A LOOK INSIDE : MIA OATLEY

Mia Oatley  ||  Q&A  || October 2012

 

Image: Billy Plummer - Life in the Bubble

 

Can you give us some background to how you became a visual artist?

One of my first memories is of paintings with my Dad at 2 when my Mum was in hospital giving birth to my sister. My Dad taught me how to draw, and paint, and took me to all of the shows, and museums worth seeing. Our house was filled with artist friends, great books, and my Dad's garage where he welded giant sculptures. Art was all around me; I loved it from the beginning.

As a child art was something that I could loose myself in, something that I was good at, it also represented family.

Other artists that inspire you? - Do they change overtime/ year to year?

I'm inspired by many different artists, from Matisse, Monet, Rodin, Rembrandt, Ines, to Warhol, Basquiat, and Bacon and living artists such as Dumas, Doig,

Hockney, and photographers Bill Henson, and Nan Goldin. Basically I'm attracted to figurative work. People are what most interest me.

Where do you get your inspiration for each work?

I get my inspiration from Life! Books, magazines, people, design, furniture, The urban landscape, nature, conversations, films, put it into a big mixing pot, and let something happen on the canvas!

Where do you paint and what is your ideal routine/ daytime… or night owl

Daytime

How did you arrive at the title of this current show?

I called the show Venus and Me, because, my exhibition is about my relationship to Venus and everything that she represents, love, beauty, nature, sexuality, and sensuality.

What is your painting process; paint application and colour seem to be a key process, can you tell us about this?

Colour is really important to me. I pick up ideas everywhere. I use a lot of different materials to make the paint surfaces to bounce off each other, like enamel, against a matt, or built up oil paint. There isn't a real process as to how I go about it. What works stays, what doesn't is brutally painted over, hence the layered look, which people have commented on, which is more about me changing gears, and making different decisions in my work.

View Exhibition

Christina

mixed media on canvas
91 x 76 cm