ARTIST INTERVIEW: RACHEL ARIF
Rachel Arif
Tell me about yourself and your journey to becoming an artist. What inspired you to pick up a paintbrush?
I was born in Rochdale, Lancashire. I always loved drawing at school and found it a good way of expressing myself and communicating thoughts and feelings creatively, I found it almost meditative, it gave me a sense of purpose. I used to make my own story books and had an initial plan of becoming an illustrator.
I left the North in my late 20s and moved to London. I lead a very corporate life initially, in the heart of Soho, I wasn't especially fulfilled so I began painting and the rest is history. I guess my desire to pick up a paintbrush was driven by a combination of my love of drawing and painting and my desire to create something meaningful and beautiful.
How do your energetic sea/ landscapes mirror your own emotions?
When I'm working on my sea and landscapes, its more intuitive and energetic. The brush strokes are bold, dynamic and intense. I can get quite animated and I think that shows especially in my larger works. I haven't done many serene works but when I have, I guess I'm usually having a peaceful and tranquil moment, how I'm feeling at the time plays a huge part in each work. My more figurative work is quite different in that there is usually a narrative, connection and a more methodical thought process.
Where do you feel most inspired?
Usually in Spring funnily enough, I kind of wake from hibernation! Its odd, as I love dark and bleak days on a beach (usually the Suffolk coast), I enjoy painting when the weathers clement, so I tend to use reference photos much of the time and pretend I'm still there.
Thinking about your most recent work, where did you start? Tell me about your creative process.
I'm currently working on a body of large seascapes. I've been painting smaller over recent years, but I fancied a change. I have several on the go on the studio wall, I began them only a few days ago. The inspiration was from a recent trip to Aldeburgh where I had a stroll along the beach and took several photos, although I never paint exactly from a photo. I'm currently adding layers of oil paint, scrubbing, adding again etc, I like my work to be quite textured, but I also like parts to be translucent. I tend to veer toward painting too literal, so I'm trying, as always, to keep it up to the viewer. It’s a constant battle.
As well as sea and landscapes, you also produce figurative works which are quite melancholic. What draws you to the subjects you paint?
All of the 'people' related work I have done, have some sort of narrative that's true, whether its emotion, location or simply a memory. My work tends to be on the darker side, I don't like it too bright or colourful, so I tend to dull things down. There is usually some personal connection though, but occasionally like lots of artists i’ll paint something totally random with no meaning or connection at all.
How do you capture an individual's character with the abstract nature of your work?
I'm not a portrait painter so I tend to avoid getting too detailed in relation to features and exact figure, I like to keep it relatively loose. I paint quickly so if I mess it up, I usually just accept it or bin it, rather than faff about with it. If it’s a lady I've seen on a bench e.g. in a park, there's usually a feeling or something that stuck in my mind, she will have touched me in some way, whether it was her stance, expression or maybe some flowers she was holding, I'll wonder what her story is.
Who is your favourite artist? If they were sat next to you right now, what would you ask them? Do they have an influence on your work?
I love Joan Eardley and Sheila Fell, there are so many though. I also like Soutine and Mary Fedden, so quite an eclectic mix, oh and Rembrandt (The Nightwatch is just incredible). I'd have several questions but the most important one would be; "Do you have any tips on how to rectify a creative hiatus? "
Are you working on any new and exciting projects?
Nothing in particular at the moment, just building up my body of seascapes. I have several works in The Summer Exhibition at Thompsons Gallery and two works in the Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition at Mall Galleries. I'm a member of MAFA (Manchester Academy of Fine arts) so I've usually something related to the society going on that I'm preparing for. All work I have available in galleries across the UK is listed on my website.
Why do you think art is important in society?
I think Art can bring so much happiness, whether you're an artist, a collector or someone who just appreciates art, I love how exhibitions, galleries and museums bring people together physically. It forms connections to people and places, it can be thought provoking and can enhance our emotional understanding of the world. Art encourages self expression and can build confidence as well as a sense of individual identity, I could go on!
