Fiona, are you currently represented by a gallery?
No. I’ve tended not to follow this up as my work has been primarily ephemeral and site specific - however my work is increasingly object based so I’ve started to think more about it.

How long have you been making art?
In formal terms since I started art school in 1982

What are the main medium/s you work in…
Both site specific installation and object based work

How do you describe your work, realistic, stylised, abstract, narrative, symbolic, other?
I don’t find these categories usually useful in looking either at my work or someone else’s as I tend to then think I know what the work is. However narrative is an important tool in my work.

Does your work have social, political, cultural and or personal messages?
Yes my work is primarily about either individual or group narratives that are normally excluded from the dominant interpretation of history in my culture or when my culture interacts with another culture. I tend to work in non art spaces.

What are you currently working on?
I am currently working in several areas. A really important one being death. I am working a series of installations and objects relating to my father’s death. These are a series of site specific works located in places which where important to how he defined himself. The first in the series is on the website and is titled Memorial/Double Pump Laplace I, It was installed in an Anglican church in the country town in NSW where both my parents grew up. I am currently working on the third in the series which will be installed in a University college in the UK  and I will then return to Sydney to install the second in the series.

As part of this investigation of death I’ve curated one show called Looking at Others Stage 1 of the Death Project at P.A.S., Parrramatta, Sydney. This process enables me to really look at how other artists are addressing some of the issues I’m interested in. I curated my own work into the show – this can be problematic but I think I got away with it this time. The second stage of this project which is looking at death in popular culture is planned for the middle of 2009. More details of these two shows are on my website under upcoming projects.

I also have a major show planned for Maitland Regional Gallery in N.S.W. later 2009 where I’ll be working with the archives, oral histories etc of the former use of the art gallery building as a TAFE and as a TAFE museum. The amount of research required for this project is significant and I have been in the archives of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, State records, Mitchell Library and TAFE Library for a large part of last year. A large oral history project run in conjunction with the council library will start in a month or so and feed individual’s stories into the work.

Now give us a more descriptive outline on your current works.
A description of the work I’m doing the for the third in the  series about my father is -  The narratives from that last ten and half months of my father’s life that are addressed in this work are focused on the way information is transferred in an intensive care ward. In this situation I could not remember all that was told to me by the staff and at some times I overlaid accidentally overheard information about other patients onto the information we had been given about Dad. The work will consist of both a sound component and an installation. The former law library area will be broken down into a series of smaller rooms accessed through hospital curtained corridors in a similar manner to an asymmetrical maze. The sound component will be multiples of fragments of those overheard conversations. Some will be broadcast from behind the curtains in the corridors, slightly too soft to be able to discern all the words. Others in the internal rooms will be fragments of formal discussions outlining detailed medical information. The sound elements will disrupt the idea of a hospital curtain offering privacy and will play with the rituals around their closing and opening.

How did you get into art?
I used to be very engaged with art when young then when choosing what further study to do after school I convinced myself that I didn’t what to do anything that mostly girls did so I did an Applied Science degree and only got back into art seriously when I was 29.

Your art education was…?
At school I didn’t do Art in years 9 and 10 and got back into it for 11 and 12. When I was 29 I did an undergraduate degree at UWS (this art school is now basically closed as of last year) and postgraduate at Monash.

Was your education helpful, or a hindrance?
My art education was great. I got back into art through glass and then discovered I was most interested in 3D and went from there. I had a very limited exposure to 3D at school.

What did you do before or during becoming an artist?
I’ve worked in science based jobs to earn money since leaving University. I decided I didn’t want to be an art teacher although it is a great way to stay connected with the art world. Sales of my work have been very small as it’s largely been ephemeral and site specific.

Did the place where you grew up have an influence?
Both the narratives of the place and the narratives of my family in those places have had a major influence on my work.

You know you are successful in Visual Arts when…
You are making art.

How important do you think craftsmanship is to artistic creation?
This is an interesting area to think about. I tend to think it’s more an obsession with neatness rather than good or bad craftwork that interferes with my reading of a work.

