Iain Andrews is making a stir. Eat Me 2010He’s been long listed for the Northern Art Prize, has won the Marmite Prize, and has a battery of other awards and exhibitions to his name. His working style, and the fact that he also works as an art psychotherapist, caught my attention, so I’ve asked Iain if he will do a bit of blogging for us. Here is an artist who can not only talk about his work in an interesting way, but has a fascination for Tolkien, Disney, Soutine, and the moving target that resides somewhere between imagination and the real world. If you don’t have much time then click on this first link for a brief insight into his work. Its about three minutes long, but book time to take a look at the longer version below. I really encourage you to sit comfortably and look at the 12 minute interview, lots of food for thought on processes and inspiration. Iain is currently working on a set of paintings inspired by the collection in Warrington’s art gallery. Now that will be worth a visit. Look out for Iain in the media, a blog post or two and look out for the Northern Prize shortlist.
I’d certainly recommend watching the longer video where Iain talks more about his creative process I was particularly struck by his reverse metaphor of the use of layers.
It bothers me somewhat that he works his clients’ stories into his own paintings and I wondered whether his clients know and agree to this. Would they recognise themselves? Do they work together on paintings? Art as therapy (and indeed photography as therapy) have been referred to before on WeAreOCA but I would like to see/read something in more depth on this.
The video also led me to read up on Tolkien’s notion of a Eucatastrophe which really appeals to me.
Apologies for the lateness of my reply to the concerns raised by Catherine, regarding the confidentiality of the clients with whom I work as a therapist. Individual client stories, and the experiences of particular clients are never identifiable in my paintings – its more of a case of these experiences forming a kind or compost in which the roots of paintings can grow. The work I do as a painter never involves clients working with me on a piece, and in that sense the two are separate, but I think if you are going to make paintings about other paintings and pre existing stories, which I do, then there is a potential danger of just reworking things and having no authentic ingredient from the primary world, something directly from the source as it were rather than filtered through another’s medium. So for me, the direct experience of working as a therapist often becomes interwoven with the world of fairy stories and their themes of child deprivation, transformation and overcoming danger, and in this way finds itself into the final painting.
thanks for your comments.
iain
What a lovely person. He was very generous in telling us his influences, techniques and ideas. I found it interesting that he gathers his information from many sources- old paintings, literature, fairy tales, his job, sketching, family life. It is the combination of these that gives his paintings their quality. I will have to look up more images, because the video didn’t really focus on the actual painting. One thing he said that was new to me was this idea of u-catastrophe (I don’t know if i have got the word right)and how surrounding yourself with stories and myths where the hero got out of trouble is an inspiration to getting through your own art troubles. We all know the feeling and we have mostly got out of our disasters, but then we forget that next time we are in one and think it will last. The power of stories is what I take from this. Thank-you Ian.
This is an eloquent and fascinating insight to his creative process. I was particularly interested in his use of collage, layers and drawing his painting whilst developing it. I shall be waiting for a bird to bring me a golden key at moments of real frustration!
I was particularly struck with his comments on surrounding yourself with (in his case) stories and pictures that reflect ideas and immersing yourself in these and seeing where your work develops.
This is very good advice and I’ve found myself much more motivated and thinking more creatively after spending a length of time in a stimulating exhibition or at a theatre production. I feel totally reinvigorated and anxious to get working on my own projects.
The power of the mind, and the eye, is very strong.
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I’d certainly recommend watching the longer video where Iain talks more about his creative process I was particularly struck by his reverse metaphor of the use of layers.
It bothers me somewhat that he works his clients’ stories into his own paintings and I wondered whether his clients know and agree to this. Would they recognise themselves? Do they work together on paintings? Art as therapy (and indeed photography as therapy) have been referred to before on WeAreOCA but I would like to see/read something in more depth on this.
The video also led me to read up on Tolkien’s notion of a Eucatastrophe which really appeals to me.
Apologies for the lateness of my reply to the concerns raised by Catherine, regarding the confidentiality of the clients with whom I work as a therapist. Individual client stories, and the experiences of particular clients are never identifiable in my paintings – its more of a case of these experiences forming a kind or compost in which the roots of paintings can grow. The work I do as a painter never involves clients working with me on a piece, and in that sense the two are separate, but I think if you are going to make paintings about other paintings and pre existing stories, which I do, then there is a potential danger of just reworking things and having no authentic ingredient from the primary world, something directly from the source as it were rather than filtered through another’s medium. So for me, the direct experience of working as a therapist often becomes interwoven with the world of fairy stories and their themes of child deprivation, transformation and overcoming danger, and in this way finds itself into the final painting.
thanks for your comments.
iain
What a lovely person. He was very generous in telling us his influences, techniques and ideas. I found it interesting that he gathers his information from many sources- old paintings, literature, fairy tales, his job, sketching, family life. It is the combination of these that gives his paintings their quality. I will have to look up more images, because the video didn’t really focus on the actual painting. One thing he said that was new to me was this idea of u-catastrophe (I don’t know if i have got the word right)and how surrounding yourself with stories and myths where the hero got out of trouble is an inspiration to getting through your own art troubles. We all know the feeling and we have mostly got out of our disasters, but then we forget that next time we are in one and think it will last. The power of stories is what I take from this. Thank-you Ian.
I see that it is eucatastrophe and that Catherine also makes reference to it. I have now looked it up!
This is an eloquent and fascinating insight to his creative process. I was particularly interested in his use of collage, layers and drawing his painting whilst developing it. I shall be waiting for a bird to bring me a golden key at moments of real frustration!
I was particularly struck with his comments on surrounding yourself with (in his case) stories and pictures that reflect ideas and immersing yourself in these and seeing where your work develops.
This is very good advice and I’ve found myself much more motivated and thinking more creatively after spending a length of time in a stimulating exhibition or at a theatre production. I feel totally reinvigorated and anxious to get working on my own projects.
The power of the mind, and the eye, is very strong.