Tell me about yourself. What inspired you to become an artist?

As a child I always had a ‘project’ on the go – always making, pasting, painting. A proper Blue Peter kid. And while Art was my favourite class at school, it never crossed my mind to pursue it as a career. In fact, at the time, I don’t think I gave the idea of a career much thought at all! But I left school and got myself a job, and then life just rolled along, until I settled, and in raising children found myself again making, pasting, and painting with them.

However, it was in 2005 after I found my Thyroid had ground to a halt, I could no longer work, and I didn’t recognise myself anymore, that I joined an adult education art class as a form of therapy. Two years later I had my first piece accepted into an exhibition, which sold on the first day, plus I received two commissions, and that helped me realise that I was now an ‘artist’!

How has your upbringing influenced your artwork?

Both my parents were artists – they met at art school. My Dad was a commercial artist, and although I’ve obviously seen his work since, I never saw him working as I was growing up. My Mum painted in our tiny pantry, saying she wanted to create 100 works to exhibit – yet also mostly painted privately, rarely showing us what she was working on. The family bought canvases and paints as Christmas/Birthday presents to contribute and encourage this great ambition. Only to later find that she had been painting over the same few canvases time and again, as she was never fully satisfied with what she was producing. So, when I have my doubts about my work I try and remember that - as my Mum should have had her show. I believe that’s quite a strong driver for me.

My Mum, however, was seriously into the theory of colour, and would ask me questions like ‘what colour are you feeling this morning?’ In the evenings she would sit with her notebook by her side, reading magazines and books, scribbling her thoughts and tearing out bits from magazines that underpinned her words. She collated a lot of knowledge – and I have all that work, which I have wanted to read and explore and work with for many years – and now feel I might be equal to the task, so this is a planned project to start in 2024, which will be the 30th anniversary of her death.

What compels you to paint people? Why are you so fascinated in the human body?

When I started painting, I tried everything – sketching shells and onions, painting cherries and other still lives in watercolour. Working from photos in magazines and newspapers, I painted seascapes and landscapes etc. My tutor at that point guessed he was losing my interest and suggested I try oil paints – which I instantly fell in love with! He then set me the task of exploring them whilst working through a series of exercises. And for one I used a news-paper cutting of Dame Maggie Smith – and when I realised I had found her likeness, well, that was a proper eureka moment. From that point all my reference was of people, and I started taking my own photos to work from.

I find people endlessly interesting to watch. And I’ve got my other half hooked too – we are in our happy place out and about together, with sketchbook and camera in hand, finding a good spot to sit and watch the world go by while we sketch and snap to our hearts content.

And it makes sense that I’m people focused, I’ve always enjoyed people, meeting new folk, chatting to strangers, and even in my reading choices (we read a lot of fiction) I’ve realised that if there are too many descriptive passages, I quickly skim past to the dialogue – and I need good strong characters in the story too!

I love the shapes we make as we move. I love how we dance with our shadows. The shapes our bodies adapt to as we age, or how our work or industry impact us physically. I can waste a lot of time just watching - imagining conversations – professions – relationships – all from how we move and behave. We are fascinating, funny, and all so, so different – and yet, there are common threads of behaviour. ‘Tis wonderful stuff!!

What do you look for in a potential subject to paint?

My inspiration comes mostly when I’m on holiday, or out for the day, as then I can switch off from all the normal demands of life, and can just relax and people watch. I don’t necessarily go ‘looking’ for inspiration, but let it happen naturally. I don’t stage, or set up, my images – they are all moments I have witnessed for myself. And it’s that candidness that appeals to me. But I do head for places that might yield good moments – I love a pier or a prom!!

Sometimes that moment has been sketched, but more often I’ve taken a quick happy snap. What catches my eye will either be the emotion the scene conjures, or the body language. I like capturing behaviour that is both recognisable, and familiar, but also that reflects our behaviour as a society. Although saying that, I do limit that reflection to the positives, and take a light hearted look at us. There is so much sadness and injustice out there, that whilst I could call that out in my work, I have a preference to try and lift people’s spirits, and put a smile on their faces instead.

How do you go about producing one of your works? What is your creative process from start to finish?

Whatever reference I’m working from I will print it out in black and white. I want to focus on the values, not the original colours. And I find working from a monochrome reference liberating.

Often, I find myself shifting characters, and adding others – so I do a tracing to get them all in a composition I’m happy with. Usually, I work on a coloured ground, probably of a magenta, as I love how that creates a sense of a sunshiny heat haze, when pops of the deep pink shine through. Obviously, that doesn’t work for all settings – but I do make a LOT of beachy based paintings!

