Painting the ocean and Australian landscapes: a deep spiritual experience.

The concrete and imaginative art of Vivienne Bradshaw.

• Hello Vivienne, Do you have a favourite subject?

Definitely.
I’m influenced by the ocean.  I live on the edge of the eastern coast of New South Wales Australian. 

Each day, a new day…colours magnificent. The ocean is in perpetual motion. Always changing. 
I don’t always paint a  seascape,  however,  I feel that the ocean informs my choices of colour and movement in my artwork.

Yes I must say,  the ocean is my favourite subject.

In the summer months,  I swim often with my snorkel gear…observing the variety of fish and plants in the depth of the ocean. Pure joy. 

Another huge influence, is the Australian Landscape, it’s colour’s,  especially ‘outback ‘ are a spiritual experience for me.  Capturing even a glimpse of it on a canvas is soul restoration.

• How do you choose your subject?

Interesting,  I feel my subjects choose me…

I mostly paint abstractly and figuratively. 

It’s difficult to explain,  however I think and  ponder, muse and dream…and somehow my subject appears on the canvas. 

Intuitive art and design…

And I always have my pallet loaded with paint…ready to go. 

• Have the subjetcs changed over the time?

Definitely,  I see maturity.  

Yes there’s a change. I once laboured to bring likeness.  Why bother?  Likeness can be found in photography in my opinion.  Obviously I enjoy photography as well.
However,  my artwork isn’t necessarily meant to emulate the subject in exactness.  My desire is the feeling of the artwork.  The emotions!  

Falling Into the moment and movement,  colours and emotions.

• Is there a material you have used and would no longer use? And why?

For many years I used oil paints. I love the oils.

However,  after some trials and tribulations, I’ve found Acrylic to be my go to paint medium these days.  I also love both soft and oil pastel, and particularly find gauche paint wonderful. 

I really enjoy painting on a quality prime canvas,  however for practical reasons,  I use paper as a canvas more often these days. 

The reason for moving on from oils, is the drying time, my small studio hasn’t storage enough. Paper and acrylics suit my space.

Also sketchbook work is invaluable. 
A real source of/for documenting information,  inspiration and a resource for future subjects.

• Is there a female artist who inspires you?  –
• Do you follow any artist’s career as inspiration?

From modern time,  yes definitely a great number of female artists do inspire me.

A few of my favourite contemporary artists…

Magdalena Morey (Northern Spain) her work is inspiring. 

The colours, wonderful.  Working figuratively.  I relate.

Stephania Morgante (Northern Italy)

I admire your work Stephania,  the colours are so inviting.  Your scarf collection,  brilliant and addictive… 

Bree Morrison: A young Australian Landscape Artist… I follow her instagram site. Her work, amazing.

Susi McLintock: She is an African woman artist. Her passion, birds… I adore her work. 

So then I  follow many female artists on instagram. The above  are but a few. Unfortunately way too many to list here. 

All inspirational. 

I’m always aware, behind every art posting on instagram, there’s a human creating.  To respect and acknowledge is important. 

Jenny Saville (British Artist)

Known for her depiction of nudes — but not classically beautiful bodies in large – scale formats- Saville has changed the idea of depicting flesh and the human body as flawed. Her work sublime. 

Frida Kahlo (Mexican).

An all time favourite. Her colours, courage and determination and endurance under difficult circumstances inspiration. 

Dame Barbara Hepworth: I would love to be able to sculpt! I’ve been admirer of Dame Hepworth’s wonderful famous Sculptures for years. 

Another amazing Aussie artist: Elisabeth Cummings. She’s definitely influenced my abstract Landscape Acrylic work.

• Tell me how the idea for a painting came about?

Observations.  

Just that. Observing nature,  colours and space. 

• How do you know when a drawing or a painting is finished?  What clicks inside you?

I just know.  It’s frustrating sometimes getting there.  However,  it’s instinct.  I’ve been wrong though. Lol…..very wrong!

• Do you believe there is something feminine and something masculine in painting?

Yes…I do.  Definitely do.

Eg. Francis Bacon…masculine..

Ben Quilty….masculine…

It’s just there…in the painting. 

Ying/Yang…

• I know you’re finally on the road now, even if it’s just for a few days.
  Do you think you’ll be drawing? Do you already have a new project in mind? Or do you accumulate everything inside of you and when you return you will paint and draw?

This trip, just two nights. Pure indulgence.
No drawings.
And I have a Project in mind, however it’s unrelated to this trip… and definitely, I accumulate ideas as I travel.
Travel has expanded my artistic expression.
Also we visit so many art galleries and museums when we travel. A wonderful and great source of inspiration and information.
And I’m sure I’ll be finding some art expression from this little trip.

Another resource, my camera. I love to document our travel with photography.
My visual resource is always with me….
For instance…
What would you make of this ceiling fan.
It’s a very fancy fan fan..I’m in our hotel room.