Artist Statement Stephen Gould >home page
I don't set out to produce art about one subject or another, but I'm never without a sketchbook to hand so I am constantly drawing and sometimes the drawings are left in the sketchbook and other times they develop into more in-depth ideas and detailed images. I am particularly fascinated by the notion of Biomimicry in that art can imitate life and inter
act with the environment in an ever changing world. Using Acrylic and mixed media I strive to create pieces that are thought provoking, emotive and capture the spontaneous beauty that forms all around us. My aim is to establish myself as an evocative painter of landscapes and urban scenes with my use of broad brush and colour to create bold and clear vistas of the city and landscape. I am particularly drawn to scenes of dawn and sunset and try to be an honest observer of the world around us. I draw upon an innate sensitivity in an effort to reflect my surroundings with exuberant lavish strokes. I aspire as an artist to capture the magic and majesty of the British countryside. I employ strong and confident brushwork and attempt to record the essence of my subjects be they landscape or urban cityscapes. I experiment with highly textural acrylic paintings full of light, shade and atmosphere. After graduating from college I always found time to sketch and paint . Subsequently I incorporated my art skills into my job as a youth leader. I believe art should be accessible to everyone whatever challenges an individual may face, it can provide the means for making sense of an otherwise confusing, fearful world. Recently I worked as a Press Photographer employing my creative flair to take innovative photographs for Lincolnshire based & national publications. I didn't set out to be an artist or to create artwork but as my portfolio developed and people started to review my work, the descriptions started to emerge and I began to notice a pattern I hadn't intended but am now pleased with. As my work evolves, in its wake new works are created & this triggers new experiences which in turn inspire me to produce new artwork. My work tends to focus on the environment, the evolution, the development of bigger and bigger cities, more and more people, an increase in cars and a growth of industrialised means to power our planet and the consequences this has on nature & its impact on our everyday lives. During my childhood times in the Exe Valley in Mid Devon I loved living close to the river Exe in my family home opposite this majestic watercourse. At school I recall most of all my ART lessons. In particular I cite two important people Mr Webb & Mr Harry both of whom were extremely inspiring teachers who took the time to explain various art related techniques to me one-to-one. They offered me extended usage of the studio during unsupervised sessions giving me the freedom to indulge my passion for all things artistic. Hence this was the only class where I really paid attention & this enabled me to expand my artistic horizons . I simply wasn't interested in anything else and I think my obsession with depicting nature and exploring personal space started there. In 1993 I was diagnosed with a life threatening blood disorder ITP. As part of my immediate treatment I was confined to my home for a year. Following this & with the cooperation of my GP & East Devon college I was enrolled on a course to study Art & Design. I had already attained C.S.E art & O' Level art while at school both at grade A. While at college I studied & completed BTEC Art & Design & GCSE Art grade A* - This was the basis of my formal training & also provided me with an outlet for articulating my fear & frustration during my illness. Art continued to be an integral component in my daily life. Following the cancellation of funding my previous employment in mental health was terminated. I then chose to pursue a different career path & so became a professional photographer. My conviction is that Art is a channel for healing; a means to articulate the unquestionable compulsion to free the spirit & to illustrate the embodiment of artistic integrity. None of it was intentional - it all developed and evolved over time. People always ask for my artist statement so I needed to do one but I've never liked to explain a certain piece of work - if you've made a picture and that's how you wanted it to be - hopefully it can speak for itself and whatever it says to the viewer - it's the right message because there isn't a wrong and a right message. Each person takes something a little different from the same picture and I'm happy with that. I find others interpretation of my work intriguing & revealing. I am open to new perspectives to kickstart new directions in the evolution of my art. With influences as diverse as Munch and Francis Bacon, new variations are created from both traditional and modern structures. Ever since I was a student I have been fascinated by the ephemeral nature of the mind. What starts out as undefined then soon becomes manipulated into a hegemony of defeat, leaving only a sense of space undefined and the possibility of a new synthesis. As momentary forms become transformed through emergent and diverse practice, the viewer is left with an impression of the darkness of our era. But the light of artistic endeavour will elucidate us even in our darkest most desperate hour
My Art is me & I am my Art. One cannot be differentiated from the other. >home page
