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Tommy Egan

Do you go into your artwork with a plan and if so, then how closely do you stick to it?

You have ideas in your head, but they often come out very different to what you expect. I have a basic structure of a plan - what surface you choose to work on, what mediums you shall be applying and in what order etc but once you're on that journey you never know what might be more appealing down the line.

Sometimes a piece can completely change after months of work upon a new idea or realisation.

Something I find interesting is the effect that the drying process has on paint - fresh oil reacts very differently to day old, week old, or month old paint etc - and the interplay between these different viscosities can be really fascinating. Then you have to think about what oil medium you used to thin the paint and how much it's been worked into the surface - there are just so many variables!

You mentioned ideally, you'd have a large warehouse to work from, how do you feel about working in a smaller area and does this influence your art?

It has definitely made me appreciate what can be done on a smaller scale - but it's undeniably a limitation on the energy that I can put into larger work! There's far too much danger of ruining mine and others' work if I get all crazy with it.

When painting, do you try to convey messages or create because it looks cool?

I try to convey something positive and colourful in a world that can sometimes not feel quite so.

Do you keep your creativity to the studio, or do you work at home as well?

I definitely explore my creativity whenever I get the chance – or have the energy – to, but a lot of things are creative outside of painting. I began as a drawer rather than a painter so that’s always nice to return to when I’m out and about – though the cost of new sketchbooks is endless!

What initially sparked your interest in art, and what age did you get into it?

I suppose a need to spend time by myself and the want to become good at something. I’ve been drawing pretty much all the time since primary school, though secondary school took up too much time and energy for a while to do it truly consistently, but GCSE art was a great excuse to spend hours and hours not revising for anything else, so I think I realised my potential work ethic there.

 

How do you stay motivated when facing creative challenges?

Just keep doing stuff. Motivation doesn’t come from anywhere other than a willingness to prioritise your overall development as an artist over your current frustrations with the speed of said development. It’s a long road! And it’s an unending task. You will never “complete” that journey. So just keep going.

What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting out their creative journey?

Follow what excites you, you are the only person with your voice, and don’t pay attention to what you think the audience may want.

What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting their creative journey

Find other artists so you know you’re not mad.

Keep practicing!

Don’t be afraid to do stuff that looks terrible.

Don’t be afraid to do stuff that looks nice either!

It doesn’t have to be deep – you’ll realise what is meaningful about your work in different ways at different times, they’re probably all true.

Support your friends, they’ll support you too!

Pasta is cheap and full of slow release energy.

I don’t usually have a problem with motivation, but I take my health, diet and mental wellbeing very seriously and this helps to keep me productive in the studio. Being an artist is often a challenging and unstable career path, so any lifestyle choices I can make to aid that are of great benefit.

 

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