34 Artists&Illustrators
TALKING TECHNIQUES
Bothartistswillhoweverdoa recceofthelandscape
theyintendtopaint.“IfI’mawayona paintingtripthefirst
thingI do,usually,is gooutona runsothatI canexplore
a lotoftheareaquickly,”saysBenjamin.“Butbasically
anywhere,evenathome,I amconstantlyonthelookout
forinterestingcompositionsandpotentialpaintings,which
canmakejustrelaxingandenjoyingliferathertricky.”
Neitherartistworksfromphotographs,although
Benjaminusesthemtokeepa recordofplaceshemight
paint.Bothpaintersdiverightinfollowinga recce– for
Benjaminit is to“maintaintheimmediacyandfreshness
oftheresponse”,whileforAndrewit is sothathecankeep
thelandscapeinmind.
Thetwoartists’studios– ormoreaccuratelyhowthey
keeptheirstudios– arealsotellinglydifferent.Benjamin
is neatandtidy.Andrewis,shallwesay,moreexpressive
inhisworkingenvironment.“Everyonesaysit’sa messy
studio,”headmits,“althoughI’mnotintheFrancisBacon
leagueofstudiomess.”
Thiskeensenseofhumouris neverfarawayinAndrew’s
work,oftenappearinginthetitlesofhispaintings.A new
beachsceneis calledGetIt ontheWayBackfromTesco,We both use colour in a
punchy way to inject an
element of drama... It is
in the differences that
our own voices are seen
ANDREW ROBERTS
for example, while a lush green country lane goes by
the name Son of the Founder of the CIA, the odd titles
adding intrigue and a drollness to the work.
Neither artist has a typical working day. Benjamin
describes his working life as a series of ebbs and flows
and Andrew’s days sound equally as irregular. Both men
are dictated to by the light – what will work best for
painting out of doors. Benjamin needs to fit in running,
which is the way he keeps mentally and physically fit, and
he speaks of more humdrum chores like restocking his
painting equipment.
When asked for advice that they could offer others,
both artists’ wisdom centres on a sense of embracing and
retaining individuality at all costs. Andrew paraphrases
Lucian Freud when he talks about not striving to make
the paintings that he likes, simply aiming instead to make
“the paintings I can”. He advises taking ownership of one’s
work too: “Much like your own handwriting, you cannot get
[art] wrong or really do it another way. It comes out looking
like it does because it is you making it – that much is
inescapable. Learn to accept that.”
Benjamin agrees. “I don’t like to give much advice since
each person is the authority on their own work, so who
am I to say? In that spirit, I would encourage artists always
to draw and paint what they themselves find visually
interesting.”
As the pair limber up for their exhibition, one thing of
which you can be sure is that neither will take their foot off
the gas. Andrew quotes Picasso – “Inspiration exists but it
has to find you working” – which is an apt motto for both
artists who, despite their contrasts, have absolutely found
common ground.
Common Ground runs from 8-16 November at Gallery Different,
London W1. http://www.benjaminhope.netABOVE, FROM LEFT
Get It On the Way
Back from Tesco,
oil on canvas,
20x20cm;
It Worked Out for
Them, Look, oil on
canvas, 20x20cm.
Both paintings by
Andrew Roberts