We asked some of the artists we’ve been working with over the last year or so, and who we admire greatly, what their plans and goals are for 2019! Each one’s individual ideas are so inspiring and hopefully will encourage you to make an artists’ goal or plan, let’s just hope we can all stick to them.
Sophie Ploeg’s Goals and Plans:
Sophie Ploeg, The Light of Stars was in her Hair, oil on linen on board, 30 x 24 cm
‘My online art school has just moved to new virtual premises and I am very excited about its future. The art school will be a home for my online painting courses as well as the brand new Art Cafe. The Art Cafe is the hub of my school but free and open for all. All art lovers and artists can join and find a supportive community of like minded people. We share our work, ask for help and advice or just have a general chat. There will be monthly painting challenges and so much more! I am also working hard on my upcoming pastel painting course, which is going to be different and amazing. I am really excited about it and can’t wait to share. So 2019 will be all about my Art School! I hope to launch my pastel painting course in a couple of months and build the community in The Art Cafe into an amazing place for all of us. ‘
Sophie Ploeg, Lace in Box, oil on linen on board, 30 x 24 cm
Sophie Ploeg is a fine artist, teacher and art historian who works in oil paints and pastels. She specials in painting portraits and fine lace, however, her broad practice encompasses many subjects and her writing explores and explains a huge range of materials and techniques.
Sophie Ploeg, Self Portrait with Lace Collar, oil on panel, 30 x 24 cm
You can read other articles by Sophie Ploeg on our blog here:
Advice from realism painters: Sophie Ploeg
Sophie Ploeg Oil Painting on a Copper Panel
Our Interview with Sophie Ploeg
Jack Fawdry-Tatham’s Goals and Plans:
Jack Fawdry-Tatham, Gold, 2018, Monoprint
‘This year I aim to bring colour in to my prints, I’m looking at Japanese wood block prints for inspiration and I’m slowly building up the confidence to break away from the monochrome. I also plan to have an exhibition exploring the lives of the people who once lived on the remote Scottish island of St Kilda.’
Jack Fawdry-Tatham, The Queen is dead, 2018, Etching with aquatint
Jack Fawdry-Tatham is an emerging artist and printmaker whose prints use traditional methods and have a focus on storytelling and the kinship between nature and humans. He was selected for the Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2018 exhibition and his etchings are becoming highly sought after.
Jack Fawdry-Tatham, Some Turn at Bay, 2018, Relief etching
To read more about Jack’s practice visit his site or read our interview with him.
Tom Hughes’ Goals and Plans:
Tom Hughes, Looking into the valley, 18 x 18 cm
‘Regarding plans for 2019, I am toying with the idea of painting seasonally. One thing that came out of The mini collection was a realisation that I love painting snow scenes. So I think one way to approach the year would be to paint snow scenes in the winter, beach scenes in the Spring and maybe landscapes in the summer. This just makes sense to me from a practical point of view and would also mean a refreshing change every 3 months, while giving me enough time to really delve into one subject for an extended period of time. Having said that, I change my mind more than anyone I know, so my plan my change completely in a week! Whatever I decide to do, it’s going to involve a lot more painting. My goals are and have always been to just get better at painting and try as many new things as possible to stay fresh, excited and motivated.’
Tom Hughes, Van with pylon in Lockleaze, December, 10 x 8 inches
Tom Hughes worked originally as an illustrator, before seeing Peter Brown’s work which sparked the desire for him to throw himself fully into becoming a painter. Tom Hughes paints from life, choosing subjects which he loves and working firstly outdoors and then developing compositions carefully in his studio.
Tom Hughes was born in Colchester, raised near Oxford and went to University in Wales. He moved to Bristol in 2002 where he now lives with his partner and two children.
Tom Hughes, Fistral beach, early afternoon, July, 18 x 8 inches
Kathryn Poole’s Goals and Plans:
Kathryn Poole, Goliathus glandarius, 2014
‘This year is going to be a year of experimentation for me. I’m experimenting with the materials I can use in my lithographs and pushing the scale and detail in my etchings. I have lots of ideas and want to make an effort to use my time as productively as possible.’
Kathryn Poole, Dragon, 2014
Kathryn Poole’s practice attempts to capture and illustrate memories. Focusing and documenting the loss and death that occur in unnoticed places, she memorialises the dead animals she finds in her daily life through drawings, etchings and lithographs. Her drawings are her attempt at preserving a remnant of a life that was lost.
Kathryn Poole, Death Throes, 2018, Pen and paper, 70 x 100 cm
You can find out more about Kathryn Poole on her website here or follow her on instagram @kathrynpoolear to keep up to date with her processes.
Kathryn Poole won the Drawing Prize in our Emerging Artist Competition 2018, you can read more about it here.
Andrew Thompson’s Goals and Plans:
Andrew Thompson, Plum, 8” x 8”, Oil on Aluminium, 2018.
‘I’m currently working towards a solo show in the summer, with a local gallery owner (www.brownsart.com) who presently has a gallery in Tain, but who is opening a beautiful and ambitious new space in Inverness.
I’m currently working on small scale still life paintings of simple, unassuming objects (fruit, bowls, glasses, bread).
I’ve tried to pare these paintings down to simple objects on a surface, with the aim of exploring the sculptural, textural and reflective relationships and interactions between them and their environment. The application of paint is primarily limited to the factual representation of the elements within the composition.’
Andrew Thompson, Plum, 8” x 8”, Oil on Aluminium, 20182
Andrew Thompson was born just outside Glasgow, in Hamilton and now lives and works on the Black Isle in the Highlands of Scotland. He studied painting at the Glasgow School of Art and graduated with an Honours degree in 1997. His work focuses on poignantly, rendered still lifes in oils and he has exhibited widely both in solo and group shows.
Andrew Thompson, Beer & bread, 10” x 10”, Oil on Aluminium, 2018.
You can view Andrew Thompson’s work and contact him through Browns Gallery or the Roger Billcliffe gallery, Glasgow, where he had a solo show last year.
Andrew Thompson’s work Two Pears was shortlisted for the Jackson’s Emerging Artist Prize 2018, which you can see here.
Dear sir madam I am Mark fine artist from Somerset I
am myself very dyslexic and face many boundaries in
the Arts as an artist I would like to break down these
barriers through my my arts working with people like
you looking for opportunities for art to the wider
audience I’ve been artist most of my life and my work
why he’s seen overseas as you can see English
misspellings I’m not the best so I paint words onto
canvas hope to chat more I will be interested if possible
to share my work yours sincerely Mark
Dear Mark,
We agree that dyslexia shouldn’t be a boundary to sharing your work! If you would like to share your work with us and our audience go to ‘Resources’ in the top bar and then enter your work on the ‘Submissions & Suggestions’ page.
We look forward to seeing it!
Tegen