Studio Talk at Intoart Studio 15th April 2009
Ella Ritchie (ER) - Thanks everybody for coming here today...Today’s quite an informal talk in the studio, because we wanted people to come in and see where we work... three artists who are going to speak today have worked with Sam Jones, we’ve done a lot of writing and talking about ideas, so that’s how we’ve put together today’s introductions to what we do. I’m going to hand over to Clifton.
Clifton Wright (CW) - Hello my name is Clifton Wright
Intoart is a organisation that is to do with nothing but art and likes to get other organisations involved so that Intoart artists like myself does more artwork and to visit different art galleries or exhibitions and I like drawing portraits that is to do the right size of the head and the different shadings with willow charcoal.
I come to Intoart because I like to gain more newer skills with Intoart and I like to work hard with my artwork and if there is a deadline for an exhibition I usually get my artwork finished with a lot of my own personal energy blood sweat and tears.
The atmosphere in the studio is very good we like to have a laugh but at the same time we all would like to achieve that at the end of the day that we are very hard working artists.
The Old Man, this is this one here.
The colour of the old man is subtle and sophisticated. The lines on the old man is jagged and on the left side of the paper. The light and shading on the old man compliments each other well. The shape of the old man is moving over to the left side.
The hands of the old man is over to both the left and right hand side and it brings some realistic depth to it both hands are on his left and right knee. The old man in my drawing is in a box shape he has got a lot of energy and exuberance and is free.
My next artwork is Light and Dark Shadings
The light and dark shadings on the right side have a smooth as silk feel unlike the left side has a dark and rough feel to it. The shape of the light and dark shadings face it looks like it has a egg for a head because of the shape. The lines on the light and dark shadings they look faded out in the background and face just a little bit because where I have rubbed out with either my finger or a putty rubber. The light and dark shadings looks like there is a real person that I have drawn.
Different Coloured Method
The different coloured method on the left side is different because on the right side at the top it starts off a dark colour but it finishes off a light colour at the bottom. It looks like the different coloured method with the face has got a weird expression on its face because of the colour. The colour on the left side on the face is quite pale and the right side is dark but a little bit pale aswell. The shape of the different coloured method is strong and solid because of the pale and light colours. The paint I used is acrylic paint the brush strokes are both thin and thick I manufactured by building up the face and then I overlapped the face with acrylic paint in stages just little bits at a time.
My next artwork is Pencil Line Shapes which is right here.
On the pencil line shapes they are many different shapes happening on both sides of the paper. I can see the lines come forward in both sides because I have outlined the shapes with pencil. To me the pencil line shapes they is a lot happening like the shapes are overlapping each other with colour. The pencil line shapes the shape of it looks like a map or if this was a person they would have either a electric shock or a bad hair day.
And to finish off, all this here is past works of mine and this is recent stuff and that is it.
(Applause)
ER - We’ll have questions at the end.
CW - Next Intoart artist Ntiense, she’ll talk about her work
(Applause)
Ntiense Eno-Amooquaye (NEA) - Introduction
My name is Ntiense Eno-Amooquaye
This is the studio building and it is at the studio Voltaire and we do the work and the artworks and the projects and research and the studio project book. So we all go to the Intoart studio because to enjoy to be in the group as in the team. In the studio I develop work, I experience the artwork that other people do and I put my artwork on the wall to look at the artwork. It interests me to think about the theatre circus and the performance, the colours and the background, the lights and how the lights on the stage are moving. The story is about the circus and the escape, to catch and chase.
Title: The Portrait
This is the portrait of the self portrait of the modeling women in the house in the room sitting down to do the modeling for the self portrait. The clothing and what she is wearing she has a top it has shapes and patterns I am going to add colours and shading and the necklace beads and around her neck.
Title: The Meadow Field Gated
The meadow field gate is on the field and the tree trunk because there are lots of plants and flowers and grasses and the gate is to keep people out. The meadow field and the hills and the mountains has been covered with frost and its breezy and cold.
Title: The fairy Lady and The Sexy Foxy Diva Lady
The shape of the fairy and the body and wings are curved as round as ball. The fairy lady is a sexy and foxy and a star and also a diva lady and holding the cloth in her one hand. The fairies are in Neverland they picked the mushrooms and collect to put in the basket.
Title: The Bird of Pray
The bird of pray has got a garden and it fly’s and the note of the song words are in the book of the notes on poems. It’s got colours on its feathers and also the bird of pray is on the tree trunk to see over the hedge.
