Simon, have you always wanted to be an artist?
No, I didn’t know what I wanted to be so went into the world of commerce. Thinking back, however, I was always happiest when young sitting in a corner with a pencil and paper just drawing.
Do you paint from a studio or on location?
From my studio, sometimes I sketch on location, and always take photographs, but I prefer to bring all my ideas back into the studio where my materials are.
What is your medium of choice and why?
I use acrylic paint, it dries quicker than oil and is a little more forgiving to work with. It brings colour and vibrancy to my pieces.
You have quite an eclectic mix of work from abstract, flowers to landscapes. How do you decide what you are going to paint?
I’m usually thinking of my next piece as I’m working on a current work, I don’t have a plan it’s where the creative thoughts take me, who knows why the subconscious brain pops ideas into our heads, sometimes I wonder who is in control here!
Where do you seek inspiration?
From nature and the human spirit. Nature does abstract, texture and colour better than I ever can, all I can do is try to reach the essence of the feelings it creates and convey this to the viewer, the human spirit makes it relevant to us.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Up at 2am paint or work through to 11am then the rest of the day is free for either more painting, walking, photography, friendship or collecting creative thoughts or doing the washing, it’s not all creativity!
Which artists, living or deceased most inspire/influence your work?
Non really I go with my own flow but obviously, certain techniques and styles are reminiscent of Jackson Pollock, Keith Haring and Andy Warhole their influence is minimal but there. I prefer to do my own thing, much more satisfying
Do you like to listen to music when you create, if so what sort of music do you listen to?
I prefer silence to be with my own thoughts mostly, occasionally I’ll set the ipod to randomly play from my collection of hundreds of artists, classical and contemporary and let the memories and subconscious do the rest.
If you had one piece of advice for someone seeking a career in art what would it be?
Be patient, it takes time to develop a technique and style that is yours, selling a painting can take years too, don’t measure things by money rather by beauty and meaning. Having patience also means never giving up.
If you had a dinner party and could invite 3 guests, living or deceased who would they be and why?
My friends, because I enjoy their company, we laugh and share emotion together, there are no hidden agendas we have fun and they inspire my creative spirit. I would feel happier with them than with famous figures from the past or present who’s characters I know not.
What does the future look like for you?
The present has no future I live every day as it comes… no one can predict what the future has in store for us…. so you’d better get enjoying life to the fullest and don’t wait until tomorrow to do it.
Visit Simon Fairless’ full gallery.
