paper, so in terms of artwork creation I would always choose to do as much as possible by hand. I am grateful however, that I can scan in my paintings and make them in to a digital file to send to a client on the other side of the world in seconds!
CH.89: Do you enjoy traveling? If so, do you have a favorite city?
FW: I love travelling - I grew up in both England and Japan; being immersed in two very different cultures at a young age was a huge learning experience. I try to go back to Japan as often as I can and know Tokyo quite well as my sister lived there for a long time.
CH.89: Do you have a favorite author or book?
FW: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte which I read every year.
CH.89: Any future goals or plans for your artwork?
FW: I am taking some time this year to experiment with some new mediums and I would love to create more hand painted ceramics. I would love to work larger too.
CH.89: What does being an artist mean to you?
FW: Creating paintings regardless of whether people see it or not; creating because it is in me and I need to express that.
CH.89: What's the last song you listened to?
FW: Point and Kill by Little Simz
CH.89: Any last words on the aesthetic of your artwork?
FW: I hope to keep developing and growing, I'd hate to just stay the same and never find change!
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