Title: The Horses Mono-print
The horses with the circus van and the horses are pulling it and they are gallop to the Neverland to the adventure to meet the fairies and pirates. I’m going to add to the mono print the shapes and colours and more texture of the different pencils colours and shade.
Title: The Black and White Lion
The black and white lion in its cage going to the cave to meet the cubs and they were milk feeding. The tiger cat panther is black of ink on white and the lion and the tiger cat panther they are both related because they are both in nature.
Title: The Black and White Shaded Deer
The black and white deer is walking and looking for something to eat and wondering around and find what to do in the trunk sticks forest. The first deer is the male deer and the second deer is a female deer and has got babies and they have families.
This is all my artwork and … my research. This is my folder that I have put my research and artwork in.
(Applause)
I’ll pass you to Doreen.
(Applause)
Sam Jones (SJ) - You might need to turn around.
Doreen (D ) –
This lady has her hand over her mouth and her teeth, her teeth. And this lady is pretty, or scared but somebody coming towards her. And she’s yet a jog ? and she’s too afraid. And she’s also afraid, …see the body is on the way to her, towards her. And they’re still fighting, they’re still scared, and music, turn away. Alright.
And she’s … like this Get off get off get off. Go to the stepchair. Alright.
Do it … Hand over her mouth and face. But I think her hand over her mouth she looks at she looks over scared. The person is in black coming towards her and her hand makes her face all dark. She feels she can smell something. She is she feels awe and shocked. She hasn’t just been she feels in awe and shock. Her hair is white and black. Her ears are white a bit of blue and black. Her face is a bit of black white and a bit of blue. And her eyes in her eyeball is white. In her middle part is black and her eyes is brown the same in her mouth and her lips are black. Her teeth are blue and white. And her lips blue and her hand the fingers and thumb are white, blue and black nails little.
This is what I did of her, the lady. Right, good. This lady is like this like this over there. Right.
ER – and Doreen are all those three your pieces of work?
D – Yeah it is
ER - …you’re working on at the moment?
D – Yeah it is… at the moment
ER – You working on the walls don’t you
D – Yes …. All … finished with her
ER – You’re working on a few at the same time aren’t you, you’re not quite decided if they’re finished or not.
D – Right …I work very hard…
ER – Yeah you do work very hard
D – … All right
(Applause)
ER – We thought we’d sort of have a bit of time for sort of more kind of questions really, and I know we have questions for each other as well but maybe it’d be nice if anybody does have any questions if they want to ask anybody.
(Questions)
I’m interested Clifton, in where you, where you get your faces. Who, who are you inspired by? Where, where do they come from those faces?
CW – They came from books but I like to, just… I don’t know, how do I start to, I like to just get on with it.
SJ – Do you use books quite a lot?
CW – Yeah quite a lot, they’re over there behind Ella behind Leena as well. Mind you not all of them are portraits, that one is different shapes, books of artists. There’s an artist called Sue, we’re doing sculptures with her.
NEA – Actually you know the woodwork we are making mine is on top there. That is like a, it’s like, I’ve called my woodwork, it is like a temple…. it’s meant, because you can put paint on it.
Question (Q) – The big cat there, is it a tiger? The two animals here, where did they come from?
NEA – That’s a tiger. This one that I did is from a book from the shelf. One, is slightly, I think I got it from my head. The one is a ink hand drawing.
Q – Are they ink drawings?
NEA - Some are black and white ink and those are not but. I like Some are like that because… and also the title the amazing, I’m interested in doing the titles.
the title the name.
Q – I wanted to ask all the artists, err, which drawings are their favourites?
D – This one because of her hair right. Pulling this face. And that man’s pale.
Q – You like drawing the hair?
D – Yeah.
ER – You’ve only just started that one haven’t you Doreen? You’ve done maybe two days on that. What about you Clifton, what’s your favourite?
CW – Oh my god, which one? All of them. I really can’t say, all my favourites I like all of them, yeah why not? All of them.
ER – You picked out a few didn’t you to speak about – do you feel like they’re your favourites on that day? Does it change? Or?
CW – It changes. It can change from time to time so.
SJ – You chose to talk about, this is quite an old piece of work, very old but you chose to speak about that today. I wondered why you’d chosen to speak about that one alongside your new portraits?
CW – Erm, so I that I can give a bit of a nice variety of mix, of whatever of my past and my old work and all that and a like bit of my present, and new stuff, my Old Man title and all these, all these portraits that I want to do so much.
ER – When did you start doing portraits, because that’s quite a new thing isn’t it? Maybe Leena who used to work in the Studio with us won’t...