Do you get to other artists exhibitions, openings etc?
Yes it’s a great way to make sure you see the work and support other artists.

Some say the lifespan of many “artists” post educationally is about five years, any thoughts on that?
I’ve realised over the years one of the major benefits of the way I work is the rate of rejection is so much lower than for artists who work by the more traditional way of approaching galleries or entering prizes etc. I think I would find the rate of rejection many young artists experience difficult to handle as it appears a lot is delivered thoughtlessly.

Fundamentally I don’t believe in any objective value system to say one artist’s work is always better than another’s so the use of ranking systems like say the Australia Council where the grants applicants are ranked in ‘order” or galleries which rank proposals, This probably says more about the host institution than about the art they are looking at.

I had the experience once of travelling a fair way to show my work to a curator. Unluckily they had just discovered a small part of the funding of their overseas work trip was not going to be forthcoming. They wanted to keep going with the meeting but interspersed it with phone calls frothing about the money. If this had happened to me early on I would have thought it was about me instead I enjoyed it as a performance piece but abandoned any hopes of working with that curator.

What happens to works that “don’t work out”?
Often they are the most interesting in the longer term. I know that sounds really glib but thinking through how it doesn’t work in depth gives you more knowledge about how you think the world works. When you see other art that you think doesn’t work you don’t tend to spend as much time thinking about what to learn from that than with your own work.

What sort of research and or reference material do you do for current works and has that changed over time?
My work as it is often about the constructs of history, relies on the use of archives, oral histories and other historical material. I think it’s an important process as I don’t want to rely on the dominant stories of history or use stereotypes when I’m thinking about what happened.

Over time I’ve realised the importance of getting out of the way in allowing viewer’s to read a work by having what you can, consistent with an historical record.

Do you hope the viewer will “get” what you are trying to communicate or do you feel compelled to spell it out to them?
I like a level of ambiguity when I’m looking at works so I like to do that in my work. As I work so much in non art spaces I’ve focused on really clear and short artist statements. I tend to locate them not next to the work but say in a central traffic path where the viewer can read them if required.

I had the experience recently of being with the installation in the church in Aberdeen NSW on the opening day. Luckily it was the same day as the opening of the Pumpkin Festival in the town ( by accident not my foresight) so people could come to the installation in the church without it being a big deal, just as part of their day’s activities. So a large number came through.  I spent most of the day talking with people, swapping stories of being with people in intensive care or in hospital. There are so many car accidents in rural NSW that it was a common experience. These viewers really ‘got’ the work and ‘got’ it in terms of their own experiences. This experience has made me think about how I can do this in future.

Some say a measure of an artwork is the ability for it to hold a persons attention or cause the viewer to come back after an initial glance and become captivated by the work, is that so for your works or an intention of yours?
There’s a study somewhere that says that the average amount of time each work of art is looked at in a gallery is 4 seconds. I’ve always been interested in using spaces that are stopping places in viewer’s  traffic paths e.g waiting areas or congregating areas such as just outside toilets in museums where groups of people meet up again. These spaces are really good opportunities as people are looking to engage with something as they have to be there anyway.

I always like to reward people who look closely or are a bit naughty by say lifting something up to reveal something else underneath.

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray Contemporary Artist

Lets look at it this way, I have tried (and very carefully thought about) how I would set up my sites so the user could get the info they wanted in what I hope is reasonably effective ways. However in flipping about websites and searching, I find others seem to not have the same thought in mind with their sites.

Now I ask, what’s going on here, wouldn’t you want people to find your site or information on you (Artists especially) easily, and then be able to navigate it readily… Ok some are clearly not “offay” with the idea of being found, in fact many seem to want to bury themselves so deep no one can find them or their works.

Some sites have minimal contact details, some have an email login system that does not work “Type in the security code…” When that does not work, what then? (Simple I give up and go elsewhere…)

Many of the artists I have contacted regarding an interview are ones with websites, (I want to be able to send people somewhere and not just a gallery that represents the artist.) and what do I find, many don’t have one, but the USA artists (many with multiple gallery representation) have them, so guess what, they get contacted. and hey most are very accepting of my approach. On the other hand some of the Aussie artists seem somehow “Non-plussed” by the idea and don’t jump on the idea.

