An interview between Rebecca Durrant and Samantha Buvyer-Walker, a 4th year part time BA Fine Arts student at the University of Chichester. 

 

Samantha: So I see you are in your third and last year of your fine art degree. How has this education helped you move forward in your career?

 

Rebecca: My education over the last 3 years has been invaluable to my development as a practising artist. When I began my course I was stuck between choosing fine art or illustration. One week before the deadline for Student Loans Company I switched to fine art and I'm glad I didn't look back. During my first year of the course I was still creating what seemed to be illustration style works and I did so up until the first coronavirus lockdown. After lockdown I realised just how doom and gloom the world can be and realised I needed to do something about it, that is where my abstract was born. I wanted to paint but not in a traditional manner, I wanted to bring vibrant colours and emotional gestural movements to the canvas. If it wasn't for my degree I wouldn't have been able to develop my practice into what it is today. 

 

Samantha: It's great that you have found a style of working that you are so passionate about. What themes have you recently explored within your work?

 

Rebecca: My current work is based on the title of abstract portraits which is a body of work in which I have explored creating a representation of my close friends, family and even acquaintances through the medium of painting. The works I make are not conventional figurative portraits but my interpretation of the subject matter’s personalities through the use of bold colours, expressive movements and mark making. My reason for working with this theme is again based on the coronavirus lockdown and the effects of it. I felt isolated and distant from people who I was close with over the years and I wanted to try and make art that allowed me to get to know them better again as the restrictions slowly lifted.  

 

Samantha: What a lovely way to reconnect with others again after these past few years. You mentioned abstract and painting. Could you describe a little bit about the media and processes you use and why you choose to work in this way?

 

Rebecca: I work with the medium of acrylic paint, I paint in an abstract manner and rarely use paint brushes. I usually apply the paint with found objects and materials such as cardboard, sponges, leaves, tissue paper etc. When working with this medium I apply the paint in an abstract manner, my reason for doing so is that the application is a huge stress relief for me and has become one of the main elements of my artistic process. I feel that working in such a way creates a real connection between the canvas and artist.  The reason I apply the paint the way I do is that when I started this project in lockdown I didn't have access to much, if any, art supplies so I had to get creative with the way I made work andI enjoyed it so much I just didn't stop. 

 

Samantha: Speaking of processes, what form of visual research do you do?

 

Rebecca: For my abstract portraits project my visual research came from either going to people's houses to collect objects and imagery that we feel represented them best, or asking people around me to submit images of the same reasoning. From these images I will create collages that will help me to create a colour palette which I use for subsequent paintings. Working in this way for this particular Project means that my artwork will be true to its theme . 

 

Samantha: It's interesting to hear about your creative process, thank you. In your opinion, what is the most important work you have made to date? 

 

Rebecca: Funnily enough, the most important piece of work I have made to date is a piece that I do not like. That's being my 2022 acrylic painting on canvas titled Arcade. I created this piece as part of my studio practice 8 Project. I felt like my grades were struggling because I was creating art that didn't have a solid subject matter so I tried to create a new type of abstract art where there was a more defined and deeper message. although the only thing I learnt from doing this is that I never want to do anything but the abstract art I make now. So this is the most important piece as it has taught me a valuable lesson and helped me to fully decide on how I want to create. 

 

Samantha: It's great to hear that you have got over so many hurdles as an artist. What artists in particular inspire your practice?

 

Rebecca: There are two main artists that heavily influenced my artistic practice, so much so that my dissertation was based on them and their creative processes.  These artists being Dan Perfect and Fiona Rae. Both of these artists are popular in the world of contemporary abstract painting with both artists being featured in galleries such as Tate Modern and Southampton city gallery. I was lucky enough to see their work behind the scenes in Southampton gallery earlier this year as part of my research for my dissertation. 

 

Samantha: What is your favourite piece by each of the artists? 

 

Rebecca: My favourite piece by Fiona Rae has to be I always wish you every happiness with my whole heart in the distance And Dan perfect DeerDog. 

 

Samantha: It's great to hear about your artistic influences. If someone who didn't know your work wanted to find out more about you, where could they find this out?

 

Rebecca: Good question. I have a website dedicated to my artistic practice as well as an Instagram page. I update both of these sites regularly and hope they provide an interesting insight into my practice. 

 

Samantha: Thank you. So what are your plans for the next year after graduation? 

 

Rebecca: At the moment I am planning to apply for the PGCE course in art design and media at the Greater Brighton Metropolitan College Brighton campus. I hope that upon receiving my qualification I can teach alongside being a practising artist, whilst doing so inspiring the next generation of artists from my rewarding teaching role. 

 

Samantha: Sounds interesting, I'd love to see where that role could take you. Thinking more about the future, have you identified any galleries to exhibit or offer your work to?  

​

Rebecca: Yes actually at the moment I am compiling exhibition applications for the Chalk Gallery in Lewes and Colonnade House in Worthing. As well as applying for these I am also hoping to apply for The Graduate Platform Award in the hopes that it could further my career as an artist after I graduate. 

 

Samantha: Thank you, it's great to hear that you are planning to keep making work after graduation. As a final note I'd like to ask, what is one piece of advice you would give a student starting their final year of their degree course? 

 

Rebecca: I think the best advice I could possibly give a new student is to just make work that you enjoy, don't feel like you have to make work for other people as at the end of the day your artwork is an extension of you. I would also highly recommend just going to as many exhibitions and galleries as possible, I missed out so much on my first and second year that would have been very beneficial to my third year The coronavirus pandemic and I think students that didn't experience that don't realise how much you could potentially lose out on.