Leena - You’re just starting them, wow
CW – I don’t know, I don’t remember when I got started on them
ER – After Christmas I think you came back and sort of…
CW – I just went, a new challenge, so I just went for it, literally.
ER – Its’ still got that, sort of the shapes and all that kind of history like you say in your other work
CW – Use that but just use it in portraits instead
Q – Is the one next to you, does that have a title?
CW – No
Q – Ok, can you say anything about that? What came first? Is it a portrait of someone you know, or is it something you made up?
CW – No that’s just a portrait
ER – Is it from a newspaper?
CW – I don’t remember. All these I like so much
ER – What do you like about the charcoal Clifton, because you sort of got quite stuck on the charcoal. What have you learnt about the charcoal?
CW – Yeah willow charcoal. If you make a mistake, like if it was with paint or a pen you could rub it out, but like for instance with that one there , you can rub it out and it’ll come out faded but really effective.
Q – Do you use compressed charcoal?
CW – Willow or normal charcoal, but I think its compressed
Q – Because those black colours are very, very black aren’t they
CW – Because I use compressed sometimes but…
SJ – You used compressed on this one
Q (Bethan) – I’ve got a question, out of these pictures which of these pictures do you like the best and why is it important for you?
CW – What a hard question to ask. That’s hard.
Bethan (B)– Hard question?
CW - I don’t know, I can’t think of which one is my favourite because I’ve put so much effort into them. Thats why they’re so important.
SJ – Do you have one that you’re thinking about at the moment mostly?
CW – No I like all of them. Equally.
ER – Which one is your favourite Bethan? Do you have a favourite? Or is it difficult?
B – I do have a favourite…Erm, I like, that one
ER – the painting?
B – Yeah
CW – Oh that’s willow, willow charcoal. Not all these are willow charcoal, I used willow charcoal on that and acrylic paint over it also. An input.
ER – What do you like about that one Bethan?
B – I like the background and all the top. I like the bright colours in the background.
ER – It stands out doesn’t it?
SJ – What’s it been like not using colour so much Clifton? Because you used to use colour so much.
CW– So much. It felt weird at first but I got used to it. I don’t mind, whatever, it’s no issue to me at all, I just get on with it. I think it’s stronger
ER – You haven’t spoken about your favourite yet (Ntiense)
Q – Ntiense do you think you could tell us the titles of each one? Would that be alright? Could you say them again?
NC – The artwork on the wall, the art reminds me of…I don’t know…
SJ – What were the titles Ntiense of the different pieces of work, ok yeah, just so people know what the titles are because the titles are really interesting.
NEA – These two are the inner Shepherd and the native, The Bird of Pray, the Portrait, the fair lady is a sexy diva, and the one at the bottom, and the travelling, horses, the van. Its like you get the
I draw them with the van and all of them. The same with that one.
And they are all nature.
At the end is erm, it’s a cave but its got. It’s got a tearoom and also because colour of purple but it’s a cave and its dark but in the outside but in the dark it’s different, its like a pond. You see a swan, and swans are white and they make a lovely heart shape. Its like a boat with a heart shape. It’s romantic. Its like…
Q - What’s the picture in the corner? The colourful one?
NEA – It’s a Fire eater – if you’ve been to the circus they have this, with the animal the lion. There used to be it’s a lion. It comes in there. It comes from the inside of the ring. And also it sees the fire eater. The fire in his mouth. You can see the flame in his mouth. He’s trying to put it in his mouth, he pretends to put it in his mouth.
ER - Clifton did you have any questions for anybody?
CW - No
Q – What is the one that is just behind you?
SJ – There’s a really great story behind that Ntiense, can you tell the story behind that?
NC – It’s in this book
ER – There’s a lot of writing in that book, is it a long story?
Q – Did you make the story up?
NEA – No I didn’t. This is my work but because Neverland and this is
It’s a different animal.
ER – Is he chasing something?
NEA – I think the lizard, um…
SJ – I remember reading your book, he had a rope tied to his tail
NEA – Yeah he had rope tied to his tail, in the trees and the line was twirling around…He’s outside in the garden… the lizard is in the dirt, his tail was caught
SJ – Why did somebody tie rope to his tail? Was that to do with the circus?
NEA – Yeah
SJ – I just remember reading the story in your book and the image of the lizard chasing his tail around with the rope tied on it and making all these beautiful circles, it’s just a lovely idea and it’s kind of the story behind this piece of work that you wrote about.
ER – So would you say that all these pieces are connected in one big story or are there lots of different stories?
NEA – Well this story, I can’t say my work is my drawing, it’s not my drawing.