Commercial websites for various art organisations I have looked at, some of them have been woeful in being able to navigate and figure out their forums, send them info on linking to us etc…

In short in these times of “let’s be user friendly” I am left to wonder about the state of play…

Artists, get a web site, and make it simple, sharp and to the point, I want to see your work and find out what’s up.

Galleries, thanks to those that make it easy to get in contact with their artists, you are a blessing.

Art resource sites, please, if you offer contact details for an artist via a link, don’t give me an error page saying I need to be a member… I just take the artists name and google them directly so thanks for the barrier… (What were they thinking?) And while I’m at it, organisations handling taxpayer funded $$, cut the fat and the crap and give the money to artists in easily accessible ways, your admin costs are funds that could make a world of difference, instead the barriers and hassles in making application for funds are simply to hard to bother with (go check out some art forums to validate that!).

It comes down to good old customer service folks, sometimes you don’t know what the customer wants, how they want it and what they will do next… end of story.

http://www.artistcareer.com.au

http://nava.com.au

I found things a little difficult to navigate but the potential seems to be there.

Ok when I sign up to something I expect it to be useable, hell I am reasonably web savvy… So when I get lost in a site trying to figure things out surely others might too, is that good? short answer… no.

Stay safe and have fun.

Steve and Sally Gray

Carol says she has been making art all her life and lists other interests as; Music, Anthropology, genetics, biology, books.

What are the main medium/s you work in… I use manila pattern paper from the garment manufacturing industry with oil paint, pencil, thread and sewing pins.

Your work seems very personal in it’s approach… My work is very personal and dives into childhood trauma. I use lots of Hebrew texts, narratives, personal disclosure, and my background from working in the apparel industry with my family.

What are you currently working on? I am finishing up a handmade Artists’ book entitled “Horsebucket.” It is an edition of 50 books with gouache drawings, hand typed pages and letterpress covers.

Why are you an artist? I really can’t be anything else. Trust me, I’ve tried.

How did you get into art? This remains a mystery to me to this day.

What is your earliest memory of art? The artwork in the waiting rooms of psychiatrist’s offices.

Was art a “thing” that was encouraged in your family? Not at all. I do not come from a family of artists of any sort, which is why I cannot really understand what drove me to forcefully towards art. My family had not seen my work or attended my exhibits until this last year. And it was surreal. They have never really made any comments about my work and I really don’t know if they know what to make of it. I think they think it’s a 30 year “phase” and one day I’ll come to my senses.

What can you tell us about your planning and making process for making art, and has that altered over the years? There came a point around 2002 where I changed my process completely after a psychological art experiment. I started to glean my pattern making background into my work and it just began to make sense: “Paint what you know.” My practice then became a methodical ritual, where I could master a process, while still allowing room for the spontaneous. I think it was because I was becoming self-aware and began to understand what my own art was about after so many years of naive painting. I got to a place where I could not move forward and be genuine and honest unless I made a drastic change.

Does the “creative process” happen easily for you? It does, but I’m always worried it won’t.

How important do you think craftsmanship is to artistic creation? Very. I have a very anal work ethic and don’t half-ass anything and truly appreciate craftsmanship in everything, not just art.

Do you get to other artists exhibitions, openings etc? I do, but it is really difficult to see as many as I would like to or should. I prefer to stay home and/or work. I detest crowds and rather catch the shows on quiet weekdays instead of receptions.

Do you have much contact with other artists? Thank God for email.

Any upcoming or completely new projects you want to talk about? I am hoping 2009 will bring me some time to work on more soft sculpture projects.

