Ahead of the exhibition, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the talented Louise Man to delve into a discussion about her captivating collection of Rural Essex landscape paintings. Louise is an artist with a remarkably diverse range of artwork that spans various styles and subjects. However, for our conversation today, we are placing a special emphasis on her breath-taking landscapes, painted from her studio nestled in the picturesque surroundings near Thaxted. Her work not only captures the serene beauty of the countryside but also evokes a deep sense of tranquillity. Here is our “In Conversation” ….
Question: Can you walk me through your typical creative process from conception to completion?
I’ll be inspired by a landscape when I’m usually out taking a walk with our puppy Maya. I’ll walk across the fields and take photos of different views. Once home, I’ll get a few canvases ready by painting them with gesso and a drop of red acrylic paint to get a pink background colour. I find this helps warm up the canvas and allows pops of pink to show through the finished piece, often working really well against greens. I’ll usually try to paint a few canvases at the same time at first, so there’s a freedom in the mark making. I won’t draw out a landscape, but just start to apply colours and marks, often with anything I can find – a piece of cardboard, a palette knife, a brush, and charcoal. Once the paintings have dried, I’ll come back to them and see if there’s anything in there that I can work with. It’s at this stage that I’ll refer back to my photos of the landscapes and start shaping them into something that references the original views that inspired me. Some of the abstract marks and layers will stay; others will go, while some areas will remain with another layer over the top. It’s this layering with different shapes and marks that I really enjoy.
Question: How do you overcome creative blocks or challenges during your process?
I’ll take a break from creating for a while if I find that I’m stuck in a rut. I’ll also search for other artists that I find inspiring and try to pinpoint what exactly it is in a piece of work that excites me and why.
Question: Are there any rituals or habits you have while working on your art?
Painting the initial canvas with a pink background, working on multiple paintings at a time, and telling myself that I’m not making a painting; I’m just putting down marks.
Question: How do you decide when a piece of art is finished?
When I feel that everything that I wanted to say is said. For me, a painting is finished when it feels balanced, interesting, and exciting to look at.
Question: How has your creative process evolved over the years?
I have only recently started painting with acrylics. I used to paint landscapes in oils only. But I like the way acrylics dry quickly, allowing me to paint over areas and let the colors and marks underneath show through. I also find myself moving towards creating landscapes that are more abstract in their appearance. It’s still obvious they are landscapes from certain visual cues, such as colors and marks, but they are not as rooted in realism as they would have been previously. I like the not-knowing when I’m moving towards an abstract painting; the mark-making and constant assessing of whether one mark works well against another, and how colors sit next to each other.
Question: What part of the creative process do you find most satisfying?
The doing. I find the process of creating the most satisfying. The end result can often be less satisfying than the process itself. I find that by doing, I enter a very lovely mindful zone where I am totally focused and it’s wonderful.
Question: How do you balance planning and spontaneity in creating your art?
I put more emphasis on the spontaneous side of creating art, rather than planning too much. I have an idea of something I want to create, but it’s in the mark making and spontaneity that can lead to exciting results that I couldn’t have planned for.
Question: How do you manage the practical aspects of art making, like storage and studio space?
I’m very lucky to have a new studio above our cartlodge. I love the fact that all my artwork is in one place, and I can leave paints out and not have to put things away.
Question: Can you explain your research process when starting a new piece?
There isn’t really much research. I’ll be inspired by a view or a landscape, I’ll take some photos, maybe crop a photo to change the composition slightly, but I’ll be looking for shapes and patterns and try to understand why I like something and how I want to reference that in the painting.
Question: How do you incorporate feedback into your creative process?
I love getting feedback from people. Art isn’t a one-way thing; it’s about how a painting speaks to different people. If someone tells me they like one of my paintings, I’ll ask them why, and what is it about that particular piece of work that they like. Sometimes they like things that I do, and at other times they’ll like areas that I have completely overlooked. So it’s interesting to see if people like my work for the same reasons as I do.
Question: Who or what are your biggest artistic influences?
I love the work of David Hockney and the way in which his work has evolved over the years. I love his use of colour and his iPad drawings, which I think are so exciting and make art so accessible and inspiring to the younger generation of technology-savvy artists.
Question: How do you find inspiration when it seems to elude you?
Go for a walk. Now that we have a dog, I’m always out and about across the footpaths. Being outside is my biggest inspiration.
Question: Can you describe a moment of inspiration that led to a breakthrough in your work?
Understanding that art is as much about emotion as it is a visual concept. Often we like things because of the way they make us feel, rather than being able to articulate exactly what it is about a painting or piece of art that we like. I like light pink and lime green placed next to each other. I like using thick paint next to more transparent paint. I like different marks that bring life to an area and create interest. The idea that abstract painting is about balance makes sense to me.
Question: Could you explain the concept behind one of your most recent works?
Making Tracks Across the Fields is one of my more recent, semi-abstract works. It’s a reference to the large green fields, with the tire tracks running through them. The fields are like great blocks of color on the landscape. I also wanted to reference the very specific shape of woods that seem to sit on the horizon line in our landscapes around Finchingfield and in this part of Essex. They are a feature of the landscape here. The pops of pink refer to the colors in the hedgerows from wildflowers and wild roses, and the marks scratched in are the grasses that brush against your feet when you’re out walking in the fields.
Question: How do you choose the materials you use for your pieces?
I choose materials that work for me practically. At the moment it’s all about acrylics as they dry quickly, are easy to clean, and aren’t as toxic or smelly as oils. But I do love the buttery feel and luminosity of oils, so I may come back to them at some stage.
Question: Have you ever dramatically altered or discarded a piece of art you were unsatisfied with?
Yes, all the time. If I don’t like a painting, I’ll paint over it. I’ve also stabbed a painting with a palette knife in a moment of frustration. I won’t do it again. I’ll just paint over it if it’s not going well!
Question: What’s the most unique technique you’ve employed in your work?
On my large painting, Evening Light Towards Tilty, I used a large ice scraper to spread the painting across the canvas. It was very satisfying. But I’m pretty sure most of the techniques I’ve employed in my work have been used previously. I like scratching marks with palette knives, the ends of a brush, cardboard, and rolling over cow parsley with a printing roller.
Question: What’s next after this exhibition?
I have entered some pieces of work into the High Roding Art Exhibition taking place at High Trees Farm in High Roding on Friday 16th August. I’ll also be entering some works into the Countess of Warwick show at Little Easton over the bank holiday weekend in August.