 2019 flashe and pigment on linen with aluminium stretchers 180.0 x 110.0cm Les Renfrew Bequest 2020 Newcastle Art Gallery collection Courtesy the artist and STATION

 c1940 oil on cardboard 45.0 x 35.0cm Gift of Lucy Swanton 1961 Newcastle Art Gallery collection Courtesy Estate of Grace Cossington Smith

“THE AMOUNT OF COLOURS AND THE BRUSH STROKES ARE JUST INCREDIBLE AND YOU’D HAVE TO BE SO CONFIDENT IN WHAT YOU’RE PAINTING. AND THAT KIND OF TRANSITION FROM INSIDE TO OUTSIDE IS ALMOST LIKE THIS WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES. POSSIBILITIES IS WHAT COMES TO MIND.” — 

 2020 oil on board 60.0 x 60.0cm Les Renfrew Bequest 2020 Newcastle Art Gallery collection Courtesy the artist

“I LIKE THE CHARACTER OF THAT LITTLE CAT, SHE PUTS THEM ON SUCH A PEDESTAL. SHE CLEARLY HAS SO MUCH LOVE FOR HIM AND ADORES HIM. I LOVE HER PAINTING STYLE, EVERYTHING IS REALLY CLEAR AND IT’S KIND OF REALISTIC BUT LOOSE AND REALLY WELL DONE.” — 

At its core, painting is a strange act: pushing and pulling of coloured pigment in an attempt to make manifest a thought, an idea, or an observation. Reasons for how, why, and what to paint have changed drastically in the 21st century, and the next generation of artists are busy co-opting this powerful medium to express their new realities. For the final issue of the NAG YAG Y2C zine, local artists Gillian Adamson and Ruby Hart divulge their unique practices and show us some of the works they love from the NAG collection.

Benji: Why, when, and where did painting start for you?

Gillian: So I did a lot of drawing and a lot of, mainly drawing and sketching. I think I used to do, and I always liked drawing from when I was really young and I think painting was the thing that I was really worried about doing, like, I was anxious to do it.

I always wanted to do it because it's so like, I'm, I'm drawn to painting kind of like what you were saying before, where I'm just like really drawn to painting, but it felt so intimidating to do. Like I had no materials. I didn't know whether to start with like acrylic or oil and all those things, but I think  I started painting when I started doing- I went back to uni and I did a master's of education and I think it was just this, like, you know, I'm just going to paint. Doesn't matter. I'm just going to get into it and see what happens.

I'd never really spent that much time painting before my last semester of university. I was also a drawer and I was always intimidated by painting as well because it seems like such... I'd say there's something — that I don't know. It has like an aura too, I'm like, oh, I don't know if I could do that exactly.

Like, it's kind of like drawing, but it's just like those, these, I know there's that fear of starting something new and not being very good at it too.

So I had so many shit paintings, like so many shit paintings. I still do.

Do you experiment with any other mediums or is it just exclusively painting for you?

No, I liked doing — so I did performance art.

I did a whole program with Lottie Consalvo through Tantrum, which is like a theatre-type group. It was an eight-month performance workshop with Lottie. It was a group of us, I think there were like five or six of us that did it.

So I've done a few performance pieces, I've done a few installations, and a few  woven pieces as well.

I read an article about you from the Newcastle Herald. You talked a bit about your work and touched on your grandparents' Catholicism, but I wanted to ask you directly what inspires your work.

It started with the spaces of other people. I'm so nosy — you know when you go for a walk at night and people's houses all lit up and it's just this like trying not to look — but I love looking, yes. I can't help it. I just love other people's spaces, but the main sort of spaces that I was drawn to were the ones that were around that sort of era of my grandparents, it's almost like the identical setup in so many houses. Like it's the same type of furniture. It's the same carpet, it's the same colour scheme. I thought that'd been really interesting because so many people are drawn to these spaces that I'm painting.

People tell me 'oh my God you've pretty much painted my grandma's house'. I'm like, yeah, it's pretty much my grandma's house too. Like I kinda like having that connection. But I think it's also this kind of exploration of it's essentially like where I've come from, it's just trying to find some sort of meaning I guess.

It's been such a huge part of my life. And so I, I didn't stop painting that sort of stuff until after my grandpa died, basically. Yeah.

The other thing is that to find the spaces I changed them, I put things in there, like symbols and Catholic imagery. And often, sometimes I put people in there as well. Usually, I don't put people in because they just- I don't feel like they need it, but I do find a lot of those places- like I literally go on real estate.com and I go back as far as I can. I go through Mayfield, Georgetown, Waratah, all the places that have that working-class Catholic vibe, which is where my grandparents had grown up too.