Working towards an exhibition, is it a daunting task? It is a lot of work and it takes everything out of me and about a year of planning and working, if not longer, to do it right. In my mind it seems simple, but it winds up being very daunting. Everything has to work together. The space needs to be considered. The scheme, the craftsmanship and details, documentation, lead time for images and press packs, advertising, curator feedback. The time it takes to do so many pieces. Ideas on how to make your show stick out above the dozens of others going on that month. Getting people to come. It winds up being a lot more work than one would think, and at the end of your 4 weeks – that’s it. It doesn’t happen again for a long time and a lot of non-art people may not understand that.

Can you name a favourite artist or three… and why? Paul Klee: for his connection to childlike dreams; Amy Sillman: for her freedom to just paint; Van Gogh: for his visionary outlook on nature.

Do you keep an Art Journal or Visual Diary of some kind? I keep a small notebook on my nightstand to jot down my weird half-asleep thoughts. I also have been working on an on-going journal project where I draw and write on a manila patterns. It could be a sleeve, a collar, a pocket, or a paint leg. They are not planned, they are just my thoughts and feelings that day which come out in words and/or drawings.

What happens to works that “don’t work out”? It rarely happens because I try to salvage everything I start. I can count on one hand how many pieces I have destroyed in the last 800. I probably have 5-10 unfinished things that are still hanging around that I’ll get back to one day.

Do you aim to break the rules of basic composition, layout etc or do you ignore the “rules” and just create? There are never any rules in art.

Do you hope the viewer will “get” what you are trying to communicate or do you feel compelled to spell it out to them? I believe that once I am finished making a work of art, it is now out of my hands and not up to me anymore. I do not control how it is interpreted because I have had a totally different relationship with it than the viewer does. It means something to me, but I send it off to sea and let others have it in their own way.

How important is it to you that your work communicates something to the viewer? It is important to me that the work touches someone in someway that is meaningful to them.

What can you say about your work that might not be evident to the viewer? I did not paint this. I do not know who or what did. Yet, I made this. And maybe we have never met, but I love you.

About significant moments in your life, the sort of things that changed things for you forever… perhaps altered your Art… Who how why what and where…? So much that I can’t know how or where to start, but I have been very unfortunate and I have been lucky beyond belief.

If you stopped doing art right now would you miss it? It would be the death of me.

What discourages you from doing art? Deep, dark, dripping, scary, scratchy, freezing, echoing depression.

Have you had much connection post sale with purchasers of your works? Yes, I have a lot of repeat collectors and I would call them friends because it is a relationship we build on.

Name a book or books, which may have inspired your work as an artist? “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Suess.

Is your work process fast or slow? Very slow. Not a great thing in time crunches.

Some artists are more “at home” isolated in their creative process, while others revel in being part of a group to bounce “ideas off” how about you? I much prefer to be alone in a quiet space. I’m isolated for the most part, although I will meet up with friends when I can, but it takes a lot out of me.

What moves you most in life, either to inspire or upset you that might be connect to your art? What inspires me most is seeing lots and lots and lots of art.

What advice would you give to an artist just starting out? Listen to your heart, not your parents or your boyfriend, or your teachers, or some poser. You really want to do this? Then take all the risks you need to even if it’s not the easy road (because it’s not going to be.) Be original – don’t copy people, and if you must steal, make it your own somehow, don’t flat out hijack it. Commit yourself to the work, get used to being alone, love yourself – or, at least believe in the part that wants to make art and allow it to. If it’s fame and fortune you seek, look into acting or high-stakes poker.

Interview compiled and edited by Steve Gray ©2008+

If you are into photographing people, check this out, if not, take a look from the development of life side of things… So much said without words.

Dooney Painting Exceeds High Estimate At Deutscher-Menzies Contemporary Art Auction

Hazel Dooney’s ten-year-old enamel painting, Drowned Ophelia, was sold last night in Sydney, at Deutscher-Menzies’ high profile auction of contemporary art, for over $A13,000. It was an astonishing result during a deep economic downturn that has impacted heavily on the global art market. With buyers premium and taxes added, this far exceeds Deutscher-Menzies’ ambitious pre-sale estimate of $A10,000 to $A14,000 and represents a strong argument for the enduring investment value of Dooney’s work as one of Australia’s top young female artists. The painting was first sold for around $A1,200.

