{"id":2857,"date":"2014-05-04T09:47:14","date_gmt":"2014-05-03T23:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=2857"},"modified":"2014-05-04T09:47:51","modified_gmt":"2014-05-03T23:47:51","slug":"artchat-blog-interview-48-james-ainslie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=2857","title":{"rendered":"ArtChat [Blog Interview #48] \u2013 James Ainslie"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"fb_share_1\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 10px;\"><a name=\"fb_share\" type=\"icon_link\" share_url=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=2857\" href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php\">Share<\/a><\/div><div><script src=\"http:\/\/static.ak.fbcdn.net\/connect.php\/js\/FB.Share\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><\/div><p>ArtChat has recently interviewed <a title=\"James Ainslie\" href=\"http:\/\/www.redhillgallery.com.au\/JamesAinslie2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">James Ainslie<\/a>, one of five <a title=\"Queensland\" href=\"http:\/\/www.tq.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\">Queensland<\/a> artists exhibiting at <a title=\"Red Hill Gallery\" href=\"http:\/\/www.redhillgallery.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\">Red Hill Gallery <\/a>as part of the Light &amp; Air Exhibition from 2 May 2014.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie01.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2894\" alt=\"James Ainslie\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie01.jpg\" width=\"760\" height=\"302\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie01.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie01-300x119.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/a><b>AC: The picturesque landscape of <a title=\"South Australia\" href=\"http:\/\/www.southaustralia.com\/index.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">South Australia <\/a>is a strong theme in your work. Do you feel <a title=\"nostalgia\" href=\"http:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/quotes\/tag\/nostalgia\" target=\"_blank\">nostalgia<\/a> for the landscape that you express in the imagery?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>JA:\u00a0 I was born and spent the first 48 years of my life in <a title=\"South Australia \" href=\"http:\/\/www.tourism.sa.gov.au\/\" target=\"_blank\">South Australia <\/a>and lived and travelled throughout the state, from the far north to the southern parts so it is always going to be an integral influence in my creativity. I still love returning to the <a title=\"Flinders Ranges\" href=\"http:\/\/www.southaustralia.com\/regions\/flinders-ranges-outback.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Flinders Ranges<\/a>, the <a title=\"Coorong\" href=\"http:\/\/www.thecoorong.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Coorong<\/a> and the red dirt country in the north.<\/p>\n<p><b>AC: What kind of art do you most identify with? Who are your 3 favourite artists?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>JA: I\u2019m eclectic. I started as a surrealist many, many years ago and I have friends and acquaintances who cover the gamut of artistic genre. I am in awe of <a title=\"William Delafield-Cook\" href=\"http:\/\/www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au\/collection\/works\/?artist_id=cook-william-delafield\" target=\"_blank\">William Delafield-Cook<\/a>, <a title=\"Tom Gleghorn \" href=\"http:\/\/www.artnomad.com.au\/artists\/artist.cfm?id=1060\" target=\"_blank\">Tom Gleghorn <\/a>(friend and mentor), <a title=\"Fred Williams\" href=\"http:\/\/www.qagoma.qld.gov.au\/exhibitions\/past\/2013\/williams\" target=\"_blank\">Fred Williams<\/a>, <a title=\"Jeffrey Smart\" href=\"http:\/\/www.australiangalleries.com.au\/artists\/9-artists\/164-jeffreysmart\" target=\"_blank\">Jeffrey Smart<\/a>, <a title=\"Mark Rothko\" href=\"http:\/\/www.tate.org.uk\/art\/artists\/mark-rothko-1875\" target=\"_blank\">Mark Rothko <\/a>&amp; the list goes on.<\/p>\n<p><b>AC: Your artist\u2019s statement says that your interpretations of images are realistic, but \u201cdevelop more abstractly\u201d. What do you mean by that?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>JA: The things that evoke images for me are varied \u2013 the landscape, a <a title=\"Found Object\" href=\"http:\/\/www.foundobject.co\/\" target=\"_blank\">found object<\/a>, a memory or a fleeting glimpse of something. The work process takes the form of working drawings\/painting studies usually starting with a realistic interpretation which may or may not develop into a finished painting (often totally different to the original idea), but over time, sometimes a year or two down the track I develop a more conceptual approach and images with a more abstract bent begin to form. I can only be a realist for so long and then the need to create differently strikes. The <a title=\"American Embassy\" href=\"http:\/\/canberra.usembassy.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\">American<\/a> &amp; <a title=\"Japanese Embassy\" href=\"http:\/\/www.au.emb-japan.go.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\">Japanese<\/a> embassies have more abstract pieces .Sometimes I just need to revert to past series\u00a0 such as \u2018Fragments Of The Ancients\u2019 which were matter paintings.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2895\" style=\"font-size: 12px;\" alt=\" \" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie02.jpg\" width=\"760\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie02.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie02-300x151.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><b>AC: Your\u00a0<\/b><b>career began almost 40 years ago \u2013 what were the kinds of styles and aesthetics that influenced you and inspired you most back then?