by Csaba Tibor Palotas | Feb 27, 2018 | Featured Local Artist Milton Keynes
Say something about yourself: Taking early retirement allowed me to focus on creating art, and I’ve dedicated the last 5 years learning as much as I could from anyone I could find. Although it all started gradually, the quest for knowledge and improvement can be quite…
Say something about yourself:
Taking early retirement allowed me to focus on creating art, and I’ve dedicated the last 5 years learning as much as I could from anyone I could find. Although it all started gradually, the quest for knowledge and improvement can be quite addictive and I’m now a full-time artist.
What motivates you to create artwork?
To improve – to accumulate “time on the brush” – and hopefully to create something worthy of retention. When we first learn to drive, we have limited ability to do anything except control the car. Fast-forward a few years, and driving becomes second-nature. I believe that’s the level of proficiency required to create good art; to have enough mental capacity to focus on the message rather than the medium. Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule.
What is the medium you like the most?
Oil for paintings, charcoal for drawings.
What is your favorite subject, what is your art about?
I’m a figurative artist, so for me it is all about portraying what it’s like to be human. I want viewers to feel a connection with the subject; that they feel their spirit and their presence. I haven’t been able to fathom how this comes about – all I know is that at some point in the process it comes alive. If it doesn’t, then I need to put more of myself (i.e. soul/emotion/attention) into the piece.
Where do you get your inspiration?
People. They’re endlessly fascinating. I’ll see an image, a pose, a face, an attitude, that makes me feel a certain way. It’s then my job to make it tangible.
What would you say are the benefits to Life Drawing?
Life Drawing is ideal for me as it deals with the subject I’m most interested in. The human body is amazingly complex and intricate, added to which you get variations in sex, ages and body shapes. While it’s far from easy, I believe it is the best way to improve perception and drawing ability.
Do you work from life, photos or both?
Both. Each brings benefits and have their downsides. Working from life is “real”. You can respond to the individual as the piece progresses, however the person moves, gets tired, changes mood, etc. While those problems disappear when working from photographs, and you can work through the night if you wish to, you have to invent a new “reality layer” over the top of the photo to bring the subject to life, which is informed by the time you’ve spent painting / drawing from life.
Who are the artists who inspire you the most?
For painting, John Singer Sargent – head and shoulders over anyone else. Let’s be honest, his style is dated, but putting that to one side, once you “climb into” one of his oil paintings, it makes you want to weep. Go to Tate Britain and look at his dual portrait of Ena and Betty, Daughters of Asher and Mrs Wertheimer. It’s in the same room as a number of works painted by other artists around the same time, but none of them have the effortless grace and presence that Sargent captured. Or go to see Coventry Kersey Deighton Patmore and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson in the National Portrait Gallery. It’s effortlessly brilliant. Those people are there, right behind a thin layer of oil paint.
Consequently, I like artists who have continued that tradition, albeit with a modern twist. They tend to be American; people like Richard Schmid, Casey Baugh and Daniel Gerhardtz.
Crossover artists interest me greatly too. Christian Hook, Kevin Beilfuss, and my “drawing idol”, Henry Yan.
What is your plan for your art?
Are you selling them?
Would you like to get commissions?
I sell from my website www.clivebryant.com as well as via Instagram DMs.
My plan is to constantly improve. Each piece is a learning opportunity. I don’t pursue commissions as I much prefer bringing the art out of myself than to be imposed by a particular subject. In time to come, that might change, of course!
Where can we see your artworks?
The most up-to-date way to see what I’m working on is Instagram @clivebryantartist
Let’s say someone was inspired by your work,
would you offer some help?
If yes, how?
I regularly get questions on Instagram and as long as I feel I can be of help, I’m more than happy to offer advice where I can.