ER – So what are you working on at the moment?
NEA – With my book? …
ER – Yeah, so when you come in the studio, how do you make a piece of work? What is your research? Is this what you’re working on at the moment? So the process is, you’d go on the internet and find out what you’re researching.
NEA – Yeah, I go on the internet, and go on gates and meadows.
ER – So the gates and meadows, you choose a name, you’ve got a few more meadows to do. We’ve got the artists coming down from Glasgow coming down tomorrow and Friday, so you’re going to be busy out and about with them.
D – Are we going on Friday?
ER – Yeah on Friday, we’re going out for dinner with them.
D – Did you, yes, with your artwork, did scan it? Did it copy it over there?
SJ – Did you work out of a book and scan it?
ER – Do you use this photocopier or do you print it straight out?
NEA – What I did in this folder, I copied it, I digitally photocopied it…
SJ – I was just going to ask, how do you find the images? How do you find them?
NEA – Images, Go to ‘google’ go on images. and erm.
You know those prints I did, I photocopied them and I want lamination
ER – Oh to make the screen then screenprint them
NEA – Yeah big and wide. But yeah the front cover of the book, that isn’t my art, it’s my art and design that I’m not going to talk about its got all sorts of stuff in it. And also I’m a writer and also I’m an artistic designer but also I went to the house and they’d put it in his office. The secretaries all come to the office and they exhibited it
ER – That was at BT wasn’t it
NEA – They’d put it this way, on the wall
ER – The Chief Executives office, we went for a posh lunch
That was just Ntiense’s prints for that one.
Yeah so this is our first kind of opening of the Studio, our next event will probably be, actually all three of you have done a film haven’t you? Our next event, we’ve been working on some films, so we’ll be having a film screening. Are you carrying on writing (Clifton)? So we’re carrying on working on the build up to our big shows at the end of the year. We’ve got an exhibition in Glasgow so the artists that we’re working with in Glasgow, we’ve got a show up there. And at the Whitechapel so we’re sort of working hard towards that. Yeah we’ll be away for the opening of that show.
Q – Are you going to be part of the open studios?
ER – Yeah on Sunday so we’ll be opening the studio for that as well
Q – Who are you working with in Glasgow?
ER – Project Ability, who are a large arts organisation they’re moving into a new big arts centre called Trongate 103, part of Glasgow print studios, and project ability are moving in there so we get to exhibit in a new building so that’ll be exciting. So we’ve got to produce two sets of artwork haven’t we because we’ve got two shows on at the same time, every artist’s nightmare isn’t it? So we’ll be working quite hard.
Q – Can I ask a question for everybody, are there any other artists who influence your work?
NEA – There’s Mawuena, but she’s with Frank at the college. That’s her work in the corner. She works with cloth and photographs and she’s Ghanian.
ER – She’s Ghanian, so her works…
NEA – She lives near
ER – There’s 7 artists
NEA – There’s Angela she’s not here and there’s Selina and Philly her work is over there.
ER – Selina’s work isn’t here because she wasn’t in last week. Selina normally works in the middle of the room. Everybody has their, you all have your workspace. Yeah you kind of spread.
SJ – Would you say that the other artists in the studio that they influence you at all?
NEA – The new guy, he goes to college. He came here for he really loves art and wants to get involved with art. Usually, he
ER – Would you say that Clifton inspires you? …Would you like to have a studio on your own? Do you think it’s good having other artists around you, to inspire you?
CW - Yeah
NEA – The technique, the woman in green and the red, and the technique…
ER – That was a technique that Daniel showed you.
NEA – ….They’ve got more writing or talks on…and also they give you a badge to take home
ER – Is that about people coming in and having ideas together?
Q – Can I ask where do you keep your artwork usually? Where do you store it and the materials that you use?
NEA – You do the work, Sometimes Intoart…if you’re doing the work, the filming and the artwork. It’s different.
ER – We put the materials together. Sometimes, like these are just your personal ones. The black ink. Those ones are very special. Sometimes if people sell work, or we do workshops and things we’ll have extra budget for things, but it’s up to you to buy the materials that you need. We haven’t got that much space in here.
CW – Between seven of us artists
ER – Those draws there are packed full and we have a paint trolley outside that we bring in
SJ – Everybody’s got a portfolio
ER – So I hope that gives everyone a feel for our work at the moment. We’re probably going to wrap up now because we’ve got our Glasgow artists arriving at six so we’re going to have a bit of a breather. Unless anybody has got any burning, burning questions…then do email us questions.