I'd like to know a bit about your experience within Newcastle's art community because it's something very new to me. I'd be really interested to get your perspective on what it's like being in that community of artists.

I was thinking about this question. And it's like, I always felt like I was on the periphery a little bit and I guess I am in it more, but it's big and small at the same time. Like I know who a lot of people are, but I don't get to talk to them very often. But I think the best thing for me was I won the scholarship for the Creator Incubator, last year? This year? This year. I don't know what year it is. And that's been huge, that is in itself, just this community. There's so many like amazing people that are in there, like Braddon Snape- incredible. And Michelle Gearin, and all these other amazing people. 

I suppose the main thing that I've found with a lot of those artists who are quite established in Newcastle is how giving they are of their time, especially Lottie and being a part of that mentorship. I still talk to her now and I'll email her or I'll call her up and say like, "Hey, can you just look at this thing that I'm doing?" And she gives so much time, like, so much of her knowledge and, and like giving me, like, she gave me a whole thing of charcoal and like a couple of paint brushes. I've found that it's really, really good.

I am a little bit curious about how you structure your work because I've talked to a few artists and some of them have very regimented schedules. They're like I work from this time in the evening to this time in the evening and then a few who were just like, I just paint whenever it happens. What you do?

Somewhere in between, I used to be like, yeah, just whenever I feel like it I'll just paint, but now I'm so busy. I'm a primary school teacher. Super busy all the time. Basically every day in the school holidays I'm just painting. I had the past week where I was like trying to get through a couple of commissions. It just feels like a struggle when I'm exhausted. And I just really wanted to just like, not do anything, but I've got to kind of keep pushing through it.

I guess it's quite structured now because I'm four days a week. That was part of me taking on a class. I need to be able to paint between, so Wednesdays and sometimes on the weekends and school holidays are my painting times.

What is the next big step for you in your work?

This is a good timing because I have a solo exhibition in February and then I've got another solo exhibition in March!

One is in February with AK Bellenger, which is up in Inverell. It's a whole gallery up there. Alison who runs that gallery is just phenomenal and so supportive. Then the other one is the end of the Creator Incubator scholarships. So that'll be in March, I think. I can't remember the dates, but I've got the dates somewhere. That's another thing that I'm too scared to look at, like aaahhh.

What piece are you most proud of? Tough question.

That is a really tough question. Actually, it would have to be the one that I had in the Kilgour. I think I'm most proud of it.

'Jesus in the wilderness'. And it's tiny. It's super small. Just that it made it to that level and to see it in the art gallery was really kind of amazing.

It's this crossover of the suburban working-class kind of landscape that I was going for. I love really mediocre backyards and things. So it's this crossover of that and the influence of Catholicism. It's looking at what is the appropriate metaphor for the modern-day wilderness. Looking at how people like the current premier who is super Catholic but can somehow marry these really awful nearly right-wing views with religion.

Could you name a few artists that you're inspired by? Any local artists?

So many. So I think I look at big-name artists like Mark Rothko, who is probably my favourite artist. His work borders on this like installation painting kind of thing for me, because it's so. Like it just draws you in entirely. There is this whole physical reaction that I have to those paintings that I just love. Helen Frankenthaler would be my other favourite.

Local artists... I just love Lottie. Like I'm just obsessed with her. She's amazing. Michelle Gearin — she's pretty phenomenal. And, Ahn Wells. I love her approach to her painting. Really beautiful. There are so, so many, that I could name.

What would you consider the hardest part of your job as a maker and artist?

I think finding time at the moment, it's really hard. I'm actually finding that a bit of a struggle, and I find it hard to say no to things sometimes. Like I keep getting asked to do commissions. I'm like yeah, sure!

I'll just do it. And I don't actually have the time to do it. And so I'm just thinking, making that stress — I'm just making it so much harder for myself. I think I've been really, really fortunate. I've just landed in a really great position where I'm surrounded by so many supportive people and being in the studio is amazing.

I think if you had asked me like two years ago, I probably would've had a totally different answer. I think it'd be like space. Space was such an issue for me because I was just painting on my kitchen table.

We've touched on this a little bit, but do you ever have down days or days where you feel much less inspired than usual? Days where it takes a lot more work than it normally would?

Absolutely. Yeah. And it's always in the back of my mind, like, because I want to keep pushing it and see like how far you can take it.

