I first stumbled across Beth's fabulous page whilst networking for Cinnabar Art and instantly fell in love with her use of colour! Some of the pieces Beth creates really get me inspired to splash out with the colour in my pieces. What better way to get to know Beth and her arty ways than with a quaint little interview :)
What made you start crafting? Where did you get your business name from?
I've always liked drawing and painting. Growing up my family would give
me brushes, pencils and sketchbooks for birthdays. I even used to draw
on ther blank end pages of books because I couldn't see why else the
paper would be left blank! I've finally named my business under my
(soon to be) maiden name, and am working on streamlining my Etsy shop
and email address to match – they were set up before I really settled
into my practice so the names don't match. I gave up trying to think of
unique and catchy names – my work is a constant exploration of my
self, so my own name seems as good as anything.
What is your work process like? Do you use a sketch book to get final ideas or just draw as they come?
I tend to draw ideas as they come, and usually it is the act of mark
making which forms the idea. So I have to start making marks first,
without knowing what is going to happen. I usually have a feel of the
kind of thing I want to do first, but that's all. I react to and
interact with what is happening on the page so it is very much in the
moment. Occassionally I get a definite idea, a fixed image, and it
happens and works but generally having a plan doesn't work for me. It
creates a pressure, and expectation, which I find can deaden the
outcome and my interest in what I'm doing.
What is your favourite thing to draw?
I love to let wet media bleed and bloom and create the image for me. At
the moment I'm doing a lot of abstract shapes and forms. I love to
draw from obserervation too though – gardens, trees, plants and people
mostly. And quite often my cat. I think even when you're making
abstract work you need to still draw from life alongside. It informs
all my imagery and keeps the eye/hand/drawing team in shape. I have a
secret side which loves drawing female fashion models too, something I
might start experimenting with again soon.
Is there anything that inspires you to create?
Lights, colour, movement, pattern - moments of these in any
combination. Usually in nature. I love artwork which is all about these
things. I like it when I see a painting which makes me want to go and
paint, for example. An artist friend told me 'That's what it's all
about isn't it?' and I think he's right.
What is your workspace like and why does it work for you? Is it messy and chaotic, an organised mess or spic and span?
It's a space within an old fish processing factory. It's by the window
overlooking part of Falmouth harbour. I still need to get some shelves
and storage solutions in there. Mostly it's very messy, especially when
I'm really engaging in my work. I'm working at an easel at the moment
so the table is just cluttered with stuff I might need. Once in a
while I have a tidy up to clear my mind. It's affordable, and ten
minutes walk from my flat. It works because it takes me away from
everything else - a space dedicated to creating. No distractions (and
I'm easily distracted!)
Are there any other artists/crafters that inspire you?
There are so many, but I am rubbish with names so if I can recall one
then it means they are definitely special to me. I love Shinichi
Maruyama (http://www.shinichimaruyama.com/).
I adore Chinese artwork, the traditional calligraphy based things and
landscapes – it's all about the brushstrokes and the moment. I also
love the recent work of my old coursemate Caroline Pedler: Antidote (http://carolinepedler-antidote.squarespace.com/) - I think we are looking for the same things from our creativity.
A little bit about Beth. Have you always been a crafty person?
The art thing has always been around in my life and has always felt
like a part of me which needed to happen. I didn't grow up in a family
of artists or anything so it's been a really personal journey. That
said, my Grandma was a teacher and did a little drawing - she
introduced me to watercolours at a young age. I've tried other crafts
but it always comes back to drawing and painting, that's where I feel
at home and really the only thing which I don't lose interest in.
Is Beth Hutchison: Art & Illustration your main job or do you have other jobs, too?
I work part time in an office at Falmouth University. It lets me have
time each day in the studio and ensures I can just about cover the
bills even in quieter months. It's lovely to still be in touch with the
higher education environment since finishing my MA, and the job itself
isn't too mentally demanding so it keeps the grey matter freed up for
creating.
Any dreams or goals for the future? Crafty and personal related?
I'd like to reach a point where my artwork, plus a part time job keeps
me on a fulltime wage fairly regularly. It's not a massive ambition but
one of the key things I took away from my postgrad course was the
suggestion that you can define your own idea of success – what is my
idea of success? Not having to work a fulltime day job. That would do
me fine. I'd quite like a solo show one day, but I'm not quite ready
yet. As for personal goals, I'm getting married this year. I've been
with my partner for 11 years and I look forward to growing old with him
and still laughing as much as we do now.
What's your favourite cereal?
I love them all – except shredded wheat. I like swiss style muesli –
the one with all the added sugar. Not healthy at all
What do you enjoy most about design?
The process of making it. And coming back to a piece later on and being
able to see properly whether it worked or not. I can't tell straight
away. I can be really excited about a piece, come back the next day and
realise it's not all that. Or I can not like it, only to return and
realise it's got something. Above all that, I love the accidents most.
The way I work, sometimes things happen that you can't design. Or at
least I couldn't. You just have to spot them when they are happening
and take advantage of them right there and then. Sometimes that means
not touching them at all.
What piece are you most proud of and why?
I did a couple of pictures before starting my MA which meant a lot to
me – one of a poppy field and one called Happy Green Land. They were
both so much fun to make, and the first time I consciously decided just
to let go of any commercial objective and enjoy the process of
creating. They made me realise there really was something else bubbling
under the surface of my artwork that I wanted to coax out and learn
about, rather than just a feeling that I wasn't where I wanted to be
yet. They are both on my blog and Poppyfield is here:
http://order-is-optional.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/little-turning-point.html
Poppy Field
A few more of Beth's incredible pieces!
Thank you very much, Beth! Such a lovely lady and clearly very passionate about her work :) I'm sure we'll see lots of more wonderful things from her yet!
If you want to be a featured interviewee, email me at: amie@cinnabarart.co.uk
