World of Marbles Jan Rigden-Clay Dec 2013

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December 2013 Volume 2 No. 12

VISUAL LANGUAGE contemporary fine art

Jan Rigden-Clay

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Artist Interview Jan Rigden-Clay

Artist Profile Early Years?

I grew up in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand. We lived on a dairy farm at the end of a peninsular with no close neighbours but a lot of bush and ocean.

Childhood experiences that enabled me to develop artistic talents?

Because we lived quite a distant from anyone we learned to make our own fun. My mother was a school teacher and was always bringing home artistic projects – enamelling, basket weaving, bark pictures etc. My father tanned hides to make leather, turned wood and did taxidermy and so we were introduced to craft and art at an early age.

I was also one of the first girls to be able to do Technical Drawing as a subject at High School and I especially enjoyed the perspective classes which later influenced my painting.

When did you realise that art was your vocation?

I always wanted to do something in art or music but this was not considered an option when I entered the work force. I consequently spent many years feeling frustrated until I met my husband Peter who encouraged me 100% and was happy to pay the bills while I studied and worked at being able to earn a living as an artist. I guess we are all products of our time and circumstances and my parents decided I should have a job in a bank when I left school!

Is there such a thing as a normal working day when you are creating new work?

I have always been very strict with myself and treated my art working days as any other job.

I get up and go to work. If I am having trouble painting or working the glass there are always other jobs to do like stretching canvases, preparing glass rods etc – all the mundane things that need to be done in order to do the more creative work. I always set daily goals. The most difficult thing is that other people don’t think of this is a “real job”. It was quite important in the early days of having my studio and gallery that I discouraged people from dropping in expecting cups of tea and a morning chat! Now my genuine friends understand and it is not an issue.

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Is it possible for you to explain how you get your inspiration?

I like a good challenge. That is my biggest motivator. I see something or have an idea and then I simply have to find out if I can do it. I never know what that will be!

Have there been any particular artists (or others) that have inspired and motivated your creative activity?

Of course all the photorealist painters have been a huge inspiration but also other people like Gaudi and Hundertwasser. People who have dared to be different inspire me, whatever field they may be in, especially those who give things the extra “yards”. I like things done professionally and well – no half way efforts! My son Shasa is a wonderful inspiration and a great example of someone who practices and perseveres until he reaches his goals.

What would you say is possibly your greatest artistic achievement?

Being able to make a living doing what I enjoy most. My greatest artistic achievement is always going to be my next piece of work!

Do you have a future goal in mind?

As I mentioned I love the work of Gaudi and it is my dream to turn my gallery building/home into my biggest work of art and for The World of Marbles to become one of Tasmania’s top tourist attractions.

How different is the experience for you to do a commissioned work as opposed to doing something for an exhibition?

I am very uncomfortable with commission work and try to avoid it. I don’t want to try to be getting inside someone else’s head. I am much happier doing what I like and if someone comes along who likes it enough to buy it then I am very honoured and happy.

Exhibitions are also difficult because it takes so long to complete enough pieces for a show and I never seem to have enough. I am very fortunate that most of what I do sells – both with my painting and glass working.

Above: Breakout

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Right: Nova

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Artist Interview Jan Rigden-Clay

Coming Out

Cluster

Ed and Bob

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Is it possible for you to say what balance of actual sight, subsequent use of photographic images, memory and invention might be employed when engaged with a work?

I spend a lot of time inside my head thinking about what I am going to do and how best to do it. I rarely take notes but I take a lot of photographs which I put away for “one day�. If I have a particular project in mind I will spend sometimes days and weeks setting up things to photograph. Sometimes I will just wander around the streets looking out for intriguing and interesting things.

I then play around on the computer although my computing skills are minimal and after that it is a mixture of using the photographs and inventing the rest. Intuition is much more useful than my lack of memory!

Have there been any particularly memorable instances which came about because of your art?

Too many to mention. Becoming an artist changed my life in so many ways. Most of all it is the many wonderful connections with so many very interesting and exciting people. I have been filmed for television shows and that was a lot of fun but mostly it is the people I have met around the world which is most special.

If you were starting out again is there anything you would do differently?

I would ignore the people who think making a living from art is not a real job and start twenty years earlier.

What advice can you give to new and aspiring artists?

Treat art as you would any other career and put in the long hours and hard work. But most of all allow yourself to have the dream and then set about making it come true.

Jan Painting

Marble 10

http://www.worldofmarbles.com.au/

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