Artist Spotlight: Printmaker Alison Headley

Name: Alison Headley
Artform: Printmaking
Location: UK

Jacquin: How did you connect with printmaking as your preferred medium?

Alison: I have always enjoyed looking at printmaking and buying etchings, screenprints and Linoprints.  The textures and smooth luminous quality that you find in this kind of artwork fascinated me.  And although I've always loved painting and drawing I wanted to try something new art wise so when I saw a course in printmaking four years ago I decided to sign up for it. Even though I tried all the other techniques in printmaking (etching, etc.), it was Lino that instantly clicked with me.

Jacquin: What has been your favorite print to date? 

Alison: I can honestly say that each piece has a special place for me.  However, if I was to choose a significant image that I am drawn to more generally, it would be portraits.  I am especially fascinated by faces and love creating slightly oddball images that would possibly not happen in real life, like a bird standing on a girl's head or a beautiful butterfly landing on the tip of a lady's nose.  "Bird Perch" pictured above.

Jacquin: Tell us about your printmaking process.

Alison: I spend a lot of time on designing the image.  I usually draw an idea over and over until I feel I have the perfect balance for the Linoprint.  When I am finally satisfied I will trace my design onto the block and start cutting.  Depending on the size and design, this can take many many hours, not to mention blistered fingers and hands.

Jacquin: How do you select the subject of your works? 

Alison: My head is literally brimming with images I want to create on Lino.  It can get quite frustrating since I have to be selective, as not everything I think up will work well as a finished Linoprint.  Sometimes I've worked on a design for ages even traced it onto the Lino and then realised it just won't work well so have to scrap it.

Jacquin: What is inspiring you currently? 

Alison: I am inspired by so many things it's difficult to pin point just a few things.  Matisse is definitely the artist I'm drawn to when ever I need an extra shot of inspiration.  His ability to pare down an image to its essential lines and then turn it into something beautifully decorative is awe-inspiring!  I also love illustration and often think that some illustrators are in reality true artists!  Ana Juan and Olaf Hajek come to mind as artists/illustrators but honestly these are a tiny taste of what inspires me. 

Jacquin: What would the perfect day be like for you?

Alison: My Perfect day would have to be a sunny one (something which is rare in the UK).  I love love love spending time in London.  Definitely going to an exhibition, the Tate Modern is one of my favourites and the shop there is a treasure trove for art books.  Then enjoying Dim sum in Soho, a walk by the river and catching a play or going to the comedy store, finished by cocktails and dinner in a small French Bistro near Convent Garden.  Perfect!

To learn more about Alison Headley, visit her Artfinder page here. 

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Artist Spotlight: Thangka painter Nicola Mountney

Today I’m back with a second Artfinder feature showcasing the exquisite paintings of Tuscany-based artist, Nicola Mountney.  Nicola is an expert in Thangka painting, which is Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton or silk appliqué. She took a rare opportunity to train under a Western Thangka Master and has developed a very special style of painting.  I especially enjoy the depiction of water in Nicola’s paintings, which is really quite stunning and serene.  I recently had the opportunity to interview Nicola and learn more about her unique artform.  I am pleased to bring you art expert Nicola Mountney for today’s Artist Spotlight feature. 

Whirlpool & Crashing Waves, Nicola Mountney 2014, Gouache & egg tempera on cotton

Nicola shares about her experience learning Thangka painting...

There are many strict rules and  little artistic freedom in thangka painting.  The drawing side of it is very technical and it takes many years to become accomplished.  I spent hundreds of hours learning to shade using very particular techniques.  You learn to train the eye to spot every single error in your work by repetitive line drawings and paintings.  It’s not for everyone, but it meant a great deal to me.

Dancing Cranes, Nicola Mountney 2014, Gouache painting

Nicola shares some of her recent works...

Below are two of my most recent paintings.  I’m particularly pleased with the detail on the tigers and the luminosity and smoothness of the landscape in the crane painting. 