SJ – Yeah it’d be great if anyone has any questions, when they’re looking at the blogs just email a question through. Its really good to get questions from people, it’s impossible to think of all the questions, amongst the people that are in the studio – its really important. If you have any questions just send them through that’d be great.
(Applause).
Clifton Wright (CW) - Hello my name is Clifton Wright
Intoart is a organisation that is to do with nothing but art and likes to get other organisations involved so that Intoart artists like myself does more artwork and to visit different art galleries or exhibitions and I like drawing portraits that is to do the right size of the head and the different shadings with willow charcoal.
I come to Intoart because I like to gain more newer skills with Intoart and I like to work hard with my artwork and if there is a deadline for an exhibition I usually get my artwork finished with a lot of my own personal energy blood sweat and tears.
The atmosphere in the studio is very good we like to have a laugh but at the same time we all would like to achieve that at the end of the day that we are very hard working artists.
The Old Man, this is this one here.
The colour of the old man is subtle and sophisticated. The lines on the old man is jagged and on the left side of the paper. The light and shading on the old man compliments each other well. The shape of the old man is moving over to the left side.
The hands of the old man is over to both the left and right hand side and it brings some realistic depth to it both hands are on his left and right knee. The old man in my drawing is in a box shape he has got a lot of energy and exuberance and is free.
My next artwork is Light and Dark Shadings
The light and dark shadings on the right side have a smooth as silk feel unlike the left side has a dark and rough feel to it. The shape of the light and dark shadings face it looks like it has a egg for a head because of the shape. The lines on the light and dark shadings they look faded out in the background and face just a little bit because where I have rubbed out with either my finger or a putty rubber. The light and dark shadings looks like there is a real person that I have drawn.
Different Coloured Method
The different coloured method on the left side is different because on the right side at the top it starts off a dark colour but it finishes off a light colour at the bottom. It looks like the different coloured method with the face has got a weird expression on its face because of the colour. The colour on the left side on the face is quite pale and the right side is dark but a little bit pale aswell. The shape of the different coloured method is strong and solid because of the pale and light colours. The paint I used is acrylic paint the brush strokes are both thin and thick I manufactured by building up the face and then I overlapped the face with acrylic paint in stages just little bits at a time.
My next artwork is Pencil Line Shapes which is right here.
On the pencil line shapes they are many different shapes happening on both sides of the paper. I can see the lines come forward in both sides because I have outlined the shapes with pencil. To me the pencil line shapes they is a lot happening like the shapes are overlapping each other with colour. The pencil line shapes the shape of it looks like a map or if this was a person they would have either a electric shock or a bad hair day.
And to finish off, all this here is past works of mine and this is recent stuff and that is it.
(Applause)
ER - We’ll have questions at the end.
CW - Next Intoart artist Ntiense, she’ll talk about her work
(Applause)
Ntiense Eno-Amooquaye (NEA) - Introduction
My name is Ntiense Eno-Amooquaye
This is the studio building and it is at the studio Voltaire and we do the work and the artworks and the projects and research and the studio project book. So we all go to the Intoart studio because to enjoy to be in the group as in the team. In the studio I develop work, I experience the artwork that other people do and I put my artwork on the wall to look at the artwork. It interests me to think about the theatre circus and the performance, the colours and the background, the lights and how the lights on the stage are moving. The story is about the circus and the escape, to catch and chase.
Title: The Portrait
This is the portrait of the self portrait of the modeling women in the house in the room sitting down to do the modeling for the self portrait. The clothing and what she is wearing she has a top it has shapes and patterns I am going to add colours and shading and the necklace beads and around her neck.
Title: The Meadow Field Gated
The meadow field gate is on the field and the tree trunk because there are lots of plants and flowers and grasses and the gate is to keep people out. The meadow field and the hills and the mountains has been covered with frost and its breezy and cold.
Title: The fairy Lady and The Sexy Foxy Diva Lady
The shape of the fairy and the body and wings are curved as round as ball. The fairy lady is a sexy and foxy and a star and also a diva lady and holding the cloth in her one hand. The fairies are in Neverland they picked the mushrooms and collect to put in the basket.
Title: The Bird of Pray
The bird of pray has got a garden and it fly’s and the note of the song words are in the book of the notes on poems. It’s got colours on its feathers and also the bird of pray is on the tree trunk to see over the hedge.
Title: The Horses Mono-print
The horses with the circus van and the horses are pulling it and they are gallop to the Neverland to the adventure to meet the fairies and pirates. I’m going to add to the mono print the shapes and colours and more texture of the different pencils colours and shade.
