Artist Interviews

Artists

Read artist interviews featuring some of the most exciting established and emerging figures in the art world. Our conversations with contemporary artists get to the heart of what makes them tick, exploring the development of their style, their inspirations and the stories behind their recent work. Discover our artist interviews to get to know the people whose works that you can browse and buy in our online store.

Our top artist interviews

One of our most popular recent interviews was a talk with Nelson Makamo, a South African painter and winner of 2018’s Rise Art Prize known for his expressive portraits. Our conversation with Kelvin Okafor, who creates intricate photorealistic pencil portraits, dove into his unique fusion of the technical and the conceptual. You may also enjoy our interview with Fred Ingrams, in which he discusses both his technical process and what drew him to start painting the Fens.

Interviews you won’t want to miss

Among our contemporary artist interviews, you will find our Q&A with Philip Vaughan, author of the landmark 48ft-tall Light Tower which graced the London skyline from 1972 to 2008. You can read about the machinations and motivations driving rising star Anna Sofie Jesperson. Our interview with Mark Chadwick may also be of interest, where the colour master shines a light on the inspiration behind his vibrant abstract paintings.

Rachel Mercer: "The painterly surface becomes a conduit for emotion and feeling."

We caught up with contemporary artist Rachel Mercer on overlapping disciplines, capturing the "presentness" of a moment through direct mark-making, the multi-dimensional nature of memory, and more.

By Rise Art | 13 Nov 2024

THE SENSES AND BIOPHILIA | Laura Basterra Sanz

"I’ve learned that relying solely on intellect to choose colours can prevent the magic of unexpected discoveries during the process—especially when mixing colours in response to the moment."

By Rise Art | 05 Nov 2024

"I like chicken" and Other Stories with Sabrina Shah

Sabrina Shah's artwork delves into a variety of rich themes, using familiar cartoon characters and popular tropes as metaphors for emotions, personality traits, and human compulsions. Her work navigates the dynamic tension between light and dark, often employing playful motifs like games, wordplay, and storytelling. By blending whimsical elements with deeper, introspective meaning, Shah offers layered interpretations of the struggle to simply be human.

By Sophie Heatley | 30 Sept 2024

Neon Art: Interview with Laura Benetton

"Art and science, for me, are two sides of the same coin, each informing and enriching the other. My work with neon is deeply rooted in this fusion, where the precision of scientific principles meets the emotional expressiveness of art."

By Sophie Heatley | 12 Sept 2024

Kineasthesia: Rémi Delaplace on Gravitation, Trajectory, and Levitation

Through abstract compositions, Rémi Delaplace explores the notions of gravitation, trajectory, and levitation. His paintings create spatial narratives that evoke the dynamics of bodies and objects in space.

By Cécile Martet | 21 Aug 2024

Kinaesthesia: Miguel Ripoll on Art in the AI Era

Rise Art met with Miguel Ripoll to discuss his exploration and subversion of the long-established themes and traditions of artistic praxis and how he aims to navigate our increasingly complex and hyper-connected existence.

By Sophie Heatley | 20 Aug 2024

Kinaesthesia: Zhou Yiyan

We spoke with multidisciplinary artist Zhou Yiyan who, keenly interested in illustrating the fluidity of movement and bodily expression, explores the coexistence of opposites and the transformation of materials through sculpture, drawing, music, and dance.

By Rise Art | 08 Aug 2024

Sue Kennington: "It has nothing to do with feeling, it has everything to do with precision."

For over ten years, Sue Kennington has been developing a colour library as part of an ongoing investigation into the limits of colour and light within contemporary painting. “I’ve always been really interested in systems. It seems to be the human condition—we are always looking for an answer, trying to make sense of things.”

By Sophie Heatley | 07 Aug 2024

Aidan Myers: Painting Is a Never-Ending Story

We are pleased to be launching a portfolio of several paintings by Aidan Myers, the result of a transformative long-term residency at The Lake House in India. Read our interview with the artist on this new body of kaleidoscopic works documenting his time in Maharashtra.

By Sophie Heatley | 16 Jul 2024

Karen Turner: Why Do You Have To Be So Emotional?

I recently had the joy of chatting with Karen Turner about her latest series, "Why Do You Have To Be So Emotional?" This series - from which, as I’m writing this, just three pieces remain - delves deep into the societal regulation of women and gender minorities. Unlike her previous projects, though, this collection extends beyond exploring the physical form to encompass the policing of tone and emotion.

By Sophie Heatley | 04 Jul 2024