The palette I use creates a peaceful, spacious atmosphere, and lends itself well to interior design particularly in contemporary settings.  Once I moved away from the strict guidelines of thangka painting, I initially painted in miniature, but now the paintings have become much larger.  I’m planning several triptychs (3-panel paintings) of landscapes and water.  I also plan to use my work as a basis for textiles.

Lounging Tigers 2, Nicola Mountney 2015

Cranes Watching a Waterfall, Nicola Mountney 2015

On developing her own unique technique...

I have studied the landscapes of early thangka paintings, and this became the foundation of my earlier paintings, really as result of practising the painting techniques.  I then found that I wanted to develop my own ideas and techniques and became greatly inspired by the Chinese Landscape style, Shang Shui (literal translation; mountain, water landscape).  The blue and green landscapes, a concept developed in Chinese painting from the Tang Dynasty, I feel gives the paintings a jewel like quality.  Water forms a central theme in my work, meandering streams, whirlpools, rock pools and waterfalls.  I find it interesting how this stylised form of painting water, developed centuries ago looks fresh and contemporary today.

Sea Foam Breaking Over Rocks, Nicola Mountney 2014, Gouache on card

Nicola's inspiration and the perfect day...

I live in Tuscany, one of the most beautiful places in the world, so, I am never short of inspiration.  A perfect day is sitting at my desk with paintbrush in hand and a cappuccino, listening to Bach whilst I work.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful paintings with Interiors by Jacquin.  We look forward to seeing your artwork in textile form in the future!  That really will be a treat, especially for designers.  To see more of Nicola Mountney's artwork for purchase, please visit her page on Artfinder.  Nicola's artwork would be a perfect way to bring a touch of chinoiserie to your home.  

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Artist Spotlight with Artfinder CEO

Today I'm pleased to introduce an exciting segment featuring Artfinder.com, a London-based online fine art vendor selling artwork from around the world.  This website has the most extensive collection of fine art, available for purchase globally including the United States.

This multi-part Artfinder collaboration will showcase 3 Artfinder artists over the course of this summer, who I've personally selected for the Interiors by Jacquin Artist Spotlight Series.  Today I'm interviewing two great members of the Artfinder team: Jonas Almgren, CEO and Liz Hipkins. 

An Interview with Jonas Almgren, Artfinder CEO

Jonas Almgren, Artfinder CEO photographed at an Artfinder event

Jacquin: Hi Jonas!  I'm excited about our collaboration and the opportunity to learn more about you and the Artfinder team.  What's your favorite thing about your job?

Jonas: Nothing beats hearing back from artists, to hear first hand what our efforts accomplish.  It's made me truly understand the challenges most artists face, and what a dramatic difference it can make for an artists when their art is validated through a sale.  Also, customer reviews can be great, as this one we recently received from a customer in Australia:

Jacquin: Show us your favorite contemporary work of art right now from Artfinder! 

Jonas: There are so many great artworks on Artfinder, and I see probably a dozen new works every day that I find exceptional.  I really like when an artwork surprises me, forces me to see something with new eyes, though exceptional technique can be very exciting too. 

Recently I've been paying attention to the abstracts by Richard Kuhn, a German artists that's been with Artfinder for quite a while.  He started out selling brilliant evocative portraits, but has recently ventured into large abstracts, that I find very compelling.

Photo of German artist Richard Kuhn at work.  

Richard Kuhn acrylic painting, unknown model, 2015

Jacquin: What's been the most exciting thing about your work so far?

Jonas: As with all startups, it's about building up something from nothing.  When we started out, we had a handful of artists and a few hundred artworks.  Now we are proud to say that thousands of artists have sold work through Artfinder, and the Artfinder Community includes artists from 95 countries. 

Gradually we hope to eliminate the "starving artist" syndrome as we enable more artists to live from selling art, while helping buyers find unique artworks that they often can't find anywhere else.

Jacquin: What does Artfinder have in store for the future?

