When did you start your creative practice and why?
I started painting when my children were young, mainly as a creative release from the
stresses of being a working parent. My job at the time was all about words, and painting, when I had time, it was a powerful non-verbal outlet.
How would you describe your artistic style to someone unfamiliar with your work?
I am an expressionist artist, and employ some cubist ideas in my work. I eschew
conventional perspective; my work exploits the boundary between figuration and abstraction.
What is your creative process from idea to finished piece is it always the same?
I paint in oil. My paintings start in different ways, possibly a sketch, possibly a memory or
perhaps an idea. I use thinned oil paint to sketch an outline onto a board or canvas. I then
use translucent, desaturated paint and large brushes to block in the forms, using serendipity to inform the creative process. I periodically reinforce the bridging lines of the original sketch.
I repeat the process, building up layers to a point where I am using opaque and impasto
paint in areas of importance. I sometimes scrape off aspects of the painting and reveal parts of the underpainting. It is a serendipitous path, what is lost, can be refound, but in a restructured way. I try to achieve ambiguity in my work, where meanings and interpretations can be thought about and people can project their own experience onto the painting.
Is there a particular piece of yours that feels especially meaningful? Why?
My piece ‘Seeking Settlement’ is significant for me. Conflict Resolution is something that
feels important to me and, I feel, has widespread application in all relationships familial
or otherwise, as well as on the world stage. I was so thrilled that Kevin Clements from
Otago University wanted to use this painting alongside his article in a New Zealand
publication to illustrate his position about war and the conflict in Iran in particular. People from distant war torn countries have been moved by the painting, saying that it speaks to their experience.
What do you find challenging as an artist, and how do you overcome these challenges?
It is hard to juggle everything as an artist. I, alongside many creatives, of course love
creating. However I am not a finisher. I dislike the varnishing, the framing bits that I do, the packing the car, doing the admin, the labels. My love of painting overcomes the negatives!
How does your immediate environment or location play in your work?
How I feel affects what and how I paint. The weather, issues related to family and friends, world events all impact how I feel.
Who are the artists (past or present) who have strongly influenced you?
My work is influenced by post-impressionist artists such as Cezanne, Vlaminck and
Braque. I have recently been looking closely at the work of English modernists such as
Keith Vaughan, Patrick Heron and Peter Lanyon to further inform my work.
How has your style or perspective evolved over time?
When I started painting my work was impressionist in style. Over time I have fallen out of love with impressionism, partly because of its ‘realism’ and nature of the brushmarks. I think more now about underlying abstraction and how I use bold marks to convey and
evoke feelings.
Have you got a project / award/ residency/ or idea you are excited to share with us?
Most recently I have been ‘Highly Commended’ in the Ashbourne Summer Festival for
my piece ‘Seeking Sanctuary’. Rather like ‘Seeking Settlement’, the piece feels important to me, I fervently believe in the right for all to have a place where they feel safe. I intend
to extend my social narrative work with a view to entering this series into awards and
exhibitions.
If your work could evoke one feeling or reaction in viewers, what would it be?
Reflection/thought
What is your website and how do we find you on social media?
Website: https://Stephtrethowan.uk
Instagram:
Steph Trethowan Contemporary Artist (@stephtrethart)
