Rising Talent - Ellie Saliba

Final interview on the final day of the show! Ellie Saliba... have to admit I really, really like her cool, creepy clown girls.... :) 

Please tell us something about yourself and your art?

I am still a learner artist, I just finished my first college course and am going onto a foundation art course at my college (Sussex Coast), and hopefully from there I will continue into University and go on from there. As art is a big passion of mine I don't think I will give it up. With my art I am still exploring different styles and techniques that I like experimenting with and finding my own personal style. I mostly do photography and illustration as I like the mixed media of the two. 

Which other artists do you like or find particularly interesting?

One artist I find interesting is definitely Cindy Sherman and her different takes on her photography, like her clown persona series, definitely a big influence to me and my work as it identifies different aspects and hidden personalities in a single person. 

I also find Van Gogh's meaning interesting and a inspiration to artists. As a man who didn't have much, the city thought he was a mad man and he was incredibly depressed, yet he managed to create such beautiful pieces full of light and choice of bright, eye catching colours. 

Though he is a fashion designer, the late Alexander McQueen, has always been an influence to me since I was a little girl walking past his London Fashion House. I was interested in the bold and dramatic art of the clothing he designed and displayed. 

Why is making art important to you?

Art is important to me because I feel like it's a self therapy, I feel free and powerful when I have my pencil in my hand. But sometimes I have a concept or a vision and I like to make it come true with the help of a pencil and paint. It's a way of expressing who I am, especially if it is a very personal piece like my 'Clown' series.

What would help you to develop your art further in the future?

Well....  going into a new art course with new tutors, new inspiration. And when I hopefully go to a university, I can learn the traits of the art world and hopefully that would be a world I can soon be part of. I just need to find my own individual style that is personal to me and make my mark. 

Rising Talent at the Hastings Arts Forum

July 25th - August 6th

Rising Talent - Satu Viljanen

Satu Viljanen  

I’m originally from Helsinki, Finland and I studied Carpentry and Product Design when I was still living there. My long term dream was to study Sculpture and that took me to move to London and enter university at Camberwell. After graduating in 2010 life took over and it’s been a journey to try to carve time for art. I’m happy to say this is my very first exhibition since uni. The previous studies and jobs working with the interiors have influenced my art practice. There’s an ongoing interest in how spaces affect us and how we affect spaces.

Which other artists do you like or find particularly interesting?

Tatiane Freitas uses old wooden furniture as a starting point and replaces some of the parts with transparent acrylic. The results are still functional pieces of furniture but they seem to be somehow elevated with this delicate otherworldly quality.

Richard Woods has designed playful cartoon like surfaces of real materials like wood, bricks and dry stone. He paints these surfaces on to objects, structures and buildings creating artworks that could also be seen as design or decoration.

I’m intrigued by the work of these artists because both of them blur the line between art and design.

Why is making art important to you?

By making art I encourage myself to concentrate on subjects and moments I wouldn’t necessarily otherwise notice.It allows me to be curious, geeky, and allocate time just for the wandering thoughts. And for me these wandering thoughts are needed to feel grounded and happy.

What would help you to develop your art further in the future?

I would love to find new people to have art conversations with. A positively critical peer group is so important when mulling over some new ideas or just wanting some advice. Also hopefully there will be some more exhibitions or other involvements to push me creatively and to keep me busy developing new work.

www.satuviljanen.com

Rising Talent: Young and emerging artists at the Hastings Arts Forum 2017 

25th July – 6th August

Private View: 28th July 6.30 - 8.30

Rising Talent - Branka Vrhovski-Stanton

Introducing ceramicist, Branka Vrhovski-Stanton

My interest in ceramics started with adult education classes, first in Croatia and then in UK. That was followed by a Diploma in Ceramics at Goldsmith College London, and subsequent self-employment as a ceramic maker and pottery instructor at various places.

A few years after, I started to write what I then understood as an article on the basic nature of such works in ceramics, that treat the hand built container type shape as a theme on its own.  That “article” soon managed to take the place of my making: something unimaginable to me before it actually happened, as ceramics was my dream-come-true kind of work. The writing took me on an epic journey, swallowing the next seventeen years and then some more, its wheels dragging as I was trying to disengage. Though still a part of my life, I no longer write except an occasional presentation that has so far not found its way into print.

In order to disengage myself from this venture and its all-consuming nature, I enrolled again in adult education classes to help me re-start with the making. When I was ready, my starting point, as before, has been the vessel form.

The works that I am showing now result from this period. All are hand built from rolled slabs of clay and/or coiled. They are painted with slips, engobes and glazes. Some are more planned then others. They present my exploration of this particular shape from three different yet intermingling aspects: pottery, expressive and painterly container oriented ceramics. How the work will continue, is yet to be seen.

