{"id":992,"date":"2012-09-19T20:29:20","date_gmt":"2012-09-19T10:29:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=992"},"modified":"2012-09-19T20:29:20","modified_gmt":"2012-09-19T10:29:20","slug":"artchat-blog-interview-number-19-%e2%80%93-paul-margocsy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=992","title":{"rendered":"ArtChat [Blog Interview Number 19] \u2013  Paul Margocsy"},"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=992\" 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>Red Hill Gallery is excited to announce that the internationally acclaimed Australian wildlife artist <a href=\"http:\/\/www.paulmargocsy.com.au\/about-paul-margocsy\" target=\"_blank\">Paul Margocsy <\/a>will be gracing the walls of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.redhillgallery.com.au\" target=\"_blank\">Red Hill Gallery<\/a> once again in October. The self-taught artist has a penchant for wildlife and paints accurate and witty depictions of all Mother Nature\u2019s creatures, especially birds. Commissioned by <a href=\" http:\/\/auspost.com.au\/personal\/stamps-and-collectables.html \" target=\"_blank\">Australia Post<\/a> and the <a href=\"http:\/\/unstamps.un.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">United Nations\u00a0<\/a> to paint a series of water birds and endangered species, as well as having exhibited at the prestigious<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lywam.org\/birdsinart\/\" target=\"_blank\"> \u2018Leigh Yawkey Woodson Birds in Art show\u2019\u00a0<\/a> we are very privileged to have Paul in our Gallery.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?attachment_id=1004\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1004\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1004\" title=\"PaulMargocsy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/PaulMargocsy1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/PaulMargocsy1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/PaulMargocsy1-300x133.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Paul, I think people will be astounded to learn that you are a self taught artist! How long did the development of your style to this calibre take?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It took many years of practice and frustrating efforts to learn the technique I now use.\u00a0\u00a0 There was no one to teach me so I just experimented and finally developed my style.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Your work was disseminated in the thousands when you were commissioned by Australia Post to do a series of waterbird stamps. How did it feel to see your paintings whenever you opened a letter?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To coin a phrase it was the first \u201cfeather in my cap\u201d.\u00a0 I was extremely proud and at the same time humbled by the commission, I still joke that in 1990 I was licked by 14 million people.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The technique you use is very unique; could you elaborate more on the process of creating?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I found it very difficult to paint backgrounds and I found that they were competing against the complex work of the wildlife subjects.\u00a0 Hence I started to use an airbrush to give the image a photo realistic approach.\u00a0 In using water colour I found that using the traditional wet on wet treatment got me nowhere.\u00a0 However, with my technique with dry brushing I can get incredible detail.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What shows through in your work is that you paint from the heart with compassion, knowledge and love. Have you always felt this way about wildlife? Where do you think this passion stems from?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In all honesty I love what I do and love portraying the facets of wildlife; however the trip to Africa\u00a0 2 years ago blew me away.\u00a0 To see nature up close was a wonderful experience.\u00a0 I\u2019m very fortunate that I have a photographic memory and this enables me to move and create the paintings that I do.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The naming of your works seems like it would be a fun process, it definitely makes your fans giggle and smile, how do you decide on a name?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I wait until I finish a painting, then look at the subject and words form in my head to suit\u00a0 the painting, it can either be a film or song title or a play on words.\u00a0 Rather than entitle a\u00a0\u00a0 painting \u201cBird study\u201d I get a real buzz giving them quirky titles.\u00a0 It\u2019s part of my character.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What does you art mean to you and what do you think it means to your audience?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My art means everything to me and I am so lucky that people enjoy what I enjoy. I try to paint images that people can relate to and it\u2019s great that they take a part of me into their homes.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?attachment_id=1007\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1007\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1007\" title=\"PAUL3\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/PAUL31.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/PAUL31.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/PAUL31-300x98.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What is your view from your window at the moment?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I actually have a north facing studio and when I do look out the window I occasionally see \u201cPacific Black Ducks\u201d landing in the pool.\u00a0 Aint wildlife grand?<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What do you do when you\u2019re not working on your art?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Unfortunately I am an AFL football tragic and during the footy season I follow the Bombers\u00a0 and go to as many games as I can.\u00a0 My other distraction is music and I have a vast collection of many different music genres to choose from.\u00a0 I also love to travel and have recently come back from America.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You won 3 months supply of ice cream at the age of 12 as an art prize! Tell our readers more about this!<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My mother knew I could draw and in the late 50\u2019s two television clowns (<a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Zig_and_Zag_\" target=\"_blank\">Zig &amp; Zag<\/a> Australian_performers) offered a prize for a drawing of themselves.\u00a0 My mother knew I had won it before I had even finished.\u00a0 For three months I had heaps of friends but after the ice cream ran out, so\u00a0\u00a0 did the friends.\u00a0 It also did\u00a0 nothing for my football career.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I heard you are a bit of music lover, who do you love to listen to when you paint?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 People assume that music can affect an artist and his art.\u00a0 I love to listen to all forms of music but preferably 60\u2019s to 70\u2019s music.\u00a0 However, when a painting is really looking spectacular I tend to sing along and have even been known to dance around my studio, how embarrassing!<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Where did your last holiday take you and what was the most memorable bit?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I took my wife to America for her birthday and as it has been 40 years since I was in San Francisco and New York it was quite a thrill for both of us.\u00a0 I would imagine the most\u00a0 memorable bits were the Broadway shows and the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lonelyplanet.com\/thorntree\/thread.jspa?threadID=1878154\" target=\"_blank\">Gospel Church in Harlem.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As an animal lover I\u2019m sure you have a favourite&#8230; what is it?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s easy, Owls, I\u2019m known as the Owl man in Melbourne, not that I stay up late but, I enjoy painting their big eyes and faces.\u00a0 The Zebras and the Leopards that I do give me a\u00a0 thrill and I would have to throw in Kingfishers and Wrens.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How does it feel to be the first Australian to be exhibited 2 years in succession in the prestigious Leigh Yawkey Woodson Birds in Art Show?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>PM:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Lee Yawkey Exhibition was something I never thought I would achieve.\u00a0 It was funny to be\u00a0 with the world\u2019s best artists and for them to say to me that they really enjoyed my work.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t\u00a0\u00a0 have the heart to tell them that I had actually copied off all of them when I was trying to teach myself, 30 years ago.\u00a0 To represent Australia that way was an honour that I will never forget.\u00a0 Never mind that they couldn\u2019t understand my humour and accent.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?attachment_id=1006\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1006\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1006\" title=\"PAUL02\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/PAUL022.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"203\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/PAUL022.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/PAUL022-300x101.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a>Paul Margocsy is exhibiting soon at Red Hill Gallery.\u00a0 You can enjoy an online preview here &#8211; <a href=\"www.redhillgallery.com.au\/PaulMargocsy2012.html\" target=\"_blank\">www.redhillgallery.com.au\/PaulMargocsy2012.html<\/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=992\" 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>ShareRed Hill Gallery is excited to announce that the internationally acclaimed Australian wildlife artist Paul Margocsy will be gracing the walls of Red Hill Gallery once again in October. The self-taught artist has a penchant for wildlife and paints accurate &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=992\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/992"}],"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=992"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/992\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1019,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/992\/revisions\/1019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=992"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=992"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=992"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}