Artists

Read artist interviews featuring some of the most exciting established and emerging figures in the art world. Our conversations with contemporary artists get to the heart of what makes them tick, exploring the development of their style, their inspirations and the stories behind their recent work. Discover our artist interviews to get to know the people whose works that you can browse and buy in our online store.

Our top artist interviews

One of our most popular recent interviews was a talk with Nelson Makamo, a South African painter and winner of 2018’s Rise Art Prize known for his expressive portraits. Our conversation with Kelvin Okafor, who creates intricate photorealistic pencil portraits, dove into his unique fusion of the technical and the conceptual. You may also enjoy our interview with Fred Ingrams, in which he discusses both his technical process and what drew him to start painting the Fens.

Interviews you won’t want to miss

Among our contemporary artist interviews, you will find our Q&A with Philip Vaughan, author of the landmark 48ft-tall Light Tower which graced the London skyline from 1972 to 2008. You can read about the machinations and motivations driving rising star Anna Sofie Jesperson. Our interview with Mark Chadwick may also be of interest, where the colour master shines a light on the inspiration behind his vibrant abstract paintings.

Kinaesthesia: Miguel Ripoll on Art in the AI Era

Rise Art met with Miguel Ripoll to discuss his exploration and subversion of the long-established themes and traditions of artistic praxis and how he aims to navigate our increasingly complex and hyper-connected existence.

By Sophie Heatley | 20 Aug 2024

Kinaesthesia: Zhou Yiyan

We spoke with multidisciplinary artist Zhou Yiyan who, keenly interested in illustrating the fluidity of movement and bodily expression, explores the coexistence of opposites and the transformation of materials through sculpture, drawing, music, and dance.

By Rise Art | 08 Aug 2024

Sue Kennington: "It has nothing to do with feeling, it has everything to do with precision."

For over ten years, Sue Kennington has been developing a colour library as part of an ongoing investigation into the limits of colour and light within contemporary painting. “I’ve always been really interested in systems. It seems to be the human condition—we are always looking for an answer, trying to make sense of things.”

By Sophie Heatley | 07 Aug 2024

Aidan Myers: Painting Is a Never-Ending Story

We caught up with Aidan Myers to discuss his transformative long-term residency at The Lake House in India. Read our interview with the artist on the body of kaleidoscopic works born from his time documenting Maharashtra.

By Sophie Heatley | 16 Jul 2024

Karen Turner: Why Do You Have To Be So Emotional?

I recently had the joy of chatting with Karen Turner about her latest series, "Why Do You Have To Be So Emotional?" This series - from which, as I’m writing this, just three pieces remain - delves deep into the societal regulation of women and gender minorities. Unlike her previous projects, though, this collection extends beyond exploring the physical form to encompass the policing of tone and emotion.

By Sophie Heatley | 04 Jul 2024

Richard Orlinski: Reinventing Contemporary Sculpture with 'Kong'

Discover how contemporary artist Richard Orlinski reinvents sculpture by fusing pop culture and animal forms. Take a look back at his iconic works such as "Kong" and how he came to be world famous.

By Cécile Martet | 04 Jul 2024

The Language of Matter: Shaping Abstraction with Marie Guerrier

Marie Guerrier’s lineage has long been celebrated for its artistic savoir-faire. Working with metal, concrete and paper, her experimental production is carried out on opposite ends of the media spectrum. In a former warehouse now converted into a studio, I had the opportunity to visit Marie for an exclusive interview and glimpse into her harmoniously sculpted and delicately shaped universe.

By Laurel Bouye | 10 Jun 2024

Collecting Moments with James Robert Morrison

We are pleased to be launching a portfolio of ten drawings by James Robert Morrison, presenting a significant, and potentially concluding, milestone in his ongoing series 'There is never more than a fag paper between them'.

By Sophie Heatley | 14 May 2024

Off The Hook with Piers Bourke

We are pleased to be exclusively launching a portfolio of new work by Piers Bourke, a daring step away from his iconic phone boxes towards a deeper exploration of the aesthetic possibilities of formal repetition and blending innovation with tradition.

By Sophie Heatley | 25 Apr 2024

Visions of Wonder with Sabrina Brouwers

To honour the exclusive launch of a new series of paintings, Sophie Heatley from our curatorial team visited Sabrina Brouwers at her South London studio to speak about the healing capacity of geometry, the hidden life of all architectural structures, and the inherent vulnerability of all human-made objects.

By Sophie Heatley | 04 Mar 2024