Which other artists do you like or find particularly interesting?

In ceramics, mostly the makers whose work is centred on the empty ceramic container type work. Hans Coper, Gordon Baldwin, Alison Britton, Ken Eastman, Marit Tingleff, to mention a few. 

Painting interests me too (I was a self-taught painter before encountering ceramics). My latest interest is Roger Hilton’s work.

Why is making art important to you?

It is my therapy as is so often said, but also my need and sometimes -or often- my headache too. It is, as also said, primeval: it gathers the earth, the heat, the water and apprentices poor ceramicists who bring their offerings to the kiln for the kiln’s gods to decide!

It is also, for me, the primary form of all human arts: its primary content, the space we live in and that surrounds us and its mental counterpart, the consciousness, both simultaneously the most distant to our senses and the most intimately involved with us, it is also the content that potentially contains all.

What would help you to develop your art further in the future?

Time, as I am starting again and not in my prime, and opportunities to exhibit.

Rising Talent: Young and emerging artists at the Hastings Arts Forum 2017 

25th July – 6th August

Private View: 28th July 6.30 - 8.30

Rising Talent - Amelia Allden

I am really enjoying the diversity of responses we are receiving from our Rising Talent interviews. Next up is mixed media artist, Amelia Allden. 

I am aged 46 and have spent many years creating using various mediums but never really considered or even realised that I was capable of creating pieces of artwork that would peak peoples interest.

I have no formal art training, everything I do is self-taught. I have a very deep passion for vintage things and history and I adore rummaging to find treasure for my pieces. All my pieces have at least one item that is re-purposed, which gives me an added sense of achievement that I am able to re-use and save things from being sent to landfill.

When I first started creating in mixed media, I never really knew much about the art world or artists, then I stumbled across an artist called Greg Hanson from America and I found his art very inspiring, unique & interesting.  He often made mention that he was inspired by Joseph Cornell, a famous artist who created amazing assemblage work. So I did some research and Yes: his work begin to inspire me too! I adored his use of moveable objects in his assemblage pieces and I often try to create movement in my own pieces. 

I sell work locally and I have a Facebook page called ‘Amelia’s Altered Art’ where I also sell pieces. I have many loyal customers who often purchase pieces as far afield as British Columbia.

Creating art is like a form of therapy to me, it helps to relax my mind when the stress of being a parent of an autistic child gets too much. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than knowing that someone somewhere is also enjoying my creations.

I really hope the above gives you a greater insight into what inspires me and why I create.

To see more of Amelia’s work please see her Facebook page here: Amelia’sAltered Art

Rising Talent: Young and emerging artists at the Hastings Arts Forum 2017 

25th July – 6th August

Private View: 28th July 6.30 - 8.30

Rising Talent - Daniel Huckfield

Our next artist is Daniel Huckfield.

Me and my art

At 43 I am a comparatively late starter in the art world. I have always been interested in art, but after being told at school I wasn't good at art I had sort of given up on making art.

However, as part of recovery from illness I started painting about 4 years ago and haven't looked back! I have just completed a Foundation Degree in Fine Art Practice at West Kent College and I am beginning a BA Fine Art top-up in September.

My art is based on an instinctive use of colour and form, I have become increasingly interested in the use of surfaces other than traditional canvas and find the tension created between a 3D surface and the paint applied very exciting.

Other artists

I found the recent Robert Rauschenberg show at Tate Modern very inspiring, particularly the combines and assemblages. I have always loved the action paintings of Jackson Pollock and whenever I am at Tate Modern I always spend time in the Rothko room. Recently I have become interested in minimalist sculpture and I am drawn to the work of Carl Andre.

Why making art is important

I started making art as a way of recovering from illness and now the love I discovered for painting has developed into a completely central part of my life. I cannot imagine not making art it is part of me and helps to fulfil me.

Developing

The foundation degree I have recently completed has helped me to develop my understanding of and thinking about art. I also spent last summer working with artist Rod McIntosh which gave me an insight into the life of an artist. The BA top up will help to build on this and develop my practice.

As far as developing outside of my studies I think the opportunity to exhibit in a range of spaces and learning from the experience will really help me to understand how an artist works in the 'real' world and learn the things they don't teach you at art school!

More of Daniel's work can be seen on his website: Daniel Huckfield

and Instagram @dhuckfield 

Rising Talent: Young and emerging artists at the Hastings Arts Forum 2017 

25th July – 6th August

Private View: 28th July 6.30 - 8.30