{"id":2933,"date":"2014-06-06T01:52:01","date_gmt":"2014-06-05T15:52:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=2933"},"modified":"2014-06-12T09:56:36","modified_gmt":"2014-06-11T23:56:36","slug":"artchat-blog-interview-51-loretta-blake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=2933","title":{"rendered":"ArtChat [Blog Interview #51] \u2013 Loretta Blake"},"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=2933\" 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><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2959\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/LorettaBlake01.jpg\" alt=\"Loretta Blake\" width=\"760\" height=\"398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/LorettaBlake01.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/LorettaBlake01-300x157.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/>Despite her stronghold as an established landscape and still-life artist, <a title=\"Loretta Blake\" href=\"http:\/\/www.redhillgallery.com.au\/LorettaBlake2014.html\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Loretta Blake\u2019s <\/strong><\/a>new work exhibits her recent experimentation from neon, pop-style colour to a subdued pastel palette. She embraces stylistic diversity and draws inspiration from her magnificent garden and the <a title=\"Australian outback\" href=\"http:\/\/www.australiasgoldenoutback.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Australian Outback<\/a>. Blake\u2019s practice oscillates between abstraction and realism which allows this artist to contently seek change and new directions in her art.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0 How did your career as an artist begin?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>LB:\u00a0\u00a0 In infant school, I licked my \u2018<a title=\"colouring in pencils\u2019 \" href=\"http:\/\/www.pencils.co.uk\/product.aspx?mid=1283\" target=\"_blank\">colouring in pencils\u2019 <\/a>to make colours brighter. On a more serious note, <a title=\"Orange\" href=\"http:\/\/www.visitorange.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\">Orange<\/a> is a strong art area with an excellent <a title=\"Regional Gallery \" href=\"http:\/\/www.org.nsw.gov.au\/\" target=\"_blank\">Regional Gallery <\/a>within easy driving distance to Sofala and Hill End where many of Australia\u2019s most noted artists have painted and lived. This aesthetic attracted many other art practitioners, one being the late <a title=\"David Wilson\" href=\"http:\/\/kedumba.org.au\/david-wilson\/\" target=\"_blank\">David Wilson<\/a>, my ex <a title=\"Julian Ashton \" href=\"http:\/\/julianashtonartschool.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\">Julian Ashton <\/a>art teacher.<br \/>\n<strong>AC:\u00a0 You\u2019ve been working as a professional artist for over 30 years now \u2013 how has your work evolved other that time?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>LB:\u00a0\u00a0 My work has evolved from a totally traditional oil and water colour base to now include acrylics (synthetic polymer) and industrial acrylic. The introduction and progression in new art materials is responsible for great change of style that is now driven by a lifestyle much less formal. My art is more colourful and impressionistic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0 Where do you draw inspiration from \u2013 is it true that it\u2019s often from your own garden?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>LB:\u00a0\u00a0 I am an avid gardener which influences my painting of flowers. <em>\u2018I must have flowers always, always.\u2019<\/em> <a title=\"Monet\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ngv.vic.gov.au\/whats-on\/exhibitions\/exhibitions\/monets-garden\" target=\"_blank\">Monet<\/a><\/p>\n<p>As I sit now at my kitchen table I can count four flower arrangements. My other subjects are from travelling. I am currently on a chair painting journey. Artists mostly paint what they are familiar with.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0 What kinds of art <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2960\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/LorettaBlake02.jpg\" alt=\"Loretta Blake\" width=\"760\" height=\"398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/LorettaBlake02.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/LorettaBlake02-300x157.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/>and aesthetics do you mostly identify with?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>LB:\u00a0\u00a0 Art with soul, impressionistic, contemporary style; gardens of all persuasions and music.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0 You\u2019ve exhibited in Australia as well as overseas \u2013 have you had any particularly memorable responses to your work?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>LB:\u00a0 Yes, a very humbling one \u2013 a gallery owner in regional Australia had a woman client say <em>\u2018we are about to lose our farm and I have to come to town to buy a pair of sheets to cheer myself up.\u201d <\/em> She left the gallery and several hours later returned and said <em>\u2018I have to have that painting.\u2019 <\/em>She bought one of my floral pieces. In telling, I am still overcome.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0 What helps you to get into the creative zone? Do you listen to music? If so, what kind?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>LB:\u00a0\u00a0 Yes, I always listen to music, anything from classical to modern or country if necessary, depending on the energy level required.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0 What\u2019s your favourite part of painting?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>LB:\u00a0\u00a0 All of it. The suffering, challenge and elation \u2013 sometimes all in one painting. The fact is you will never master it. There is always something to learn.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0 How would you describe your art in one sentence?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>LB:\u00a0\u00a0 Energy giving, vibrant, personal expression statements that are essential to my lifestyle.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/LorettaBlake03.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2961\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/LorettaBlake03.jpg\" alt=\"Loretta Blake\" width=\"760\" height=\"347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/LorettaBlake03.jpg 760w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/LorettaBlake03-300x136.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"color: #ff4b33;\" title=\"EXHIBITING JUNE\" href=\"http:\/\/www.redhillgallery.com.au\/LorettaBlake2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">Exhibiting June\u00a02014 at Red Hill Gallery<\/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=2933\" 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>ShareDespite her stronghold as an established landscape and still-life artist, Loretta Blake\u2019s new work exhibits her recent experimentation from neon, pop-style colour to a subdued pastel palette. She embraces stylistic diversity and draws inspiration from her magnificent garden and the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=2933\">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":[4,176,63,19,43,159,20,106,127,30,18,13,36,6,126],"tags":[290,121,61,9,14,123,306,295,129,120,296,311,16,64,67,294,299,10,312,310,95],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2933"}],"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=2933"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2933\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2968,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2933\/revisions\/2968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}