Of the 300 works by local and international artists that went under the hammer at Deutscher-Menzies, last night, 70 per cent found buyers. The Dooney work was offered for sale by a prominent Sydney collector.

“I have to admit, I was really nervous before the sale,” Dooney said. “There’s been very little good news coming out of auctions overseas, with work by modern masters being passed in or sold at prices well below what they might have been a year ago. I figured my work would also be revalued sharply downwards but as it turned out, this value has demonstrated remarkable robustness.”

The result is even more remarkable when it is considered that Dooney abandoned the traditional gallery system two years ago, quitting major galleries representing her work in Sydney and Melbourne, Instead, she took on the challenge of marketing and selling her work worldwide herself, as well as promoting her own art events, mainly using the web. She is widely acknowledged as the first Australian artist to manage her own career in this way and she has established a wide collector base in Australia, Asia, the USA and the UK.

The next test of Dooney’s success will be at Christie’s auction rooms in London, in less than a week, when her large (2.10m x 1.6m) enamel on board painting, Dangerous Career Babe: The Aviatrix, (below), is included in the sale of Modern And Contemporary Australian Art And South African Art on 16th December, 2008. The renowned auction house’s pre-sale estimate for what is the first of Dooney’s most recent paintings to be offered in the open market is between $A32,000 and $A37,500!

STOP PRES!!!

This just in… 17/12/08

“The Aviatrix Sets New Record At Auction For Hazel Dooney’s Work

Hazel Dooney’s large enamel on board painting, Dangerous Career Babe: The Aviatrix, commissioned earlier this year by a major Australian collector, was sold last night for $A32,701 at Christie’s sale of Modern And Contemporary Australian And South African Art in London. This exceeded the low-end of Christie’s pre-sale estimate and represents a new record for Dooney’s work at auction – an extraordinary achievement during a global economic downturn, especially for a 30-year-old artist who has yet to exhibit in Europe.

Last December, at another Christie’s sale in London, two of Dooney’s early enamel Sports Career Babes, set a new high for her work of over $A23,000.

This is Dooney’s second remarkable auction result in less than a week, this time in one of the world’s most important art market. However, it is an increasingly volatile market, in which the biggest names in Australian and international art are suffering significant revaluations downwards and many works are not selling at all.”

Great result!

Ursula Theinert, one of our interviewed artists is having a Solo Exhibition - Forest Management  on 14th of December, 2008 to 25th of January, 2009   Abi Edwards Gallery at Jinks Creek Winery, Tonimbuk Road, Tonimbuk, Victoria.  It is a beautiful destination about 55 minutes from Melbourne.  It is open on Sundays 12-5 pm or by Appointment Ph: (03)56298502.  This Sunday the 14th of December is the “Afternoon with the Artist”.  She looks forward to meeting you.

Is from Melbourne Vic
web: www.ghostpatrol.net

What are the main medium/s you work in…
Ink, gouache, acrylic, paper , wood and spraypaint.

How do you describe your work, realistic, stylised, abstract, narrative, symbolic, other?
Other

Does your work have social, political, cultural and or personal messages?
F#%k, if it didn’t have any of the above, what would it be?

What are you currently working on?
Just setting up the 2nd drawing machine show that I help curate. then iIm taking a break before a sewing show in February at Gorker gallery with cat-rabbit

What fascinates you?
80’s cartoons, comics, animals, cutlery, computer games and olives

One word or statement to describe your current works?
Neat, neat, neat.

Now give us a more descriptive outline on your current works?
I’ve been mainly working on paper with inks etc. I’ve also finished a large set of work in pencil.

Why are you an artist?
Because i do art

How did you get into art?
Graffiti

How important is art for you?
Strange question - yes - important

Your art education was…?
Nothing.

Have you always been interested in art?
Bad question.

What did you do before or during becoming an artist?
Played video games.

Is there any one thing that has given you a big buzz in your art career so far?
I have had plenty of nice experiences. Releasing a book was nice, travelling is neat, drawing and painting with nice people is a real highlight, I’d rather not drop names etc.

