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Artist Of The Week: Victoria Horkan

Victoria Horkan’s work offers a bold, vibrant and expressive milieu of forms and colours that falls somewhere between the realms of impressionism, abstraction and expressionism.

By Rise Art | 24 Apr 2013

 

Victoria Horkan’s work offers a bold, vibrant and expressive milieu of forms and colours that falls somewhere between the realms of impressionism, abstraction and expressionism. She conveys and engages with scale and perspective, making large what is typically small but her central focus is on colour, and movement. We asked Victoria about her practice and motiviations.     What got your practice stared? I had too many poor office jobs to mention and the politics drove me insane! I got back into painting on the back of self-indulgent need for escapism and a desire to express my creativity again.    Who or what have you sacrificed for your art? I think you sacrifice a little of yourself in every painting you do. When I first started to paint I was so afraid of everyone seeing my work, it was too imposing. Yes you grow in confidence as your work develops and changes  but you are still saying to everyone look this is me and sometimes when you dissect that it can really scare the hell out of you. 

Princess Everything by Victoria Horkan

 

You currently live in Leeds - Do you show your work there often? I’ve shown  my work quite a bit in Leeds, when I first moved over here I began by showing my work in small art café’s and restaurants etc. Sometimes that can be quite powerful, and a good way to start as an early career artist. Have a coffee, people watch and consume  some unknown artists work, why not? I then got in one or two galleries locally but I think as I was a complete unknown at that time your seemingly a little fish in a big pond.  I did do well and sold out but I think in the main most of my work sells online.   Where do you go for inspiration when starting a new project? I don’t purposefully seek inspiration, I think every good artist will tell you there is always inspiration around you and that can be through any medium, technology, place, film in theatre it’s just there for you to be part of. I don’t like looking at other artists work either, I always want the work to represent my thoughts an idea’s and not be swayed into a certain trend or way of working.    What's your studio like? It is messy but it is has to be doesn’t it, it means I work hard!  Are any artist’s tidy? I would find that weird but I would want to know how they do it. I have a pleasant mixture of PVA glue, an unrecognisable carpet covered in oils, paint splashed walls and I have been known to use my curtains to wipe my paint brushes on- it’s like I’m a five year old kid in there and I don’t know what’s naughty anymore.     Victoria's Studio     The Trick by Victoria Horkan   What work of art would you most like to own? Path Under The  Rose Trellises, by the great Claude Monet. What’s not to love. Colour, movement bewildering beauty. I could sit in front of that painting with a nice glass of red and just pretend I am walking down there with the warmth of the day on my face.   Whats in store for 2013? Italy, perhaps some exhibitions there. I’m talking to lots of clients in America now so hopefully there will be a bit more scope for opportunities there and more of a gallery presence.

Butterfly Series 1 by Victoria Horkan

 

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