Title: The Black and White Lion
The black and white lion in its cage going to the cave to meet the cubs and they were milk feeding. The tiger cat panther is black of ink on white and the lion and the tiger cat panther they are both related because they are both in nature.
Title: The Black and White Shaded Deer
The black and white deer is walking and looking for something to eat and wondering around and find what to do in the trunk sticks forest. The first deer is the male deer and the second deer is a female deer and has got babies and they have families.
This is all my artwork and … my research. This is my folder that I have put my research and artwork in.
(Applause)
I’ll pass you to Doreen.
(Applause)
Sam Jones (SJ) - You might need to turn around.
Doreen (D ) –
This lady has her hand over her mouth and her teeth, her teeth. And this lady is pretty, or scared but somebody coming towards her. And she’s yet a jog ? and she’s too afraid. And she’s also afraid, …see the body is on the way to her, towards her. And they’re still fighting, they’re still scared, and music, turn away. Alright.
And she’s … like this Get off get off get off. Go to the stepchair. Alright.
Do it … Hand over her mouth and face. But I think her hand over her mouth she looks at she looks over scared. The person is in black coming towards her and her hand makes her face all dark. She feels she can smell something. She is she feels awe and shocked. She hasn’t just been she feels in awe and shock. Her hair is white and black. Her ears are white a bit of blue and black. Her face is a bit of black white and a bit of blue. And her eyes in her eyeball is white. In her middle part is black and her eyes is brown the same in her mouth and her lips are black. Her teeth are blue and white. And her lips blue and her hand the fingers and thumb are white, blue and black nails little.
This is what I did of her, the lady. Right, good. This lady is like this like this over there. Right.
ER – and Doreen are all those three your pieces of work?
D – Yeah it is
ER - …you’re working on at the moment?
D – Yeah it is… at the moment
ER – You working on the walls don’t you
D – Yes …. All … finished with her
ER – You’re working on a few at the same time aren’t you, you’re not quite decided if they’re finished or not.
D – Right …I work very hard…
ER – Yeah you do work very hard
D – … All right
(Applause)
ER – We thought we’d sort of have a bit of time for sort of more kind of questions really, and I know we have questions for each other as well but maybe it’d be nice if anybody does have any questions if they want to ask anybody.
(Questions)
I’m interested Clifton, in where you, where you get your faces. Who, who are you inspired by? Where, where do they come from those faces?
CW – They came from books but I like to, just… I don’t know, how do I start to, I like to just get on with it.
SJ – Do you use books quite a lot?
CW – Yeah quite a lot, they’re over there behind Ella behind Leena as well. Mind you not all of them are portraits, that one is different shapes, books of artists. There’s an artist called Sue, we’re doing sculptures with her.
NEA – Actually you know the woodwork we are making mine is on top there. That is like a, it’s like, I’ve called my woodwork, it is like a temple…. it’s meant, because you can put paint on it.
Question (Q) – The big cat there, is it a tiger? The two animals here, where did they come from?
NEA – That’s a tiger. This one that I did is from a book from the shelf. One, is slightly, I think I got it from my head. The one is a ink hand drawing.
Q – Are they ink drawings?
NEA - Some are black and white ink and those are not but. I like Some are like that because… and also the title the amazing, I’m interested in doing the titles.
the title the name.
Q – I wanted to ask all the artists, err, which drawings are their favourites?
D – This one because of her hair right. Pulling this face. And that man’s pale.
Q – You like drawing the hair?
D – Yeah.
ER – You’ve only just started that one haven’t you Doreen? You’ve done maybe two days on that. What about you Clifton, what’s your favourite?
CW – Oh my god, which one? All of them. I really can’t say, all my favourites I like all of them, yeah why not? All of them.
ER – You picked out a few didn’t you to speak about – do you feel like they’re your favourites on that day? Does it change? Or?
CW – It changes. It can change from time to time so.
SJ – You chose to talk about, this is quite an old piece of work, very old but you chose to speak about that today. I wondered why you’d chosen to speak about that one alongside your new portraits?
CW – Erm, so I that I can give a bit of a nice variety of mix, of whatever of my past and my old work and all that and a like bit of my present, and new stuff, my Old Man title and all these, all these portraits that I want to do so much.
ER – When did you start doing portraits, because that’s quite a new thing isn’t it? Maybe Leena who used to work in the Studio with us won’t...
Leena - You’re just starting them, wow
CW – I don’t know, I don’t remember when I got started on them
ER – After Christmas I think you came back and sort of…
CW – I just went, a new challenge, so I just went for it, literally.
