Artist Interview & Giveaway ~ Lisa Denyer



Don't be scared


Today we have artist Lisa Denyer at Midnight Reads to tell us a little more about herself and her work. Lisa is an ecxiting artist and we are so glad she could pull herself away from her work to join us for some questions!
Let's get started:~

How would you describe your work?

I would describe my art work as contemporary, and heavily influenced by contrasting colours and shapes. I specialise in landscape and abstract painting.

Did you study to be an artist?

Yes, I completed my Fine Art Degree at Coventry University in 2009.



Untitled (Shards)

 What inspires your work?

My latest project 'Crystal Abstracts' is a series of abstract paintings inspired by a combination of crystals and architectural design. Up until recently, I considered myself to solely be a landscape artist, and it is fair to say that landscapes and the natural world continue to play a big part in my work, albeit in a much more subtle way.

The pieces you see on 'Midnight Reads' were inspired by dark fairy tales, natural forms and silhouettes.

What materials/medium do you prefer to work with?

For a long time I made large scale landscapes using acrylic paint on canvas. I would water log the canvas and build up layered washes of colour and detail to create images. Recently, however, I have begun to work on board as I find that I can get sharper details. 

Who is your favourite artist, and why?

When I was in my second year of university in 2008, I went to see Peter Doig's exhibition at the Tate. It remains in my mind as one of the best exhibitions I have seen. It had a vast impact on my work; his large scale landscapes with their jewel like colours inspired me to expand my own scale, and I went from making paintings of around 50cm by 40cm to 152cm by 244cm.

The main thing that struck me from looking at his work was the sinister, dark fairy tale undertones that, to me, made the natural world seem like a place full of possibilities and intrigue. This became something I wanted to capture in my own work.


Milky Way 1989-90
Pete Doig


If you could work with any artist, living or deceased, who would it be?

I think I could gain a lot by working with artists such as Peter Doig, Sydney Nolan and Per Kirkeby.

What is your favourite art work?

One of my favourite paintings is Per Kirkeby's 'Brett-Felsen' (Plank-Rock). I also went to see Kirkeby's exhibition at the Tate, and since then his work has been a particular reference point for me. The aspect I like the most in his work is that, although his paintings are inspired by landscapes, they are extremely abstracted. They are highly emotive pieces, with fantastic use of colour.

Do you have any shows/exhibitions coming up?

Yes, I have a few in the pipeline at the moment:

'The Golden Ratio' - Group exhibition at Nexus Art Cafe, Northern Quarter, Manchester. 30/9/11 - 20/11/11

Didsbury Art Festival - Exhibition at Earle and Ginger, Wilmslow Road, East Didsbury. 24/9/11 - 1/10/11

'No.1 Paint' - Group exhibition at Blankspace, Hulme Street, Manchester. 8/9/11 - 25/9/11

Where can we learn more about your work?

I have a website which I regularly update with new work, and you can also follow me on Tumblr and Twitter:

http://www.lisadenyer.com/

http://crystalabstracts.tumblr.com/

http://twitter.com/LisaDenyer

I am also represented by Mooch Art, and you can buy some of my latest landscape work directly from their website:

http://www.mooch-art.co.uk/artists/lisa-denyer-1821

Thank you so much for stopping by Lisa, we are so pleased you did :) And now for your chance to win on of Lisa's prints. Lisa has chosen to giveaway Under the Stars, which I love (can I enter?). So for your chance to win just leave a comment below.

~Giveaway is international

~Only one comment per person

~Giveaway closes Friday 9th September