Getting to know…Abstract Painter and Golden Artist Educator Laura Fishman

Laura Fishman is the best kind of ambassador for Golden Acrylic Paint –  her obsession revolves around manipulating paint and  playing with the different product ranges and mediums in order to create works that are dynamic, surprising, and very very exciting. Her work consistently causes the viewer to wonder ‘how did she make that?’  In her practice is a constant flow of experimentation and playfulness that also combines striking colours to create works that intrigue and seduce the eye. The work has a strong affiliation with minimalist sculpture from the 60s, most notably Donald Judd’s, and painters such as Morris Louis, where the materials themselves provide the greatest source of inspiration. At a time when new acrylic painting mediums and product ranges are continually being brought on to the market, there has never been a time when work like this could achieve such exciting and dynamic results. As well as the work itself, Laura Fishman often maximises on her ever-expanding knowledge bank of what acrylic paint can do by leading acrylic paint workshops in her capacity as a Golden Artist Educator.

Laura Fishman: High Viscosity was at the DegreeArt Gallery, 12a Vyner Street, London E2 9DG from the 28th October – 16th December 2013.

Autumn Rain 2013

Acrylic on Canvas

60x60x3.5cm

Lisa: How did you become an artist and a GOLDEN artist Educator?

Laura: I have always wanted to be an artist. My first memory of paint began when I was around four years old when my mother gave me my first paint set. Since then I have always had a passion for exploring any kind of paint I can get my hands on.

I had been in touch with Patti Brady (author of ‘Rethinking Acrylic’ and head of GOLDEN’s Working Artist Programme) for a few years about the programme. As I was working with the brand in my own practice and was an experienced teacher, she invited me to take part in the training in Brussels.

Lisa: How would you describe your work?

Laura: I would describe my paintings as intuitive, playful and energetic – rich with colour and emotion, expressively painted. Organic, sculptural and prolific.

Lisa: Can you tell us bit about your picture making process and do you always approach the making of a painting in the same way?

Laura: My approach to painting is processed based, with the outcome considered, but not rigidly planned. I focus on colour and work in an intuitive manner. I am also interested in questioning the notion and evolution of painting, and pushing the boundaries of painting. I have set myself a brief to make work that includes two and three dimensions, focusing on paint. Within this brief I spend a considerable length of time planning pieces, experimenting with new ideas along the way. I’m quite prolific and exploratory in my process, working on several pieces and series at a time, as some of these works take weeks to form and months to be completed. Many of my works start as studio experiments, somewhat random or even accidental. Because of this I create a variety of opportunities to explore specific ideas in more depth. It’s impossible to plan the results in too much detail beforehand. There is a point when I have to let paint and gravity do what it does naturally. There is always an element of surprise in working this way – which is what make these works so exciting.

‘Pour through Holes’
(Orange & Black) 2012
Acrylic on/off wood
30 x 37 x 7 cm

Lisa: Do you only ever use GOLDEN Artist Acrylics? And how do you most like to manipulate the paint?

Laura: I only use GOLDEN paint, as I can’t get the colour depth I like from any other brand. At the moment, I am pouring paint and experimenting with different viscosities. I also like GOLDEN Open acrylics, as the slower drying time is great for scumbling backgrounds and making monoprints. I’m also excited about GOLDEN’S new range of HIGH FLOW colours and am currently incorporating these into my pours.

Lisa: What is your biggest source of inspiration?

Laura: I would say the biggest source of inspiration is the actual art materials themselves, but I’m influenced by the natural world and the environment around me, and this comes into play in my work – either directly or subconsciously.

Lisa: How do you decide which colours you are going to use for a painting?

Laura: It really does depend on my mood on how I put the colours together, but I trust my intuition as I can always feel when the colour relationship is right. I almost always use pink in my palette, and decide on either high key or low key combinations. I’m interested in juxtaposing organic forms and accumulations with colours that are manufactured. (I would like to add that there is colour theory behind it and years of working as a textile colourist to back it up)!

Laura Fishman in her studio

Lisa: Is there are relationship between your paintings and your sculptural works?

Laura: I have always been ‘paint-centric’, and by making objects out of paint I can push the traditional boundaries of painting and still call myself a painter. Acrylic is very plastic, and as I manipulate it, new ideas emerge. Working beyond two dimensions is an opportunity to explore paint on another level with the excitement that it could transform into something amazing.

‘Pyramids’ 2012
Acrylic Paint
2.5 x 7 x 2.5 cm

Lisa: Would you describe your paintings as being wholly abstract?

Laura: I am not attempting to capture the likeness of a landscape or figure when I paint. My subject is the painting itself. Despite this, many viewers try to see images in my work.

Lisa: Which other artists have influenced your work and how?

Laura: There are so many artists that I look at, and it changes all the time as the list grows. A few to name are Diana Molzan, Angela de la Cruz, Donald Judd, Linda Bengalis, and Stefan Gritsch. As I work in the studio, I am constantly going through references of contemporary artists and others who have come before me and paved the way.

Lisa: What’s the best thing about being an artist?

Laura: The best thing about being an artist is that creativity is part of my everyday life and the ability to communicate with paint.

Laura Fishman: High Viscosity was at the DegreeArt Gallery, 12a Vyner Street, London E2 9DG from the 28th October – 16th December 2013.

http://www.degreeart.com/events/laura-fishman-high-viscosity

http://laurafishmanart.com/