Meet the artists that have taken over our Instagram every Thursday in the past month! Showcasing exclusive interviews with Catia Goffinet, Kitti Randall, Lee Ellis, Riccardo Matlakas, and Mohan Ballard.
CATIA GOFFINET
1) Walk me through a typical day in the studio for you?
CG: A typical day in my studio is full of music (rock and roll), incense and colors.
2) What is something viewers might not know about your work?
CG: Many of my works are born intuitively. I take a blank canvas and start and just the ideas start to sink in and take over the canvas.
3) What is the most challenging part of your process as an artist and what is most rewarding?
CG: The challenge is on my mind: the flow of ideas is always too high. Choosing among so many ideas is sometimes a big challenge. The biggest reward is to finish each job and feel that it is part of you and ready to move forward.
4) Is there any advice you have for artists/creators during this difficult time?
CG: Let them see your work. Show yourself. Evolution is part of the process. There is no such thing as the right time. "Being ready" is an illusion.
KITI RANDALL
1) Walk me through a typical day in the studio for you?
KR: A typical day in the studio for me is more like a typical night at the moment. Having two toddlers doesn’t allow me to work as much as I could so I choose to work at night, in some cases i work until early morning. I need some extra light and a coffee to start and as work as long as I can because I find time flies by and I often work an hour or two more than originally planned.
2) What is something viewers might not know about your work?
KR: Painting for me is experimental at the moment because I didn’t really paint much after I got my degree and I feel as though I’m still finding my way.
3) What is the most challenging part of your process as an artist and what is most rewarding?
KR: The most challenging part for me at the moment is to take photos for references, in a couple of cases I had to give up my ideas or change them because I could not take the right photo that I pictured in my mind, some for technical issues and some for working with kids can be more difficult.
4) Is there any advice you have for artists/creators during this difficult time?
KR: I personally think creating is helping me through difficult times and that is my escape from reality.
LEE ELLIS
1) Walk me through a typical day in the studio for you?
LE: After the shenanigans of the morning with dropping the kids off at nursery, I'll aim to get into the studio with a fresh cuppa by 8:30am. I'll then spend the majority of the first couple of hours pottering about and making some sense out of the chaos in there. After that I'll spend the majority of the day until about 16:30 throwing paint around and on multiple pieces. Playing with spray paint and oils mainly. I recently bought a plan chest which allows me to paint lots of paper pieces and store them away neatly.
2) What is something viewers might not know about your work?
LE: It's a constant experiment that no matter what the idea was behind it originally, I allow it to evolve into something new. Chance plays a large part of my creative process.
3) What is the most challenging part of your process as an artist and what is most rewarding?
LE: Knowing when to stop and finding enough time in the day to create is definitely the hardest. Most rewarding is the entire process of creating and of course people liking my work is nice too.
4) Is there any advice you have for artists/creators during this difficult time?
LE: Keep doing it. whatever your practice, just keep doing it. Picasso said "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" and he knew what he was talking about. Also, Take advice you like, ignore advice you don't. Don't be afraid to share your work.
RICCARDO MATLAKAS
1) Walk me through a typical day in the studio for you?
RM: I have my meditation practice before everything I do. Then get my coffee ready with some colorful fruits on the desk. I look at my schedule and write down my daily tasks that later will be crossed. When I have a painting to finish I usually go straight to the studio to look at it and eventually work on it if in the flow. I have several walks a day to get some oxygen to come back in the studio and keep working until evening.
2) What is something viewers might not know about your work?
RM: They might not know that I am a performance artist as well and my thinking process is very wide in terms of media. I also create street art and often I create pieces that I will place in the streets of London.
3) What is the most challenging part of your process as an artist and what is most rewarding?
RM: I feel I have a responsibility as an artist. The responsibility of having a voice. To open people's eyes on certain important topics, both spiritual or political, connected to human development and growth. The process of creation can be both painful and pleasurable, but it's a full ride with all its ups and downs. The most rewarding bit I get is the sparkle of curiosity I encounter when people witness my work.
4) Is there any advice you have for artists/creators during this difficult time?
RM: Do not stop thinking of creation as a media, think of creation as a whole and the media will come to you. Art does not limit you and even if external factors can limit you, art free you up! Remember to be true and honest to yourself.
MOHAN BALLARD
1) Walk me through a typical day in the studio for you?
MB: So, a typical day in the Studio for me is quite structured and I usually like to work as close to a '9-5' as possible. This of course depends on what I'm working on. For example, if it's a personal piece I'm working on which I can take my time on, I'll work from the morning up until 5-6pm. If it's a commissioned piece I'm working on and there's a strict deadline, I will work as much as possible on it, whatever it takes to get it done on time. I love to work with either some music or a podcast on in the background or even get some Netflix up on my phone and have something on in the background. I sometimes even like working in silence. It can be very therapeutic sometimes! I usually take breaks every now and then for those vital cups of tea and coffee!
2) What is something viewers might not know about your work?
MB: Believe it or not, I still have people approaching me about my work and thinking it is all digitally produced. When I tell some people it is all hand drawn and painted, they are often very surprised. Hopefully in a good way! This does usually mean if people need a piece of work quickly, say in a week, it can be hard to do this because of the processes it takes. But, as the saying goes, "good things come to those who wait".
3) What is the most challenging part of your process as an artist and what is most rewarding?
MB: For me, the most challenging part of my process can be the length of time it takes to complete a piece of work. Whilst I am always so extremely happy with most of the way my work turns out, I do sometimes wish the process was quicker. I am always so eager to see the final result, I can sometimes become impatient! I'd have to say the most rewarding part is nailing a commission in just the right way, especially private commissions. I have produced paintings of cityscapes for clients where the city means so much to them, and for them to be so happy with the final outcome means everything to me. Another rewarding part is seeing my paintings out in the open world on products or in magazines.
4) Is there any advice you have for artists/creators during this difficult time?
MB: My one bit of advice during these difficult times is to pat yourself on the back and say 'well done'. To still be creating artwork during these stressful and worrying times, professional or personally, takes a lot of courage. It can be a release of tension, so keep it going. All the rewards you want will come, due to the hard work undertaken now. I too have struggled this past year and a half, but creating artwork has been the release I needed and has also brought me continued joy.
