 Portfolio of
Beverly Claridge
View Artist Statement
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Gallery Direct Interview with BEVERLY CLARIDGE
Beverly's narrative style is inspired by the activities and lifestyles of ordinary people. She creates her figurative compositions using a strong colour palette to tell a story about her subject. Her fascination with human activity and what people do to live a satisfying life is what inspires her. She knows that every person, and every situation has a story, and her fascination is recording that story in her paintings.
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What are your earliest memories of creating art and who gave you the encouragement to pursue your artistic talents?
Recently, I communicated with a friend I've known since kindergarten, who reminded me of two primary school projects: One, a paper mache monkey we created together that hung in the principals office, and the other a portrait I drew of her, which she apparently kept for quite a few years. I explained to her that it never occurred to me that I might have an artistic gifting until I reached adulthood. I assumed anyone could do art if they just tried hard enough and kept at it. My folks still have a junior high pastel artwork featuring a wine bottle, which they actually framed. It is a bit ironic because they don't consume alcohol. But they simply love the colours. They have mentioned that artwork quite a few times to me over the years.
Recently, my husband has given me huge amount of encouragement, both emotionally and on a practical level. I consider him to be my business partner and we make business decisions together. I also call him my artist patron, as he has financially supported me. Thankfully, we're beginning to see a reward for this investment.
What formal or informal educations have you found most useful?
I have had very little formal art education. Art classes in high school proved to be a bit discouraging. Even though my teacher admitted I did representational well, I was advised I should focus more on modern abstract, as that was what was up and coming. I didn't create art until 13 years after that class. I enjoy viewing many abstract artworks, but I simply do not enjoy creating it. Representational art, or stylized realism is what gives me a greater sense of accomplishment.
I have educated myself by voraciously reading art magazines, such as "The Artist" and other books and publications. I study the works and read about artists I admire. With each of the artists I study, I ask myself what they have done that I like so well. Or, what habits have they formed over their lifetime. What is their philosophy? Nelson Shanks, whom I greatly admire, works strictly from life. He loves working in a beautiful, passion-filled environment with opera music. He also likes to encourage other emerging artists. New Zealand visionary artist Kees Bruin works from photographs as a base reference and pushes effects to blur the boundaries between real and unreal. Bruin also finds his faith is inextricably engrained in his artwork. I feel likewise.
Workshops by New Zealand artist Lawrence Berry have been invaluable. He challenged me to think about what I wanted to achieve or "say" before I begin a piece of artwork, and then figure out how to go about getting what I want. I do a write up on nearly every piece of artwork I do before I start painting or even drawing.
I have my university degree in Biology. Anatomical studies, as well as mathematics, and sometimes even chemistry help me in my work.
What is your artistic medium of choice? Why that medium?
My main medium now is water-miscible oils. I switched from coloured pencils as my main medium in 2004. It was purely a matter of economics. When I moved to New Zealand, I had to go to some fuss to get professional coloured pencils because they weren't stocked locally for quite a while. More importantly, coloured pencil is not as well-known or well-accepted medium here as it is in the US. Even though my coloured pencil works were admired and even won awards, they were more difficult to sell. So, with encouragement from my artist friends, and my local gallery representative, I decided to switch to painting.
The quick drying time of acrylics did not suit my deliberate style of creating. A friend suggested I try water-miscible oils. Even though using this new medium provided a steep learning curve, I enjoyed the process very much. My very first painting, "Keeper of the Roses", won a merit award at the Invercargill Licensing Trust Awards in 2004. This proved to be the encouragement I need to continue in this new medium. And, economically, I have had steady sales of my oil paintings. It is interesting, though, more of my coloured pencil drawings sold once I changed media.
Have your life experiences influenced your work? If so, in what way?
I don't know how your life experience could NOT affect your work. After I left high school, I didn't create art for 13 years, until the time I had my daughter. Initially, I had a great time reacquainting myself with watercolours. I switched to coloured pencils after my then two-year old daughter with gleeful innocence ripped a nearly finished artwork that I had left drying against the wall. Coloured pencils could be put away without the worry of drips or runs.
Right away, I began doing extremely detailed representational art. It was almost photographic. I truly believe this was in response to being married to an alcoholic. If my life couldn't be reasonable, at least everything in my drawings could be "picture-perfect".
Since that time, I've lost my possessions twice, once due to divorce and the 2nd time to a house fire. And several other family tragedies I won't get into. Then I married my Kiwi husband, moved to New Zealand and can't believe how incredibly blessed I am. My paintings have loosened up a lot and are optimistic. I make a choice daily to be optimistic, so my paintings reflect this choice.
How do you think or want other people to respond to your work?