What is your earliest memory of art?
He-man.

Did the place where you grew up have an influence?
Bad question, how could anybody say no.

What or who inspires your art?
My contemporaries and vintage children’s illustration, video games, cartoons.

Was there a big turning point in your art journey that caused you to think that “it’s all worthwhile”, or “oh yeah I get it…”?
Graffiti.

Has your work changed much since your early efforts? (e.g. as a student).
Bad question, you’d like to think so.

Have your artistic influences altered over time (e.g. artists.)
Bad question, you’d like to think so.

You know you are successful in Visual Arts when…
Never.

Does the “creative process” happen easily for you?
Yes.

Do you have a personal description of “Art”?
Who cares.

Have you had any commissions?
Yes.

How important do you think craftsmanship is to artistic creation?
Bad question, it’s everything, how could you be an artist without being a craftsman?

Does the sale of your work support you?
Yep, full time Artist.

Creative streaks do they come in waves for you?
3-4 minute intervals.

Any upcoming or completely new projects you want to talk about?
Shhhhh secret

Working towards an exhibition, is it a daunting task?
No, otherwise I wouldn’t do it

Some say the lifespan of an “artist” post educationally is about five years, any thoughts on that?
That sounds f#%king awful and depressing, I’m glad I didn’t go to art school

What has been a turning point in your career thus far and why?
Moving to Melbourne and doing art full time, having a great studio etc allowed me to do more and better art.

If you could have any piece of artwork in your personal collection, what would it be and why?
The Laputa robot from the roof of the miyazaki museum, it’s super great.

Can you name a favourite artist or three… and why?
David Byrne, David Shrigley, Marcel Dzama. They are unique, adaptive, exciting, inspirational.

Have you had any “big breaks” in your career?
I’ve broken a lot of pencils and a few printers

All artists seem to have struggles, tell us about any you have had.
Once I had a dream a hamburger was eating me.

Do you keep an Art Journal or Visual Diary of some kind?
Yep, this is a big deal.

What happens to works that “don’t work out”?
A weekly garbage collection is organised by my local city council…

One thing you wish you had listened to from an art teacher or lecturer?
No f#%king way.

Do you have a personal philosophy that underpins your work?
Draw, draw, draw.

Do you aim to break the rules of basic composition, layout etc or do you ignore the “rules” and just create?
Oh yeah, I’m a maverick (sarcasm).

What sort of research and or reference material do you do for current works and has that changed over time?
ffffound.com, video libraries.

Musical influences…
David Byrne, Dan Deacon etc

Do you hope the viewer will “get” what you are trying to communicate or do you feel compelled to spell it out to them?
I hope the viewer doesn’t feel like they have to understand or read into every piece of art.

How important is it to you that your work communicates something to the viewer?
That doesn’t bother me.

What can you say about your work that might not be evident to the viewer?
I’d hate to give away secrets.

What discourages you from doing art?
The news, I feel like I should go back to university and become a scientist to fight against ignorance and stupidity in the world.

You can find out more about Stewart from his website here.

Interests you have other than art? Music (check out the website for Stew Lane and you will see JUST how important!)

What are the main medium/s you work in… Painting, Drawing, Lino prints

How do you describe your work? Narrative realism

What are you currently working on? I have 2 exhibitions coming up in the next few months, Brisbane and Sydney.

What fascinates you? People, their vulnerabilities, their beauty and their ugliness.

One word or statement to describe your current works? Urban.

Now give us a more descriptive outline on your current works? My Sydney show will be night paintings. This is one of the few times I have themed an exhibition.

Why are you an artist? I was encouraged as a young teen by my art teacher, (a real artist) who I still see. I imagined that after a struggle, fame and fortune would await.

How did you get into art? I went straight to art school at 16. I then went to NYC to persue my art.

How important is art for you? It is all I seem to be capable of doing with any success.

Your art education was…? Four years in Adelaide at the S.A. School of Art. 2 years in NYC at the School of Visual Arts and 1 year in Melbourne at the Victorian College of the Arts, post graduate.