Then I draw out a grid on my canvas and the reference. Not a small grid, I divide the shorter side of the canvas by four, and then use that dimension for squaring across the canvas. That generally gives me enough guidance to work from. The next step is the drawing, and that is done in French Ultramarine paint. The ground, and the drawing, are in acrylic whether or not oil or acrylic will be the top layer. My aim is to draw with confidence, and nail the shapes in the first hit – or as close as I can. If I find a character or face particularly tricky, I might use a slightly different colour to draw (paint) over the original to give me clear guidance round the mistakes. But I don’t like to do that as it always has some impact on the final work, as inevitably the coloured ground gets lost in that correction process. At this point I always turn the canvas upside down once I’ve drawn everything, to check I have all the lines and angles correct. It’s so much easier to spot mistakes upside down, or in a mirror, or in a photograph.

Next, I flesh out my people – and this is the moment I really enjoy, seeing my people popping off the canvas in three dimensions. And it’s also the moment that I get a gut feel of whether the painting will work well or not. Once I’m happy with the people I then go into their setting. The background is only ever enough to give the people context.

As soon as the painting hints at being finished, I pop it on a shelf in our dining room my husband fitted for me – that way I can live with the painting for a while to see if anything jumps out at me that needs tweaking. Otherwise, it then gets signed on the back and I move on to the next!

You use a variety of mediums throughout your work, which is your favourite, and why?

My mediums of choice at the moment are oils, acrylics, watercolour, gouache and felt pens. I’ve discovered a joy in drawing with a Sharpie – I think I am a bit masochistic, as I seem to favour the most unforgiving ways of drawing! And with watercolour I don’t do any drawing at all, instead I go straight into the masses with a large loaded brush. It requires me to be in a very zen state of mind – so it doesn’t happen often.

But my first love is oil. I still get a thrill when I squeeze out the oil onto the palette. There is something about the juiciness, and the transparency as you spread it, that for me, is just yummy. So, I’m a bit bemused with myself for generally adding white and flattening my colours – go figure. Something I intend to explore!

Who is your favourite artist and why? Do they have an influence on your work?

Ooh, could I really pick just one??? Historically there is Egon Schiele, Manet, Sickert, Sergeant. But just one?? It would have to be Joaquin Sorolla. His work spoke to me long before I started painting. And when we visited his home, Museo Sorolla, in Madrid, my poor husband had to cope with me sobbing my way round!! I was so moved by his work – it’s the loose juiciness in his brushwork, how he captures light, and the everyday.

And of modern-day artists it would Peggi Kroll Roberts – her incredible ability to capture light so simply is masterful. Alongside her are Eric Fischl, for his brevity and dynamic compositions – Hockney for his colour and forward-facing nature, embracing anything and everything that helps him create work, and … well, that’s enough to be going on with! And yes, absolutely they all influence my work. I strive towards that loose juiciness of mark, simplified and dynamic compositions, and to find that light.

What have been your greatest achievements so far as an artist? What are your future aspirations?

That first work being accepted into an exhibition, and selling, was a really major moment. I can’t begin to tell you how much that helped me. It had been a tricky few years leading up to that point health wise, and I had lost my confidence and sense of self, so having work accepted for a show, and it selling, was really huge, and was a pivotal moment in pointing me forward again.

Then I was selected for Artrooms in January 2017, at the Melia White House Hotel, London, where, I think, 70 – 80 artists from all over the world were each given a bedroom to exhibit in for a weekend. The range and quality of artists showing was incredible, and that really felt like a springboard into being a professional artist, confidently selling my work.

And I have found myself a finalist in the Holly Bush Women Painter Prize (now Women in Art Prize) in both 2018 and 2019, winner of Creates Magazine Emerging Artist of the Year in 2019, and a finalist in the Surrey Artist of the Year in 2021 and 2023 – these accolades really underpin that confidence – and when I hit a wall with imposter syndrome – as I am won’t to do from time to time - I just remind myself of these achievements!

For the future who knows, I have a yen to paint a mural, do a residency, have a solo show – and so I will start feeling may way towards those things. And I want to continue to improve my techniques and skills – to simplify, to capture that light, be more Sorolla!!!! Meantime though for me the most important thing is to enjoy the journey.

Why do you think art is important in society?

For me, art is what taps into our emotions. And that’s art in all its forms. Music, poetry, and dance as well as all forms of painting, sculpture, photography, are central to what makes us human. It can make us laugh, or cry, it can challenge us, making us think through difficult topics, or help us to come to terms with the unfamiliar, even if only by suggestion. And while appreciation of all the arts is subjective – there is always something, always some form of music, or painting, or writing, that will speak to us and connect, whatever our taste.

As an artist we can use our work to challenge society, speak truth to power, document social history, or just entertain. In my opinion, being creative, or engaging with creative works is important to keep us healthy and human.

Home ~ Sue Ransley Art ~ people painter

ARTIST INTERVIEW: SUE RANSLEY