I want my paintings to help people feel good, if but for a moment. I love it when people laugh or smile at my narratives, especially. In my landscapes, I want people to sense the wonderment of the exquisite land that is New Zealand. I like seeing people taking what I would call a cleansing breath when they view my landscapes.
But I have to say the best response is when they love it so much they decide they must own it!!
What has been the biggest challenge for you so far?
Promoting my artwork. I had to come to the realization that promoting myself is NOT the same as bragging about myself. I am not naturally a braggart.
Just as any other professionals must state their competency to their associates and clients, so must an artist. It is a part of the business of being a professional artist.
Do you focus on one artwork until it is finished or do you have a number of pieces that you work on that are at different stages of completion?
Because of the detail and layers of my style of artwork, I work on several pieces at a time. Otherwise, I'd only get 1 or 2 done per year.
How long does it usually take for you to complete an artwork?
I was recently told by an artist friend, whom I greatly admire, to respond to this oft-asked question, "It takes as long as it takes". Seriously, it is quite difficult to answer this question. For instance, I am now ready to begin a series of paintings that I plan to enter into contests that will take place in mid 2007 and beyond. I began brainstorming and planning for this new series last January, and I've thought about and had discussions with my husband and others. So, how long does it take?? Well, to be cooperative with the spirit of the question: it took me approximately 13 months to paint Noble People, from concept to finish. But because I'm gracefully sliding into middle age and want to enjoy my life and have a real sense of excellence in my work, last January I also made the decision to time my painting process so that every painting is "finished" and in my possession at least 6 months before showing it. I want to allow it to "ripen". Put it out of sight and then revisit it with "fresh eyes" to make any final touches.
Many of your pieces are figurative. Is this your subject of choice and the one you most enjoy painting?
I love painting people as subject matter. I love telling stories with my artwork. So, yes, figurative, or narrative, is my favourite subject matter. I do enjoy painting landscapes, boats, flowers and still lifes. And I really enjoy doing reflections...any thing that requires my brain to do a bit of problem solving.
I have decided at this point in my career and life that narrative figurative paintings are what I like to do best. They seem to be the most admired. So I focus most of my thinking and time on them. In my current projects, my narratives will take on more of a visionary aspect, thanks to the influence of the works of Kees Bruin.
People also seem to really enjoy my landscapes. I find landscapes quite a challenge, but I love the challenge. Landscapes actually give me an opportunity to be a little more impressionistic, maybe even slightly, dare I say, abstract. I like to do series of landscapes, especially after finishing a big narrative project, such as Noble People, Treasured Land. It loosens me up a bit.
When you meet people in different life situations how do you come to create your final image? Is it from images in your memory or do you photograph your subject and compile the information to form an artwork that is unique?
I do both, actually. My approach is usually this; when I decide to do a narrative, I usually talk to people who are involved to get a sense of what and how they feel about an activity or place I getting ready to paint. Then I like to go to the activity and just observe. Try to get a sense myself of what is going on. While I'm there, I do take reference shots. I rarely use just one photograph as reference to a painting. Most of the time I use 2 or 3, sometime more. I mainly use the photographs to get proportions right and to get ideas for expressions and faces. Then I use artistic devices, such as colour choice and composition, to try to invoke the desired feelings in the painting.
I also do what I like to call legacy paintings...a portrait that will gives future generations an idea of what kind of life the person(s) or subject lived. I did one recently of a member of my husband's family. I interviewed that person and asked them all about their life and their passions. Things that were sentimental were included in the portrait. The name of the portrait is "My Sweet Abigail", after "My Sweet Rose" by John William Waterhouse, which is Abigail's favourite painting and evokes several memories for her. So, in these legacy paintings, I am also telling a story. Only, in this case the story is about a specific person. I have a commission to do one for a family that has been on their land for generations. I look forward to learning their story. I prefer to do legacy portraits from principally from live sittings. I may use photos, though for reference for the other objects or landscapes within the painting.
Could you tell us about your latest series of paintings “ Noble People –Treasured Land” and what inspired you to do them?
In 2004, I created a "work" series that I entered into the 2004 Anderson Park Spring Exhibition in Invercargill. The response to these three paintings were so strong, Anderson Park asked me if I would do a series of paintings about Southland as part of the celebrations of the Sesquicentennial (150 years) of Southland. First thing I did, was to take a survey of literally everyone I saw for quite a while, what they though was quintessentially Southland. I tallied the results, decided which ones were most doable, logistically and artistically, and just started plotting, planning, visiting the places and people, photographing, more planning, then painting. Not terribly glamourous sounding, I'm afraid. But I'm thrilled with results. And so was Anderson Park. They said it was one a tremendously popular exhibition and the response I've received from it is exactly what I wanted. The most consistent comment: my paintings made folks smile and made them feel proud to be a Southlander. Now, that makes me smile.
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