But then I also find that it's hard to like, cause I don't want to be a one-trick pony as well. I don't want to just keep painting the same thing and be known as the person that just paints that. So I think I find it kind of, I find it really tricky. Um, Thinking of where to go next. And sometimes I get stuck in this, like, oh, what's the point?

I'll wonder, why am I even doing this? And that's hard, but luckily I think I'm just naturally like, it doesn't matter, just get on with it. Just keep painting kind of person. So those thoughts don't usually stick around for that long.

This one is a bit tricky. Sum up your motto for making in just a few words.

Um, yeah, that is really tricky. I remember when I did that program with Lottie we had to make up a mantra. I remember that. I remember it so clearly because I think it was when I first started painting as well.

And I think, I'm pretty sure I wrote mine down, I think the title was like 'don't be afraid to make something shit'. And that's kind of what I go for.

Like, pushing, doesn't matter, like nothing is precious. Just like keep moving. Yeah.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

Yeah. It's really- I've been given so much advice, actually, the most recent piece of advice that I've been given was in the studio.

I was painting and Brad walked past. Braddon Snape will pass the studio as he always does. He kind of just appears as he's like doing things and he just said, what are you doing? And I was like, I'm doing this, and he's like, oh, you should enter it into the Kilgour.

I was like, um, no, why would I enter that into the Kilgour and he's like, yeah, you should see what happens. Like you should just do it. And I was like, oh, okay, I'll do it. Cause Brad had said to do it and then it got in. So if I won, I was supposed to give him like a little bit of a commission. I think haha.

That was pretty good advice. Now I'm sort of looking at, yeah, I think I just never thought that it was that standard before. And I kind of need that little bit of reassurance sometimes. Yeah. Yeah. It was really great timing. 

Interview Gillian Adamson

Benji: Why were you first drawn to painting? Like, what was the first moment for you where you're like, oh yeah.

 I gave it a go first off in high school when I learned a bit about George Gittoes and what he does. And I was pretty obsessed with his style of painting, like with those two colours, the way that he painted- I thought was really cool. It wasn't so polished, I was like, mad.

And then... I didn't really do any painting except for when I started art school and learned heaps more about the history of painting and then learning how to use oil paint and stuff. And I think that was the thing that I was better at. It was just really exciting and fun.

I did my diploma and my advanced diploma at TAFE.

So that was really cool. I really enjoyed that time. I finished at the end of 2019, I think. Yeah. Just like learning from my teachers and stuff really definitely got me into painting.

So you have an affinity for painting, but I was kind of curious, do you experiment with any other mediums or is there anything else that you kind of, like, I also do this?

I pretty much just do painting at home. I really enjoy doing printmaking when I was at school, but there's so much cool history to printmaking as well, but it's just so much more accessible doing a painting. And I’m just better at that. So I just stuck with painting.

I read something about this. I like trying to work out what I'm feeling, that's the most important thing I think, and then having colour and movement as a way to express those kinds of feelings and just be present. Cause I don't really do that very often.

I feel like that's just like part of it, apart from that, it's just like really great painters that inspire me to like do the work.

It sounds almost a bit meditative for you.

I don't know what else to do in that head space. Like it's a really good place to go to.

If you weren't painting, you would be doing nothing.

What is your experience like with the Newcastle's art community?

I think when, when I first started, posting a lot of my paintings I was making at school and stuff and made some really good friends during like the first lockdown.

Like Nick Barlow and I started bonding over the internet because we like each other's work and stuff. So that was my first really good connection. We became really good friends and he was so supportive of me making stuff. And he was always cheering me on.

I also met Nigel Milsom during the first COVID thing. We met and he really liked my work which is really nice. I didn't have a job at the time so he was like, ‘you should come to our studio and you can help me stretch canvas and I'll give you money’ which is so cool. He talks so much about his experience being an artist for a long career which was really cool and interesting. I think I had a bit of a naïve outlook about the kind of stuff that went down with people who have like larger art careers.

That was really sweet. And then I think from there I've met some really great people. Everyone has such a different perspective on how it works and what they want out of it. But I think the best kinds of people just wanna connect about how much they love making art and how much they like art. I find it hard to be in some social settings where it's a bit ingenuous like at some gatherings where it feels like everyone's either like talking shit or networking or whatever. I just socialize. It's hard anyway, but trying to navigate all of that can be kind of weird. But I think I've met some really cool people that just like back me and that's important. I just want to talk to people about why they like what they do I guess and not many people that don't and wanna make money. 

