With Guest Curator Colette LaVette
Welcome to What Artists Like, an artist-led series of interviews, highlights and nominations edited by me, Nicola Wiltshire. This week we step into the dreamy, earthy universe of Guest Curator Colette LaVette, who was nominated by Olivia Mansfield.
NW – I read that your paintings “narrate the story of a mystical realm, where utopia and dystopia are intertwined”. There’s something so classical about your work. It conjures up memories of walking through the Renaissance rooms of art museums, or looking up at cathedral ceilings – both in terms of style and the (almost) biblical storytelling. Are you interested in historical painting? Or is the way you paint just a natural progression of your experience and interests?
CL – A school trip in my teen years to the National Gallery started much of it. I was captivated by the lighting and brush strokes in The Execution of Lady Jane Grey. It sort of snowballed from there through all the old masters. A few stints of forced contemporary explorations and a sort of fusion emerged. I’ve got tonnes of books on classical art I got at auction, it’s been a really fun way to stay open minded(ish) maybe, I’m not sure.
NW – I love the way your figures almost emerge from the brushstrokes. I’m interested in how you work. Do you make studies, or keep a sketchbook. Or perhaps you go straight onto canvas, painting intuitively until an image reveals itself to you.
CL – Biomorphic forms emerging from paint is where I started to make a career for myself, I don’t ever want to veer too far from that but play with it in different ways. I have sketch books but mostly just for life drawing, I’m not strict about it. Privilege of not having a formal art education I guess. I’m always working on getting the anatomical forms engrained in my brain so I can intuitively add any pose to the expressionist marks on the surface.
Colette LaVette
Masters Artist
29 x 38 cm | 11 x 14 in
Oil painting on heavyweight paper
£400
NW – Your titles are so wonderful. It makes me wonder if you read a lot, or perhaps write. How do the titles come about?
CL – Funny you should say that. I’m insanely insecure about my writing abilities. Talking about my work/ titling works makes me anxious, in part because the words never do justice to what I was setting out for with the visual piece.
NW – You describe yourself asa “sustainable painter and sculptor”, mentioning that you make your own cruelty free paints, plus use ethical materials such as hemp, cotton and bamboo. As a painter, I’m curious about this. What makes your paint cruelty free? And does that explain why you often work with such soft, earthy colours?
CL – Completely, I can’t take credit for the beautiful earthy colours. I use ochres probably the most, Italian gold ochre is a favourite.
Colette LaVette
Masters Artist
10 x 14 cm | 3 x 5 in
Oil painting on heavyweight paper
SOLD
We currently have only one work available by this bestselling artist, so be quick if you’d like to invest. Colette has nominated painter Orlanda Broom as the next Artist Curator. Arriving straight to your inbox in the next fortnight.
Thanks for reading 🙂 Nicola Wiltshire
Orlanda Broom
Masters Artist
18 x 24 cm | 7 x 9 in
Mixed media on paper
£300
Izzy Osborn
59 x 119 cm | 23 x 46 in
Mixed media on wood
£350
Lisa Moro
100 x 100 cm | 39 x 39 in
VR
Gwilym Pearce Jones
122 x 61 cm | 48 x 24 in
Acrylic and coloured pencil on paper and board
£800
Alexandra Kim24 x 50 cm | 9 x 19 in
Earthenware clay sculpture
£900
Sean Pearl
24 x 27 cm | 9 x 10 in
Etching and letterpress print of heavyweight paper (edition of 4)
£200
Charlie Yates
30 x 40 cm | 11 x 15 in
Oil painting on wood
£750
Charlotte Serena Johnston
15 x 21 cm | 5 x 8 in
Painting in stoneware on paper
£200
| “I selected them very intuitively but they are all earthy/figurative with some existentialism and a little playfulness.” – Colette LaVette |