Have you always been interested in art? Ever since I was about 12 years old.

What did you do before or during becoming an artist? I was a child.

Is there any one thing that has given you a big buzz in your art career so far? My residencies at the Roswell Artist in Residence Program (New Mexico, 1987-1991-2007) would be the most significant buzzes of my career.

What is your earliest memory of art? Seeing the Van Gogh paintings in a book my Mother had.

Do you remember your first painting or art work? I remember the first one that got good reaction from my art teacher. It was a baby with a ball. I was 12, perhaps 13.

Was art encouraged in your family? Not really.

Did the place where you grew up have an influence? Yes, because of the galleries I went to.

What or who inspires your art? Capturing heightened images from the everyday.

Was there a big turning point in your art journey that caused you to think that “it’s all worthwhile”, or “oh yeah I get it…”? I am not sure if it is all worthwhile.

What caused you to work in oils? My teacher got me using them when I was 12/13. Later, I tried acrylics. They seemed plastic and cold.

Has your work changed much since your early efforts? I hope all the years and experience has changed the work for the better. I began by working from photos. From the early 1980’s, I worked from life.

Have your artistic influences altered over time (e.g. artists)? I have moved away from influences. I had several influences when I was young: Nolan, Van Gogh, Drysdale, Hockney, Alex Katz, Edward Hopper

You know you are successful in Visual Arts when… You have enough sales on a regular basis to take an annual holiday overseas, for several weeks and have no worries about the bills.

What can you tell us about your planning and making process for making art, and has that altered over the years? It has remained fairly constant. I see something that jumps out at me. I go back and do a drawing or painting of it. I take this to the studio and develop a large work.

Does creativity flow for you? It is not usually easy.

Do you have a personal description of “Art”? Art has been so debased in the past 40 years. Art for me needs to excite me visually, be beautiful and show skills.

Have you had any commissions? Yes, not a lot but several.

How important do you think craftsmanship is to artistic creation? Very important to me, not important to the art world.

Does the sale of your work support you? Yes, I live on my sales.

Creative streaks do they come in waves for you? I work, whether I am inspired or not.

Working towards an exhibition, is it a daunting task? It piles on the pressure, but that is what it takes to keep afloat.

Some say the lifespan of an “artist” post educationally is about five years, any thoughts on that? That seems about right. It is very tough.

Tell us about your connection to your subject matter, way of working, concepts etc? I look a lot at life at people’s relationships and their images.

What has been a turning point in your career thus far and why? I do not know about turning points. It seems to be a straight ahead slug.

If you could have any piece of artwork in your personal collection, what would it be and why? An Edward Hopper, ,”Western Motel”, 1957. It describes the contemporary life so well. It achieves so much of what I strive for in a painting., simplicity, story, description, light.

Have you had any “big breaks” in your career? I have several breaks in my career: having a book published on my work: having a survey exhibition at the Brisbane City Gallery: being collected by State Galleries: having great residencies.

All artists seem to have struggles, tell us about any you have had? Being an artist is a long struggle. The art world is not a loyal one. It is ruled by fashion and favouritism. There is no real security. The struggles are on going with occasional periods of reward.

Do you keep an Art Journal or Visual Diary of some kind? Yes.

What happens to works that “don’t work out”? I used to cut them up. These days, I work them into submission.

One thing you wish you had listened to from an art teacher or lecturer? “Don’t be an artist” from David Dridan, my first art teacher.

Do you have a personal philosophy that underpins your work? Do the best I can and keep it singing.

Do you aim to break the rules of basic composition, layout etc or do you ignore the “rules” and just create? I hope I have been instilled with a strong set of rules that come out in my work without effort.

Musical influences? Music is very important to me. I listen to crooners, to rock, to country, to R&B, to jazz, to classical.

What sort of depth or meaning is there behind the work you do? I hope depth and meaning come through in my work. I am not the one to say. I do not purposely put symbols into my work.

How important is it to you that your work communicates something to the viewer? I just want the viewer to connect to the work. The meaning is something that can be individual.

