Jacqueline Butterworth Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory member provides some fascinating insights into her practice and experience as surrealist painter, as she responds to the questions below:
- If the child version of you could see you now, what do you think they would say/think?
- What motivates you to keep going even when sales are slow, or you hit a creative block?
- How do you approach the challenge of creating a cohesive body of work?
- What does success as an artist look like for you personally?
If the child version of you could see you now, what do you think they would say/think?
I think little Jacqueline would just be in awe at the idea of being able to make art all day, every day. ‘You can do that? People do that?!’
What motivates you to keep going even when sales are slow, or you hit a creative block?
Stubbornness.
I’m not an overly confident person. I doubt myself and my art constantly. But ultimately there’s a determined toddler somewhere inside me who stamps her foot and refuses to leave.
On the creative block front; I show up to my studio and work. And while sometimes work might mean sitting and staring into space for two hours, that’s the only way around that, that I’ve found. The action leads to inspiration, leads to motivation as they say.
How do you approach the challenge of creating a cohesive body of work?
I feel this is something that evolves as I’m working. Even as I’m coming up with new ideas, I begin to group some together in my head.
But there are always threads that carry through your work. When you finish one, it’s like a springboard to the next. I think if you’re making art that’s important to you, that excites you, then a sense of cohesiveness will naturally develop.
What does success as an artist look like for you personally?
I could list all my dreams and hopes and ambitions here, but really when it comes down to it I’ve only ever wanted to paint. So, success would be a life in which I’m able to make my own art full-time, without having to take on other work or worry about rent and bills so much!
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