His Passion towards his art has taken him a long way in just five years of his art career rather then a piece of paper known as art degree. He proves that being self taught or going to an art school dosen't change anything. Its just your skills, motivation, passion and love towards you medium , that can take you places. I am glad to introduce to you all the very inspiring Swarez Art.
Tell us a little bit about you, your art, your childhood and the role art played in your childhood.
I had absolutely no interest or exposure to the arts as a child. I never demonstrated any
talent or desire to do anything like what I do today. Everything else was pretty mundane
really. I am an artist operating from a light industrial unit in Gloucester (UK). I paint non-
figurative abstracts in any size or shape. I am responsible for every part of my business
from branding and marketing to web design and of course the paintings.
When did you first realize that art is the career you want to spend your life with?
About five years ago after a chance encounter with paint and canvas whilst having a relax day during one of my ladies self-defence classes. The female instructors decided to go painting instead of more physical things and that was the day the whole thing started.
How is an idea born to you? When do you get your best ideas?
Sometimes I think of shapes in my head or I may see a combination of shapes that I really like. I remember these then keep that in my mind as I cut a piece of canvas. I rarely paint as I imagine but I often use things I see everyday as material for ideas. There is no set time for good ideas to evolve – they either come or they don’t. Sometimes they only happen as the first drops of paint come out of the tin.
What is art and creativity according to you?
The ability to get off your arse and make something. To me, it doesn’t matter what as long as I do something. There will always be failures or projects I will re-visit but to a greater or lesser degree I believe that there is no more personal thing than committinga piece of you to a painting or sculpture or writing. Who are we if we cannot express ourselves?
Do you think art galleries can control the future of an artist? If yes, how? If no, How?
Yes I think that they can. I have always been anti-gallery. There are many reasons for this. They need to turn a profit so they want to sell art that makes them money. If your art isn’t going to do that for them then you won’t be featured. If an artist is prepared to put in time and effort for their own promotion and branding then I believe that they can be self-sufficient without galleries. They do play their part though and I wouldn’t take that awayfrom them but artists that are solely dependent on them risk a lot. Buyers are far savvier these days and the role of social networking and the internet has opened up channels for artists that never existed before. If they cannot grasp and exploit these channels then they will only ever have the galleries to sell through. I know of many galleries who dictate what artists should be painting because they know what they can sell. This is both good and bad but not something I believe is right. Manufactured art never quite looks the same as something that comes from within.
Any message for people who for some reason are not able to attend art schools, still wish to pursue are as a career? I think you yourself are an inspiring example among such artists.
I never attended art school or had any training. The bottom line is that if something you produce is desired by someone enough to make them part with money for it then you’ve won. It’s that simple. The trick is finding the largest number of these people as possible. That’s the hard bit. If you stand back and think ‘wow, where did that come from?’ then chances are that those feelings you have for your own creativity will be shared and amplified by others that engage with your work. That doesn’t always follow but it’s a good starting point. Confidence always fluctuates but is key to believing in what you do.Start small, sell that one then buy two and so on. Find and understand your market (who are the people that your art connects with the best? They are more likely to buy). Look at who else does what you do and think about what marks you as different. Everyone should have at least one unique thing that separates them from another (excluding the art of course which will always be different)
What has your art Journey been like? Did you try and experiment with many styles before you got into abstraction? Is it really important at all to have his own particular style for any artist?
My art journey has been relatively short and very intense. I had never picked up a brush until five years ago. It all snowballed from there. I made a few canvases and gave them to friends then as I experimented more and researched the artists I liked I found out about the techniques and materials they used and adapted them to what I thought I wanted to paint. I always aimed for abstraction over form. I find the paradox of colour over shape a really interesting one and think that if you can engage an audience with deconstructed painting (non-figurative) and hold their interest then there is no better feeling. Art should challenge but also engage. It’s a fine line between outrage and beauty. Style, for me, isn’t really a consideration. I love drip painting and am influenced by the works of Jackson Pollock but only in so much as the techniques he developed. If I start to look produce the same kind of work I will think I have failed as an artist.
Who is your favorite artists and who inspires you the most? Why?
Jackson Pollock for sure. Not only was he pioneering and original he was also an enigma. He almost created an iconic brand in the same way as Warhol did by surrounding his oeuvre in the kind of persona that befitted his paintings. You got the whole deal with him and nothing less. His work was on a ragged edge between genius and insanity which was, at the time, perfect for an emerging America – looking for direction after the austerity of the war. I love Joan Mitchell too – her arrogance of stroke and incredible colours make her a formidable force in the modern art world. Again she was expressive in a way that had not been seen before. This is the mark of a great artist in my opinion – the ability to take a tested concept and forge ahead with a new take on it. Being original is very hard but something that makes your work stand out.
