Holly Thoburn Interview

director James Woodward shot the breeze with Holly Thoburn after the opening of Scratching Beneath The Surface, her first major solo show.

I've been known to spend weeks on a piece only to not be feeling it, cover it in a base coat, start again, and go from there

James Woodward: For those who don’t know, tell us who you are and where you're from?

Holly Thoburn: A painter from Essex/London

JW: Tell us about Scratching Beneath the Surface?

HT: I wanted to make the most of my collection of photos, drawing inspiration from all the images I had built up over the years. Everywhere I’d been I had taken photos of walls, doorways, garage doors, metal gates, shacks, old buildings.

They’re all so diverse and I wanted to get this across in my paintings for this show, each piece giving a sense and feel of the place it was taken.

JW: Talk us through a typical day in the studio?

HT: Sometimes looking over a particular photo or several images, possibly a tear sheet from a magazine, or a postcard, pulling together the inspiration and ideas in my mind. Laying out paint tubes and pots in easy reach, all the colours I want to play with. Then it is a case of having fun, layering, drying, scratching, distressing, layering, tagging...

JW: So, how often do you paint?

HT: Regularly, as and when I am inspired by something. Or to try a new idea and when putting together a show or working on a commission.

JW: I’m always amazed by the amount of detail in your work, the number of layers and textures. How long do you typically spend on a single painting?

HT: It’s impossible to say. Each literally goes on a journey. As they are built from so many layers and textures, I have to allow time for each layer to dry. I can only work on a piece for an hour or two at a time. So it can vary from a few days to weeks or months. I've been known to spend weeks on a piece only to not be feeling it, cover it in a base coat, start again, and go from there…

JW: How many paintings are you working on at any given time?

HT: I will usually have several pieces on the go at once. Having just one can feel too constrictive.

JW: Do you remember the first piece of work you sold?

HT: Yes. A new pub/restaurant had opened in East London and I took my paintings in to see if I could show them there. As I was installing my first piece one of the waitresses came straight up and asked how much I would sell it for....

JW: Talk us through the art you have up at home?

I have a real mix of work at home, all very abstracted though. Screen prints, paintings, framed, unframed. They all happen to be from unknown artists. I am happy to collect work from anyone that catches my eye.

Scratching Beneath The Surface runs until the 2nd of December at our Brighton gallery. If you haven’t already seen it, take two minutes to check out the short film we produced in collaboration with It Drew Itself. You can view available Holly Thoburn work here.

posted by james