ER – Its’ still got that, sort of the shapes and all that kind of history like you say in your other work
CW – Use that but just use it in portraits instead
Q – Is the one next to you, does that have a title?
CW – No
Q – Ok, can you say anything about that? What came first? Is it a portrait of someone you know, or is it something you made up?
CW – No that’s just a portrait
ER – Is it from a newspaper?
CW – I don’t remember. All these I like so much
ER – What do you like about the charcoal Clifton, because you sort of got quite stuck on the charcoal. What have you learnt about the charcoal?
CW – Yeah willow charcoal. If you make a mistake, like if it was with paint or a pen you could rub it out, but like for instance with that one there , you can rub it out and it’ll come out faded but really effective.
Q – Do you use compressed charcoal?
CW – Willow or normal charcoal, but I think its compressed
Q – Because those black colours are very, very black aren’t they
CW – Because I use compressed sometimes but…
SJ – You used compressed on this one
Q (Bethan) – I’ve got a question, out of these pictures which of these pictures do you like the best and why is it important for you?
CW – What a hard question to ask. That’s hard.
Bethan (B)– Hard question?
CW - I don’t know, I can’t think of which one is my favourite because I’ve put so much effort into them. Thats why they’re so important.
SJ – Do you have one that you’re thinking about at the moment mostly?
CW – No I like all of them. Equally.
ER – Which one is your favourite Bethan? Do you have a favourite? Or is it difficult?
B – I do have a favourite…Erm, I like, that one
ER – the painting?
B – Yeah
CW – Oh that’s willow, willow charcoal. Not all these are willow charcoal, I used willow charcoal on that and acrylic paint over it also. An input.
ER – What do you like about that one Bethan?
B – I like the background and all the top. I like the bright colours in the background.
ER – It stands out doesn’t it?
SJ – What’s it been like not using colour so much Clifton? Because you used to use colour so much.
CW– So much. It felt weird at first but I got used to it. I don’t mind, whatever, it’s no issue to me at all, I just get on with it. I think it’s stronger
ER – You haven’t spoken about your favourite yet (Ntiense)
Q – Ntiense do you think you could tell us the titles of each one? Would that be alright? Could you say them again?
NC – The artwork on the wall, the art reminds me of…I don’t know…
SJ – What were the titles Ntiense of the different pieces of work, ok yeah, just so people know what the titles are because the titles are really interesting.
NEA – These two are the inner Shepherd and the native, The Bird of Pray, the Portrait, the fair lady is a sexy diva, and the one at the bottom, and the travelling, horses, the van. Its like you get the
I draw them with the van and all of them. The same with that one.
And they are all nature.
At the end is erm, it’s a cave but its got. It’s got a tearoom and also because colour of purple but it’s a cave and its dark but in the outside but in the dark it’s different, its like a pond. You see a swan, and swans are white and they make a lovely heart shape. Its like a boat with a heart shape. It’s romantic. Its like…
Q - What’s the picture in the corner? The colourful one?
NEA – It’s a Fire eater – if you’ve been to the circus they have this, with the animal the lion. There used to be it’s a lion. It comes in there. It comes from the inside of the ring. And also it sees the fire eater. The fire in his mouth. You can see the flame in his mouth. He’s trying to put it in his mouth, he pretends to put it in his mouth.
ER - Clifton did you have any questions for anybody?
CW - No
Q – What is the one that is just behind you?
SJ – There’s a really great story behind that Ntiense, can you tell the story behind that?
NC – It’s in this book
ER – There’s a lot of writing in that book, is it a long story?
Q – Did you make the story up?
NEA – No I didn’t. This is my work but because Neverland and this is
It’s a different animal.
ER – Is he chasing something?
NEA – I think the lizard, um…
SJ – I remember reading your book, he had a rope tied to his tail
NEA – Yeah he had rope tied to his tail, in the trees and the line was twirling around…He’s outside in the garden… the lizard is in the dirt, his tail was caught
SJ – Why did somebody tie rope to his tail? Was that to do with the circus?
NEA – Yeah
SJ – I just remember reading the story in your book and the image of the lizard chasing his tail around with the rope tied on it and making all these beautiful circles, it’s just a lovely idea and it’s kind of the story behind this piece of work that you wrote about.
ER – So would you say that all these pieces are connected in one big story or are there lots of different stories?
NEA – Well this story, I can’t say my work is my drawing, it’s not my drawing.
ER – So what are you working on at the moment?
NEA – With my book? …
ER – Yeah, so when you come in the studio, how do you make a piece of work? What is your research? Is this what you’re working on at the moment? So the process is, you’d go on the internet and find out what you’re researching.