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>JA: As a young painter I had an affinity with Realism and Surrealism because a good friend David Dridan was a leading landscape artist. Later this caused problems at Art School as my teachers were people like <a title=\"Sydney Ball \" href=\"http:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/entertainment\/art-and-design\/revisiting-sydney-balls-rabble-rousing-days-20131022-2vz7f.html\" target=\"_blank\">Sydney Ball <\/a>who was and is a hard edge <a title=\"colour field painter\" href=\"http:\/\/arthistory.about.com\/od\/modernarthistory\/a\/color_field_10one.htm\" target=\"_blank\">colour field painter<\/a>. Later Tom Gleghorn entered my artistic life and introduced me to <a title=\"Expressionism and Matter Painting\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nga.gov.au\/exhibition\/AbstractExpress\/Default.cfm?IRN=41545&amp;BioArtistIRN=22425&amp;MnuID=3&amp;GalID=4&amp;ViewID=2\" target=\"_blank\">Expressionism and Matter Painting<\/a> and also gave me knowledge of paint technology which enabled me to explore. I also was lucky enough to meet many of our top artists and visit their studios; sadly many have since died.<\/p>\n<p><b>AC: Your work suggests that you are very taken with the landscapes all across Australia: <a title=\"Kakadu\" href=\"http:\/\/www.environment.gov.au\/topics\/national-parks\/kakadu-national-park\" target=\"_blank\">Kakadu<\/a>, the <a title=\"Kimberleys\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kimberley-australia.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Kimberleys<\/a>, and the <a title=\"Sunshine Coast \" href=\"http:\/\/www.google.com.au\/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=2&amp;ved=0CC4QFjAB&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.visitsunshinecoast.com.au%2F&amp;ei=Qp1gU7KlNcaBlAXolYDgCg&amp;usg=AFQjCNEg67iMCjdMq5S2H6Syvkk0KldH4w&amp;bvm=bv.65636070,d.aGc\" target=\"_blank\">Sunshine Coast <\/a>\u2013 have you travelled anywhere else that you found as inspiring?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>JA: Sadly the life of an artist is not a particularly financial one so while I have travelled to most area of Australia, lived for a month each year at <a title=\"Ularu\" href=\"http:\/\/www.parksaustralia.gov.au\/uluru\/\" target=\"_blank\">Uluru<\/a> for 8 years as <a title=\"Artist In Residence\" href=\"http:\/\/www.voyages.com.au\/corporate\/mulgara-gallery\/\" target=\"_blank\">Artist in Residence <\/a>I haven\u2019t been overseas to see my 2 dream places \u2013<a title=\"Tuscany\" href=\"http:\/\/www.discovertuscany.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Tuscany<\/a> &amp; <a title=\"Provence\" href=\"http:\/\/www.seeprovence.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Provence<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b>AC: How would you describe the style and feeling of your collection at Red Hill Gallery in one sentence?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>JA: I hope it has a feeling of calm and evokes happy memories for some. The coastal pieces are about that morning moment of peace, with the <a title=\"Cool Sand\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/gcflight\/super-cool-sand-art\/\" target=\"_blank\">cool sand <\/a>beneath the feet and the gentle sound of the sea brushing the shore.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie03.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2896\" alt=\"James Ainslie\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie03.jpg\" width=\"760\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie03.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie03-300x105.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/a><b>AC: Have you had any particularly memorable responses to your work?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>JA: I guess winning a few prizes is memorable, but having <a title=\"John Olsen \" href=\"http:\/\/www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au\/collection\/works\/?artist_id=olsen-john\" target=\"_blank\">John Olsen <\/a>advise a collector to buy one of my pieces was a bit special.<\/p>\n<p><b>AC: What helps you to get into the creative zone? Do you listen to music while you paint? If so, what kind?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>JA: I have no real idea what gets me in a creative zone \u2013I think it is ever present, but often suppressed, so it is usually some small stimulus that drags it to the surface. As for music I am eclectic with this too; it may be classical day or <a title=\"Rolling Stones \" href=\"http:\/\/www.rollingstones.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Rolling Stones <\/a>day or anywhere in between.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie04.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2897\" alt=\"James Ainslie\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie04.jpg\" width=\"760\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie04.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/JamesAinslie04-300x151.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a9\u00a0\u00a0<a title=\"Red Hill Gallery\" href=\"http:\/\/www.redhillgallery.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\">Red Hill Gallery<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"al2fb_like_button\"><div id=\"fb-root\"><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n(function(d, s, id) {\n  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\n  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;\n  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;\n  js.src = \"\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=499790883388518\";\n  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);\n}(document, \"script\", \"facebook-jssdk\"));\n<\/script>\n<fb:like href=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=2857\" send=\"true\" layout=\"button_count\" show_faces=\"true\" share=\"false\" width=\"150\" action=\"recommend\" font=\"arial\" colorscheme=\"light\" ref=\"AL2FB\"><\/fb:like><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ShareArtChat has recently interviewed James Ainslie, one of five Queensland artists exhibiting at Red Hill Gallery as part of the Light &amp; Air Exhibition from 2 May 2014. AC: The picturesque landscape of South Australia is a strong theme in &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=2857\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,176,63,19,199,200,43,159,20,106,18,13,6],"tags":[290,121,61,9,14,123,15,306,295,184,320,65,321,296,124,16,64,294,10],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2857"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2857"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2857\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2900,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2857\/revisions\/2900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}