What drew you to working with oil paint?
I think I’ve always had the awareness from visiting galleries when I was younger that so many great works of art are painted in oils; as a result it always seemed like the pinnacle of Art materials however when I first tried to use it as a teenager, I hated it.
I was shocked to find it was incredibly messy, smelly and with impossibly long drying times. For a while, oil paint felt like a mythical beast that I didn’t want to approach. Luckily I soon got over that!
Your paintings really capture the subject in the moment. It must be quite an intimate experience to paint someone's portrait. Could you tell us more about that?
Ultimately when working on a portrait, the subject is the only thing that really matters. It’s so important to spend some quality time with them and get an idea of what makes them unique; their defining characteristics that set them apart from everyone else. As an Artist you have to create your own kind of shorthand and distil those elements down into a true representation of the sitter.
Who have been some of your standout subjects?
All of my subjects are special, but Sir Ranulph Fiennes was wonderful to work with, it’s impossible not to be in awe of someone who has earned such a range of amazing achievements in their lifetime. He was a gift of a subject; courteous, witty, interesting and a great raconteur.
Your work has been featured in prestigious galleries, and you've even appeared on TV. What have been some of your personal highlights?
It’s always wonderful to have my work recognised by established institutions and galleries, especially venues that I visited when I was growing up – I could never have imagined that one day my work would also feature on those walls. Being exhibited as part of Royal Society of Portrait Painters felt pretty special; it’s a point in my career I have wanted to get to for a while now. Recognition from peers and fellow Artists is certainly a highlight.>
How did you get started in the art world, and what inspired you to pursue painting professionally?
I have been a full time Artist for over 20 years now; back in 2005 I moved to Kent and this was the catalyst for me pushing myself to take things to the next level. A change of scenery coupled with new opportunities to work with fresh galleries and institutions meant I had lots to work towards. It also helped that I was young, enthusiastic and a bit naive!
Art and painting has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember; it felt like fate that I should go on to try and make it my profession. I didn’t enjoy school and it felt like Art was the only subject I excelled at. I’ve always been inspired by other Artists, creatives and makers; to see people using their raw talent and turning that into a profession made it all seem attainable at a time when people were urging me to ‘get a proper job’ or to ‘think of a trade to fall back on’. I was determined to prove them wrong and silence the doubters.
How has your style evolved over the years, and what has influenced these changes?
The first 6-8 years of my career involved me being swept along by urban and street art. It was incrdibly popular and seemed exciting, daring and subversive. I didn’t come from a formal art education background so I liked the guerilla aspects of getting your work out there, ultimately though I grew to dislike the transient nature of creating work on the street.
I wanted to make a mark and create artworks that people would love, cherish and value for years to come. This ultimately led to be becoming much more gallery-focused and in time developing my love of oil painted commissioned portraits.
What challenges have you faced in your career, and how have you overcome them?
The main challenges I would say have always been either financial or psychological. In the early days it was tough to build a client base and get regular sales and commissions, being represented by a gallery helped to some degree with this but ultimately it was all speculative.
There was no guarantee that work would sell and I was always searching for the next big idea. The volatile nature of this coupled with the isolation that working as a studio based Artist can bring took it’s toll a bit. It took me a while to get used to being self employed and the idea that it was all on my shoulders, my income wasn’t guaranteed and the mark of success or failure was down to how good I was as an Artist.
Are there any contemporary artists or art movements that you find particularly inspiring?
As much as I love visual Arts and the work of many contemporary Artists, I don’t tend to seek my inspiration from other Artists, I don’t claim to be unique or original but I’m conscious that my brain tends to be a sponge and if I’m not careful I can see elements of other Artists work creeping into my own. I prefer to rely on music to drive me – it's constantly on in the studio, it allows me to focus and removes some of the subconscious thoughts and external stimulus.
What advice would you give to aspiring artists looking to break into the industry?
I think I’d be very keen to stress the importance of regular practice; so often it seems that with aspiring Artists, their focus is on setting themselves apart from their peers and developing their own style but often this can lead to periods of procrastination or the fear of starting something.
It’s so important to just create, even if it’s in a different discipline – it helps with hand/eye coordination, developing concepts and techniques but it also ensures that the creative side of your brain is engaged and on a rolling boil.
What is your studio environment like, and how does it influence your work?
My studio is all about consistency and focus – it's important to me that the environment doesn’t change or throw up surprises – By choice I don’t work by natural light, instead I use daylight LED panels. As a result whether I’m painting at 11am or 11pm, I always have the same lighting conditions.
My walls are painted a dark green/grey and I’m surrounded by either finished works or paintings I’m currently working on. My dog Henry is often with me in the studio so he has his own sofa. Although my studio is a relaxing place to be, I tend to not have many creature comforts in there, when I have breaks I usually leave the space and sit in one of the communal areas; it’s great to rest my eyes and come back, relaxed with a fresh perspective.
What are you working on at the moment that you can share with us?
I’m currently working on 5 different commissioned portraits from clients, it can be tricky jumping between them all as they’re so varied but at the same time it’s great to have lots of challenges that allow me to keep pushing myself. As well as these I am also working on a portrait of Keith Brymer Jones (the head judge from Pottery throw-down), planning work for a group exhibition in October and also wading through the initial stages of a new self portrait so it’s a very busy time!
But what does Oliver get up to when he's not creating works of art? On to his 5 good things.
1. A favourite spot for inspiration where you live?
Anywhere that’s green and outdoors! I obviously spend a large amount of time in the studio so any time I’m out in nature I tend to always come back with a renewed energy and vigour.
I learnt a long time ago that I need that contrast in my life in order to break things up and provide balance
2. Favourite restaurant in your city and a dish you'd recommend?
Vero – an Italian/Venetian restaurant nearby; their Arancini and Triangolini Scamorza are perfect with a glass of red.
3. A piece of music that inspires you to paint?
Something with energy, it varies from day to day, if I’m in a fug or I’ve had some time off then I usually defer to a familiar ‘go to’. 'Heroes, by David Bowie is always a good bet.
4. Someone's work that needs more recognition?
I love the work of Ange Bell, she’s a friend and fellow portrait Artist. Her works are very intricate, small portraits that use lots of colour and mark making, I always enjoy seeing what she’s working on.
5. A film or documentary everyone should watch?
We recently watched ‘The deepest breath’ on Netflix, it’s a stunning documentary about freediving and two of the divers who risk everything to attain record dives.
As someone who couldn’t swim until a year ago it astounds me just what our bodies can be capable of with the right training and the brutal, unforgiving nature of the ocean.
You can discover more about Oliver and see more of his work here.
