Joanna Constable Green is a painter with a classical and figurative painter influenced by French Impressionism, Degas, Monet and Cezanne in particular. Joanna currently lives in London and works from her home studio where she creates all of her artwork. Her work is usually inspired by the beautiful places she has visited and the interesting faces she has observed. Joanna paints on location, from her own photography and also from instinct and experience - both her visual concept of the world we live in and also from observation. Utilising colour and form to convey atmosphere and character, Joanna has a unique eye for beauty that is portrayed in her paintings.
1) Which art movement do you consider most influential on your practice?
I am most influenced by the French Impressionist movement and Post Impressionism. This type of loose, spontaneous, expressive and emotional approach to painting is what comes naturally to my artistic talent and nature.
2) Where do you go and when to make your best art?
I love to travel to unspoiled places, off the beaten track, to observe and take photographic and sketch impressions, from which to work on back in my studio. I also have a visual memory from which I work from. I find that using my visual memory helps to create paintings that are both very unique and personal to who I am, as an artist. My visual and emotional interpretation is well documented, through the physicality and vast experience of how to use paint, with texture, impasto, brush strokes and colour. I don’t plan my composition too much, but as I paint and place positive and negative shapes within the canvas, I review their symbiotic balance and adjust, delete and add spontaneously.
3) Which artist, living or deceased, is the greatest inspiration to you?
I have many favourite artists, but if I had to choose one it would have to be Claude Monet. Monet was known as “only an eye, but what an eye". Monet’s use of colour is absolutely spectacular, and, like my own method of paint application, he used many colours built up on the canvas to create an overall, multifaceted colour. In other words sky, trees, foliage are never one colour, but many.
4) If you weren't an artist, what would you do?
I am also a photographer but if I could choose to do anything, I would probably be an explorer.
5) What do you listen to for inspiration?
I actually listen to music as I paint, from the bombastic qualities of Beethoven, down to the mesmeric melodies of the Cure!. Any music that stirs the soul, I listen to it.
6) If you could own one artwork, and money was no object, which piece would you acquire?
Of course, it would have to be a Monet! One of my favourites and I would love to own it is “ The studio boat “. So contemplative, and the way he paints water is sublime. The idea of a floating studio is wonderful!
7) If your dream museum or collection owner came calling, which would it be?
I love the British Museum, but very hard to choose!
8) What is your key piece of advice for artists embarking on a fine art or creative degree today?
I would say, don't feel pressured to paint to please, or to have the best, newest ideas, or to be famous, but paint from your heart. Always experiment with different techniques, media. Never limit yourself, or put a cap on what you can achieve. My work has definitely galvanized over the years.
9) What is your favorite book of all time (fiction or non fiction)?
'My family and Other Animals' by Gerald Durrell.
10) If you could hang or place your artwork in one non traditional art setting, where would that be?
I would like to hang one of my paintings in the Pompidou Centre in Paris. Very innovative and stylish.
11) What was the biggest lesson your university course or time studying taught you?
To be very self motivated, that true talent can not be taught but can be nurtured.
12) And finally, if we were to fast forward 10 years, where would we find you?
In my painting studio.
Learn more about Joanna and discover her collection of paintings.
