Jennifer Allnutt Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory member provides some fascinating insights into her practice and experience as a realism artist, as she responds to the questions below:
- What piece of advice do you have to unlearn to get to the next step in your art career?
- If the child version of you could see you now, what do you think they would say/think?
- How do you approach the challenge of staying motivated and inspired in your art practice?
- How do you differentiate yourself and your work from other artists in your field?
What piece of advice do you have to unlearn to get to the next step in your art career?
I think when you are an artist there are numerous people who want to give you helpful advice. And they all mean well yet I’ve found the more advice I’m given, the more fear I have on which pathway forward is correct! So, I’ve become more cautious of advice from experience, and I consider fear to be such a detriment to creatives. Artists need to approach things like a newborn full of curiosity. I’m beginning to learn how to let go of my fear and I think it is helping me to build my self-esteem and be authentic as an artist.
If the child version of you could see you now, what do you think they would say/think?
I hope she would like how my art has developed and be happy that I’ve been true to what I like and who I am.
When I was a young artist I saw an art exhibition called the Doug Moran Portrait prize and I remember one painting which blew my tiny art brain, I thought at the time: ‘I’ll never paint that well (but I want to)’. I wonder sometimes if my work now would evoke the same resonance in a young heart. In the end, I try to remind myself that child-jenny would be a total fan of what I am doing.
How do you approach the challenge of staying motivated and inspired in your art practice?
This year I downloaded a habit tracker app so I can mark off the days I paint! Once you get a streak of like 100 days in a row of painting, it’s kind of addictive. If I don’t paint every day now, I don’t feel like a proper ‘artist’! Once it’s just become a habit, it’s easier to get inspired. I also find regular art openings and gallery visits beneficial. Talking with my partner, who is an artist, and our arty friends is so helpful. Lastly, I love researching topics that interest me and, in a way, creating my own syllabus.
How do you differentiate yourself and your work from other artists in your field?
I try to concentrate on my own idiosyncratic melting pot of ideas, influences and interests! I think this creates a unique ‘blend’ that is authentic and different. I aim to be single-minded and obsessive when it comes to my fascinations, almost akin to a horse with blinkers on! My guiding star is to make art that is astonishing to me. I aspire to make work that I could live with slowly and quietly; the kind of work that would break my heart or hold my hand.
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