Do you have a favorite artwork out of your own artworks? Which one and Why?
It’s tough to pick a favourite but I guess it would have to be Paradigm Shift. It was complicated to paint, it’s complicated to look at but it is so free and the colours and shapes it possesses never fail to make me smile.
What are your favorite art materials to work with? What is the strangest art material you have ever used?
Enamel paints. They smell like strong pear drops, get on your chest and make you sick so I normally wear a breathable air fed mask when I paint with them. They aren’t particularly suited to canvas painting as they are manufactured for painting ships and bridges but I find them irresistible. It’s imperative to use a mixing agent to control viscosity so that you can get some very cool paint effects with them. Practice is what it takes. I use acrylics too and in combination with enamels but I can work without them. I don’t tend to work on anything but canvas but I have tried Perspex sheets and am about to experiment with casting my own resin blocks.
Tell us one best and one worst art advice you have ever received from anyone?
“Paint small stuff, they will sell well!” Err, no they haven’t and no they don’t – not for the people who buy my work. My gut feeling at the time said that it was wrong but this came from a veteran artist whom I respect. I can’t translate my techniques onto small pieces very well. Just stick to what you know. The best advice I have had? “No matter what keep painting. It’s ok to stop as long as you carry on again. You are only ever one piece away from greatness.”
We are not always pepped up, motivated and inspired. What do you do when you feel uninspired or not-motivated?
I don’t paint. Never paint when you feel down. I’ve done it and the work is appalling.
Do you plan your artwork on paper or in your head? Or is it just spontaneous?
A mixture of the two really. I planned The Quark Entanglement and G4 almost down to the last drip but pieces like Carnival and Steve’s’ Pumpkin Trip are made up on the spot. I have no idea how and why it just works like that.
What is your thought process from inspiration to final product?
I’m not sure I have one. I am remarkable empty of thoughts as I wander in and out of the studio. Painting, for all its stresses and strains, is incredibly tranquil. I tend not to think about anything but the next stroke and where it will go and what it will look like. Yes, always the next stroke or next colour. Never anything else. I listen to music and chat on the phone so I don’t dive into some deep place in my head
What hopes do you have for your future in relation to your art?
That I will grab some large and prestigious commercial jobs for some blue-chip companies or public buildings. Oh and to continue offering my work to whoever wants to buy it. I would like to stage a big exhibition in the next couple of years – promoted by and funded by myself. Something on a very big scale with TV and media involvement.
If you were not an artist, what other job or hobby would you really want to give a go?
Not sure? Maybe be a full time karate instructor instead of just here and there or something to do with Historic Motor Racing!
How important is social media for today's artists?
Huge. You can’t underestimate how important this is. It’s the perfect way to get reaction, exposure and develop new relationships with all kinds of people from all sorts of professions, not just art related. Stick to a few trusted ones though as it can sap all of your time if you get sucked in!
Do you get emotionally attached to your art? Does it pain to you to let go of a piece you have sold?
Yes, all the time. Not because I attach any deep meaning or reference to an special piece - it’s normally because I like the way it looks and when I sell it I can’t look at it any more. The feeling passes though. We all have to put food on the table right?
What advice would you give to the aspiring artists?
Don’t let people tell you that you are rubbish. If they do, or tell you that you’ll never make it, tell them to fuck right off. Jealousy has no place in your world. Turn your anger into determination. Make every piece the best one. If you believe that one day you can do this then you will. The second you doubt it (and we all do) it’s game over until you can convince yourself again that you are going to succeed. If the demons of self-doubt take
hold it really is game over.
Have a time-plan (i.e. how long until your first sale, how long until you are self-supportive etc…) and stick to it. Five years is not unreasonable.
Get a website and make it Google friendly (SEO). Write great content, offer somethingnew and make it easy to engage people in your ethos, your brand and your art.
Find your audience and target them.
Think about ways to develop your talent. Could you license your work for greetings cards? Can you offer workshops? What about a podcast? Can you adapt it to sculpture? Donate to a charity? What about promotional merchandise? Are you offering prints? The list is endless…
Produce lots of work. Don’t fanny around with a dozen pieces a year. Output offers choice. People like to choose and to browse.
If you want to approach a Gallery then pick one with a strong reputation. Do your homework and do it well. Nothing wrong with the Gallery network as long as you pick a decent one.
Practice you technique and hone your craft. We never stop learning but practice will
make us the best we can be. It’s an old cliché but it also happens to be the truth.
Your favorite motivational quote or line?
“Behaviour breeds behaviour”
Thankyou so much Swarez Art for such an inspiring interview. To know more about Swarez Art and his paintings, do visit his website Modern Art by Swarez.
RSS Feed