So my next question, can you just kind of describe the structure of your art-making a little bit for me? I've talked to a lot of artists and some are like, oh, I'm very sporadic, I do it whenever. Some are very, very methodical. They're like I work from this time to this time every evening. I'm curious how you do it

I've definitely met heaps of people that like, see it as having to work every day. But I just, I don't think I'm that kind of person at all. I guess I haven't put any pressure on myself to do it as a regimented thing.

Because I don't think that's sustainable for me and I don't think I'd put out  good stuff. So when I get the feeling I want to do it, I'll do it. And if I don't feel like it, I won't do it. Back in the first lockdown, I was doing it all the time, like I made more paintings last year than I did this year. But I also had studio access, so it's kind of easier to do that and I didn't have work or go to TAFE. So I made a lot more stuff but this year has been a bit messier cause I haven't really had a studio. And when I did it was at TAFE, and just in the corner of a printmaking studio. So it was very motivating and I just had to get stuff done to put up for my course.

So running on from that, do you have a next big goal for yourself and your work?

Um, not really. I think I just want to keep expanding on making stuff that I think is good and keep getting better at painting. That's my goal. And then maybe when I'm really happy with a body of work, then I'll have an exhibition. I just want to get better at it and feel good about it. And I guess do more. Do a bit more.

I don’t know. It's hard. Because there's some that I'm really proud of. That I made because it came out of just my head and other ones that I'm like, this was technically hard to do. So I don't know, like this one of these wrestlers on my Instagram. Which, I wasn't sure how that was going to go, but I really liked how realistic it looks, but that wasn't really what I was going for. I think I like the one with Ozzy Osbourne the most because it's really silly.

I Don't know. It's hard. It's hard to pick things.

What artists inspire you? Local or renowned.

I've got some in my book here. I've got Dubuffet who kind of exposed the world to art-brood and naive art really. I really like him. I really love Philip Guston. Christian Van Minnen is amazing. This guy called Wayne Horse, who's like a German guy and he does like these sketchy really dark drawings and paintings that I love.

And who else? Martin Kippenberger was a big one. For me, he's really cool and expressive. I loved seeing the kind of the stuff that was being made out of like war, for example, Otto Dicks who was a soldier in World War Two and his stuff's pretty dark, but he's a really great painter and he made some really cool prints and stuff as well.

What is one of the hardest things that you find being an artist and a maker for you? Is it the, is it the finding the inspiration? Is that the finding the time it could be anything?

I guess trying to figure out how to balance between- I want to be an artist but I don't see myself having it as a career. It's precious to me and I don't feel comfortable kind of like selling myself away.

That's so interesting. I actually talked to another artist recently who was like, I love making art, but I don't want to be an artist. That's not what I think I want to be.

It takes a lot of- I don't know. To suck up to gallery owners to make money from paintings that I've like slaved over emotionally. Do you know what I mean? I'd rather just work casually to make money and then make art that I really like instead of slaving away to get people to like me.

Do you ever feel like there are times when you're just uninspired or you just can't get the work out, and how do you work through that?

Yeah, I think that's been pretty prominent this year. TAFE went through some changes that really affected the experience for me. So I just kind of lost motivation to do it. Because that was just disheartening being there and being around that kind of attitude towards art-making.

But I think sometimes you just have to force yourself to do it because when you feel like you don't want to do anything, it really helps to do something creative because it gets your mind working and you can process things.

My mom always says that sometimes you just got to do the things you don't want.

Exactly. I just want to start doing things that I used to like doing more in order to get back into the groove of who I am. And I think painting is definitely one of those things that I need to practice more because it helps me just connect to myself again.

If you’re uninspired and you don't feel like doing it, don't be hard on yourself at the same time. Like you can't expect you to be on all the time.

I think it's like, there's a balance there. Sometimes you need to just do it, but other times it's if you force it you're going to make yourself sad. Because you won't be in that head space to make nice stuff that you like. I don't know. You need to rest sometimes I think is important.

Can you sum up your motto for creating in a few words?

Oh, um, did I write something? ‘Do it for yourself’. Like, do it for you, that's all that really matters.

I've got some really funny text messages from Nigel.

This one's a good one. He loves to preach about stuff and he just would talk forever about what he thinks about institutions and the world and shit. But he's gone on this big rant about institutions and just said, "Any art worth its weight is the product of living an independent life, not from taking cover in an institution that provides steady comfort to know on what themselves."

"The real world is flushing all of our heads down the toilet. It's the flushing that flushes the art out of our systems."

Y2C

Painting

HOMES & HOUNDS

Emerging

Collection