CH.89: If you were to categorize or describe the style of your artwork, what would it be and why?
JH: Reductive, minimal, collaged sculptural painting.
CH.89: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
JH: There are a number of interests feeding the work. I make work because it allows me to experience the layers of my own consciousness. So there is a phenomenological pursuit. Colour is an important element for its subjective sensory impact and its psychologically transcending qualities. I think of colour as a medicine of sorts. I work with paper, selected for its domestic and ephemeral connotations. Recently, I've been exploring natural dyes and pigments, driven by a desire to address ecological concerns while also delving into my interest in panpsychism (the belief that consciousness is not just restricted to the mind but a fundamental feature of the universe). I live on the Isle of Wight, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. I'm surrounded by water and the coastline has always informed my visual language. Previously it was looking out to sea and documenting the hard edged horizon line. More recently I am interested in the natural colours found in plants and pigments along the cliffs.
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about what your creative thought process is like when starting a new
project/ piece of artwork?
JH: I like to empty everything. My mind, my workspace. Although I have certain rituals, essentially I make work spontaneously, so there is an amount of intense concentration and an observation of my own actions and decisions. Colours will guide the arrangement of forms. Certain colours act as anchors to
other colours, or send the eye in a certain direction. I'm continuously responding to this conversation with
colour and form. Actually it feels more like jiu jitsu than a conversation.
CH.89: Is there anything in particular that you would want people to take from your artwork?
JH: I have been told that my work offers something transporting. I have to be in a transitional, almost mediative state to make the work and I'm fascinated that this is carried across to the viewer. It is also playful, maybe also slightly naive, created with paper and often lots of colours, so I hope it has a folksy, homey appeal. That's why I love to use paper, it's the birthday cards, the novels, the little notes we hold in our hands. I want the work to be familiar and tactile, like opening an envelope.
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about your lifestyle as an artist and what that is like?
JH: I have quite a strict daily routine because I keep horses. I play games with my subconscious, putting myself into unfamiliar situations to shift my consciousness. Being in nature, riding horses, running, sea swimming, reading, writing, all adds value to my life as an artist. I am in the studio everyday. Making work is a daily practice for 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?
JH: In a way I do both. I have working methods which I repeat. Sometimes I may advance an area in my practice and this takes planning. But the final arrangements of composition are always made spontaneously. It is the surprise in discovering the unique arrangement which gives it life. The magic is in the discovery. I like this to exist in every piece.
CH.89: What is one major lesson you've learned as an artist thus far?
JH: In a world where everything is shifting, you are the only constant element.
CH.89: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being an artist?
JH: I am always working. My mind is always on. Maybe also the self criticism. But the joy of working is louder.
CH.89: What is one thing you love about being an artist?
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JH: Being amongst other artists. What wonderful creatures.
CH.89: Is there anyone in particular, any artist's that inspire you in any way?
JH: I appreciate the work of Agnes Martin. But I'd say sound and music artists are more influential. I developed a collage sensitivity through editing sound and film. The layers and textures, rhythm, pitches and tones, all translate into the work.
CH.89: What do you think of technology in terms of being a useful tool for artists today?
JH: New digital technology is an excellent tool in so many ways. I work on a small island in the south coast of England and I am connected digitally to people around the world. Without technology I'd need to live in the city and that would mean that my work would be very different. AI is interesting. I see it as a collaboration. I wouldn't yet incorporate it visually but I have explored how it can offer new perspectives in writing. I am using my phone all day to document.
CH.89: Do you enjoy traveling? If so, do you have a favorite city?
JH: I really love to travel, especially for work. New York is memorable. And although much closer, the mountains in Scotland were impactful, so peaceful.
CH.89: Do you have a favorite author or book?
JH: I don't have a favourite book. I read a lot of psychology, anthropology, amateurish philosophy. I'm currently reading Girl Decoded by Rana El Kaliouby, a really brilliant intelligent memoir which crosses themes in AI, human connection and female independence.
CH.89: Any future goals or plans for your artwork?
JH: At the moment my goal is to remove all unnatural materials and elements from the work. I mentioned before that I ride horses. The subtle communication between horses and humans really fascinates me. Our knowledge and understanding of horse psychology and the development in understanding our relationship with them has grown exponentially through the sharing of information online. I've spent years
exploring human consciousness and now I'm leaning into trying to understand the realm of animal consciousness. I'd like to bring this interest and research into the work. Also I love working and exhibiting internationally. Seeing the work experienced by different nationalities is an incredible feeling and I learn a lot from it.
CH.89: What does being an artist mean to you?
JH: Recently I've tried to consider my practice as if the word 'art' doesn't exist. It feels really important at the moment to do that so I can understand the work through alternative lenses. For me my work is a pursuit to understand our human existence in an area where spirituality, science, anthropology and psychology crosses over. I also like a quote by Anais Nin 'We write to taste life twice'.
CH.89: What's the last song you listened to?
JH: Xtal by Aphex Twin. 90s summer vibes 🙂
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