151ArtUlster Tatler speaks to artist, Terry Bradley.
lIFE sTORIEs
How did you end up following this career path, was being an artist
something you had always envisioned doing?
I have always drawn since I was a child. I grew up in a working class
environment and art would never have been considered as a career.
The people I knew worked in factories and big companies, that was what
I was expected to do. I just used my art as escapism, there was a lot of
trouble on the streets around where I grew up and I wasn’t allowed out
much, drawing became my refuge.
How did you get to where you are now?
I was always creative and started various businesses in my teens. I
opened a clothes shop called ‘Retro’ opposite Queen’s University in
Belfast, I had DJ’s playing on a Saturday and I hand painted jeans behind
the counter. I had no experience in business though and no money
behind me so I had to close it. I then moved to Dublin to hang out and
do a bit of modelling. It was in Dublin that I met John Reynolds, the
owner of the PoD nightclub. He was the first person to believe in me, he
knew I could paint and he insisted I have an exhibition in ‘The Chocolate
Bar’. He sorted the whole thing out and it was a huge success, I never
could have done it without him.
What has been the highlight of your career?
I’ve had a lot of highlights over the years. My first exhibition was a big
moment but I was so naïve that I didn’t really think it meant much, it was
just a night out.
Do you believe art is something that can be taught or a talent you
are born with?
I’ve never had an art class in my life, my work is pure emotion and comes
from within. I know when something works, there is a moment that goes
beyond the paint and canvas and creates that emotion on the page,
those are the paintings that mean the most to me. Saying that, I do
believe that you can learn a lot from art school. I sometimes wish I’d had
more direction in the past, I had to figure out a lot of stuff on my own, I
never knew how to clean brushes so I had to keep buying new ones. I
guess it’s a bit like singing, there are people who can just sing naturally,
without any training but training can help.Your new collection ‘Life Stories’ has just launched, what was the
inspiration behind this collection?
These pieces are very important to me. I’ve been going through a hard
time in my life recently. There is something about reaching some of your
goals that is very unsettling. It’s ok when you’re young and working with
your head down to pay the next bill but I suppose I’ve hit a bit of a mid
life crisis. I have so much work I want to do in my head but I don’t have
the same challenges so I’ve become more introspective. My anxiety
is pretty bad a lot of the time and I still use drawing and painting as an
escape. Some of the pieces in this collection are very close to home
emotionally but I need to put them out there and let people see them.Who do you think these art pieces will appeal to?
I honestly don’t know. I have a lot of people who say that they connect
with the emotions in my art. I do believe that there is something
there that I can’t put my finger on but that other people feel as well.
Sometimes it’s pain, or fear or bravado or sheer bloody mindedness
but I want people to know that you can keep going and that somebody
understands and is going through the same thing.What is your process for creating artwork, is there a technique you
use that makes you unique?
I pretty much paint as I feel. I use paint, charcoal, pen, pencil. Sometimes
I paint on canvas or wood or paper. I quite often take a hand sander to
pieces on wood to take them back a bit and distress them. I want the art
to be lived in and distressed but still beautiful.
For more information visit http://www.terrybradley.com