Jonas: We're planning a massive US expansion this year, but we're also launching several new product features that, among other things, we will support interior decorators and architects with key tools to enhance their project processes.  We believe there are plenty of opportunities working directly with businesses and retailers, and this year we intend to give them our full attention. 

An Interview with Liz Hipkins, Artfinder Community & Events Manager

Jacquin: How did you train for you job with Artfinder?

Liz: Prior to working at Artfinder, I worked for 5 years at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, building out the Membership community and working on a very varied program of events.  Before this, my background was actually in music, studying it at university and working for an orchestra, basically submerging myself in the London Arts scene as much as physically possible! 

Jacquin: How did you come to be interested in art or fine art, specifically?

Liz: It is hard to say, my parents have always had a huge interest in culture, visiting historic places of interest, virtually every weekend.  I grew up in a very rural part of England and so it wasn’t really that easy to pop to galleries and exhibitions, but I always remember coming on a trip to London as a child and going to the National Gallery for the first time and being surrounded by amazing and admittedly very large artworks!  Since then I have always been interested in art and the wider art scene.

Jacquin: How does Artfinder promote its amazing artist? 

Liz: We promote our artists through our community events. We host Artfinder Pop-Ups which are still in there early days, but these involve displaying physical art by local Artfinder artists, alongside an interactive experience using touch screens which enable visitors to curate their own exhibitions to promote on to the venue walls. 

Artfinder Pop-Up Event featuring interactive screens, London

By hosting Pop-Ups, it enables Artfinder artists from all over the world to have their work included and enables us to promote thousands of artists, rather than just been limited by the size of the space.

Artfinder Pop-Up Event, London

Jacquin: Show us a work of art in your home?  Why did you choose it?

Liz: This is a work called ‘Baron Samedi’ by artist Jayne Evans, an artist based in the UK (see below).  This work was actually chosen by my boyfriend who saw it and instantly liked it, plus he has always been a fan of the Bond series.  It is an acrylic painting, which came framed, as it includes a striking red color again white and black, I wasn’t sure where we would hang it, but as it turned out it looks fantastic against our open brick fireplace, it provides a lovely contrast to look at. (see Liz's at-home artwork below)

Artwork by Jayne Evans hanging in the home of Artfinder's Events Manager, Liz Hipkins

There are several different layers to the work.  (see above) Jayne Evans actually took part in an artist demonstration at a recent Artfinder pop-up and it was quite incredible watching her processes and the painting evolve over the time.  She is also a lovely artist to speak with!

Jacquin: Where do you go for inspiration in London? 

Liz: We are very lucky in London that inspiration isn’t hard to find, with wonderful architecture and art around every corner.  I love walking along the river on the Southbank, especially at night when all of the lights are out in full.  With new buildings going up every month, the city landscape is every evolving which I just love.  (see below)

Tips for Selecting Artwork for Your Home:

• (1) First and foremost you need to look for art that's inspirational and at some level reflects the personality of the owner.  With over 100,000 unique artworks to choose from, it's very much like a matching process.  The art you will fall in love with is out there, you just need to find it. It should be art you're happy to live with.

• (2) Secondly, you need to consider the interaction with the environment.  What impact do you want the art to have on the room where it is placed?  Do you want to add colour, do you want to create sense of peace, maybe add some energy, or a fresh feeling of open water or green overgrowth?  It's easy to underestimate the tremendous impact art can have on a room, especially if the art is large.  Take advantage of it!

• (3) Lastly, consider the practical aspects.  How do you want to hang it?  Do you want it framed, or perhaps a ready to hang unframed artwork with painted sides?  If it's a photography work, be careful with direct sunlight, as it will bleach the colours over time.  If you cover it with UV protective glass, consider how the glass will reflect light (but from lighting, and from windows).

If you're looking to add artwork to your space, Artfinder is THE place to search.  Honestly the best collection of original fine art I've seen available for sale on the Internet and it's so accessible.  Stay tuned as I showcase three Artfinder artists this Summer personally selected by me, Jacquin!  In the meantime, take a look at my earlier feature on Artfinder artist Sal Jones. 

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