Hi folks, from now on I’ll be introducing artists and some of the staff at The Dock in written interviews once in a while, so you get an idea of who is around the place and what they are doing. Starting with Laura Gallagher, Artist in Residence, and with the finalized footnote that her Oil Painting Classes will start up again on Tuesday the 31^st of January! There is still a place left, so get inspired, read here about Laura, call in and you never know … you may pick up that paint brush just yet!

LAURA Gallagher in Interview with The Dock Blogger

Hi Laura. Thanks for doing this with me. I tried to Google you, and unfortunately I found about 966 Laura Gallagher’s, luckily I knew what to look for… I read that you were one of the initial Artists in Residence at The Dock, can you tell me something about it, how it all started?

Yes that’s right, at that time I was on a residency with The Department of Culture in Lower Austria, I saw the advert online for this new arts centre in Leitrim. It sounded like a quite impressive space and I was intrigued at the thought of working in Leitrim. At that point I hadn’t been to Leitrim but was aware that it seemed to be a place that a lot of creative people were drawn to. I also wanted to be based in an active and creative environment, as you can imagine working as an artist can be quite isolating. I was Artist in Resident in The Custom House Studios for a few years and found it to be a very support environment working alongside other artists and housed within a gallery. So I sent an application with of my work from Austria for selection and I was very happy to hear I was selected and Leitrim was going to be my new home!

I heard that you did your MA about a couple of years ago, did that affect your art practice in any way?

Yes I did my Masters in Visual Arts Practice with Dun Laoghaire Art College and found that it really challenged my practice and me a lot. Going through the process of doing a Master’s really pulls apart your practice and makes you question every little act and decision you’ve made and continue to make. The objective being – to bring critically into your practice and so there’s a lot of questioning, a lot or research, reading re-examining your practice which I think is a good thing although I have found it very difficult to come out the other end in one piece and to continue making work. So I’m struggling with that right now.

Have you always been into art, and just knew that’s what you wanted to do for a living when you grew up?

Yes, ever since my father thought a few things about drawing in my early teens I’ve been interested in it and he used to paint years ago…. but I wouldn’t have considered studying art in 3^rd level until I was about 18. I did know I was interested in colour and design although I didn’t know any artists and or anything about the art world so wasn’t quite sure how to go about it.

On one website it says that you work as a contemporary artist. When you sit down to create a new painting, do you know exactly what you’re going to do before you do it? Does the idea for your work develop before or while you paint? How is the process for you?

I would have an idea of what it is I want to paint but it would not be planned out. I would do some research –work on sketches, take photographs and also respond to previous work. When I start to paint I often work quite intuitively and respond to the marks I’ve made and gradually build up layer upon layer of paint. I also spend quite a bit of time looking at the work, hanging it up and not working on it for a period of time and then returning to it with fresh eyes. The time spent can be very valuable, I work slowly which can be quite frustrating at times but I think I’m a bit of a perfectionist… one admirer of my work once commented that I make a number of paintings into one painting which I think is quite accurate. I work on them for such a long time and re work them until I’ve exhausted them so knowing when to leave it alone is also an important decision to make.

Have you always worked in the same style as you do now?

My work and my attitude to it are shifting. I think the next body of work and my approach to it will be quite different to anything I’ve produced before. I hope I’ll surprise others and myself, but most of all I hope I get to make it! It’s a real struggle to survive as an artist I have to spread my time amongst many things so it’s not always possible to get the time you’d like to spend on purely making work.

I am curious as to how your place is decorated, are your own paintings hanging around the place? Any other type of artwork scattered around the room?

There’s bit and pieces of old work in my studio, but mostly books and collected notes and images that have caught my attention, and also stretchers waiting to be stretched! Plenty of old paint piled up which some people seem to be fascinated by – my palette in a way is a sculpture.

I used to ask everybody what his or her favourite food is, but now I changed my last question. Finally Laura, what do you do for fun and relaxation, how do you spend your spare time?

In my spare time I love to spend time outdoors and get some fresh air to clear my head. That might take the form of walking, cycling, rowing…sometimes I may not move very much in the studio so it always feels good to get out and get moving. Besides that I enjoy going to see any live performances with my friends.

Thank you very much for your time again Laura, that is brilliant!

Your Dock Blogger