What can you say about your work that might not be evident to the viewer? It is from live subjects and actual places I have lived in or been to.

Has being involved in the arts proven to be a millstone or a point of elation? A millstone in many ways and a point of elation occasionally.

Art is about entertainment, experiment, inventiveness or shock for you? Inventiveness and skill.

If you stopped doing art right now would you miss it? Yes.

What discourages you from doing art? Lack of discretion in the art world.

Is motivation to work an issue for you and how do you overcome it? Yes, I should really be working now, instead of answering this, really! I just cut off a lot of stuff. I don’t have a mobile.

Do you have a challenge knowing when a work is finished? Not really. It seems obvious.

You know you have “made it as an artist” when… You have a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.

The value of Visual Arts to you is… I am not sure.

Your first “decent” gallery representation, how did it come about? I was asked.

Your first show at a “gallery” you thought was of value, how was the whole thing for you? Disappointing. My first show was in NYC in 1979. Sales were nil and press nil too.

The business or marketing side of Art can be a challenge to some, what are your thoughts? It needs to be done but it is a time drain.

What is the most unexpected response you’ve received from a viewer of your work? A brick through the gallery window as protest.

Have you had much connection post sale with purchasers of your works? Yes, not a great deal though.

Tell us about getting caught in a creative “slump” and how you got out of it? Just go to the studio as if it were your job and do something.

Is your art, “art for art sake…” or a matter of “art for commercial viability?” It has to be a mix of both.

If you have been working as an artist for a while, how do you feel about earlier works that are in people’s collections / ownership? I always enjoy seeing them after a few years.

Name a book or books, which may have inspired your work as an artist? The Short Stories of John Cheever and the Bible.

If someone says to you “Oh your work is decorative and lacks any meaning…” your response would be…? That’s fine. It is hard to be decorative.

Tell us about your studio environment? It has grown too small and plans are now to double it. It is at home.

Otto Dix the German artist said (in part)… “All art is exorcism…” Is that the case for you? If so how… No, it is sometimes celebration and sometimes many other things.

Do the seasons affect your work or work habits? Yes, I like perfect weather to paint. Mild, sunny and no wind.

People around you (family friends etc.) what would they say about the way you work, the moods you have, your life as an artist etc? I get moody before a show and when I am not working.

Some artists are more “at home” isolated in their creative process, while others revel in being part of a group to bounce “ideas off” how about you? Isolated, mostly.

When you get the urge to create art because something has “pushed your button/s” how compelling is it for you? Very.

What is one thing you need to have in your studio before you work? Materials.

Do you prefer a perfect smooth technique or a more energetic expressive technique and why? More energetic, I like to see the surface as a part of the enjoyment of a painting.

How important is society, culture and or history to your work? Culture and society are important. I want some reflection of these in my work.

From your early beginnings at art school to now, how have things altered for you? I have grown up.

Is the making of art all it was “cracked up to be”? No.

How do you think art can change people or their perceptions? I don’t think it can.

Have you won any awards? Yes, a few.

Do you go into any contemporary art prizes, if so why? Not often but sometimes. It is not easy to stop other projects and focus on a subject for a prize. The chances of winning are slim and the time and cost are great.

Are you the sort of artist that seeks out promotional opportunities or one that shuns the limelight? To survive, one needs to seek out a certain amount of limelight, whether one likes it or not.

Technology (websites and social networking sites to name a few) seems to be an important marketing too,l is that the same for you? They seem to be necessary now, but they consume a lot of creative time, so they are a bit of a curse.

Do you aim to make “masterpieces”? No, I just slog on.

What is your working routine? I do not work late at night. I work from 10 am till 6.00 pm.

What do you love/hate about being an artist? I hate the art world and the people in it generally.

What advice would you give to an artist just starting out? Choose another career, or if you are callous enough, go right ahead.

Have you ever made an artistic pilgrimage? Yes, to Washington to see the Edward Hopper retrospective in 2007.

What do you think sets you apart from other artists in your approach to work etc… My sense of light and my consistency.