NEA – Yeah, I go on the internet, and go on gates and meadows.
ER – So the gates and meadows, you choose a name, you’ve got a few more meadows to do. We’ve got the artists coming down from Glasgow coming down tomorrow and Friday, so you’re going to be busy out and about with them.
D – Are we going on Friday?
ER – Yeah on Friday, we’re going out for dinner with them.
D – Did you, yes, with your artwork, did scan it? Did it copy it over there?
SJ – Did you work out of a book and scan it?
ER – Do you use this photocopier or do you print it straight out?
NEA – What I did in this folder, I copied it, I digitally photocopied it…
SJ – I was just going to ask, how do you find the images? How do you find them?
NEA – Images, Go to ‘google’ go on images. and erm.
You know those prints I did, I photocopied them and I want lamination
ER – Oh to make the screen then screenprint them
NEA – Yeah big and wide. But yeah the front cover of the book, that isn’t my art, it’s my art and design that I’m not going to talk about its got all sorts of stuff in it. And also I’m a writer and also I’m an artistic designer but also I went to the house and they’d put it in his office. The secretaries all come to the office and they exhibited it
ER – That was at BT wasn’t it
NEA – They’d put it this way, on the wall
ER – The Chief Executives office, we went for a posh lunch
That was just Ntiense’s prints for that one.
Yeah so this is our first kind of opening of the Studio, our next event will probably be, actually all three of you have done a film haven’t you? Our next event, we’ve been working on some films, so we’ll be having a film screening. Are you carrying on writing (Clifton)? So we’re carrying on working on the build up to our big shows at the end of the year. We’ve got an exhibition in Glasgow so the artists that we’re working with in Glasgow, we’ve got a show up there. And at the Whitechapel so we’re sort of working hard towards that. Yeah we’ll be away for the opening of that show.
Q – Are you going to be part of the open studios?
ER – Yeah on Sunday so we’ll be opening the studio for that as well
Q – Who are you working with in Glasgow?
ER – Project Ability, who are a large arts organisation they’re moving into a new big arts centre called Trongate 103, part of Glasgow print studios, and project ability are moving in there so we get to exhibit in a new building so that’ll be exciting. So we’ve got to produce two sets of artwork haven’t we because we’ve got two shows on at the same time, every artist’s nightmare isn’t it? So we’ll be working quite hard.
Q – Can I ask a question for everybody, are there any other artists who influence your work?
NEA – There’s Mawuena, but she’s with Frank at the college. That’s her work in the corner. She works with cloth and photographs and she’s Ghanian.
ER – She’s Ghanian, so her works…
NEA – She lives near
ER – There’s 7 artists
NEA – There’s Angela she’s not here and there’s Selina and Philly her work is over there.
ER – Selina’s work isn’t here because she wasn’t in last week. Selina normally works in the middle of the room. Everybody has their, you all have your workspace. Yeah you kind of spread.
SJ – Would you say that the other artists in the studio that they influence you at all?
NEA – The new guy, he goes to college. He came here for he really loves art and wants to get involved with art. Usually, he
ER – Would you say that Clifton inspires you? …Would you like to have a studio on your own? Do you think it’s good having other artists around you, to inspire you?
CW - Yeah
NEA – The technique, the woman in green and the red, and the technique…
ER – That was a technique that Daniel showed you.
NEA – ….They’ve got more writing or talks on…and also they give you a badge to take home
ER – Is that about people coming in and having ideas together?
Q – Can I ask where do you keep your artwork usually? Where do you store it and the materials that you use?
NEA – You do the work, Sometimes Intoart…if you’re doing the work, the filming and the artwork. It’s different.
ER – We put the materials together. Sometimes, like these are just your personal ones. The black ink. Those ones are very special. Sometimes if people sell work, or we do workshops and things we’ll have extra budget for things, but it’s up to you to buy the materials that you need. We haven’t got that much space in here.
CW – Between seven of us artists
ER – Those draws there are packed full and we have a paint trolley outside that we bring in
SJ – Everybody’s got a portfolio
ER – So I hope that gives everyone a feel for our work at the moment. We’re probably going to wrap up now because we’ve got our Glasgow artists arriving at six so we’re going to have a bit of a breather. Unless anybody has got any burning, burning questions…then do email us questions.
SJ – Yeah it’d be great if anyone has any questions, when they’re looking at the blogs just email a question through. Its really good to get questions from people, it’s impossible to think of all the questions, amongst the people that are in the studio – its really important. If you have any questions just send them through that’d be great.
(Applause).
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