Interview with Russell Pulford — Contemporary Art Curator Magazine

Russell was born and educated in England, he now resides in Australia. After many years of promises Russell finally became a full time artist in 2015. He finds inspiration for his work from our landscapes and the many natural wonders that they contain. Russell usually works with acrylic paints using palette knives. He is an environmentalist, he hopes that his landscape painting is a connection for people and reminds them of the importance of protecting and caring for the environment.

How would you describe yourself and your artwork?

I am both an artist and an environmentalist. My love of both painting and our environment combines so that i use my painting emotionally to send the message of caring for our surroundings and the importance of eliminating apathy and wilful ignorance.

How do you go about beginning a new piece? Do you have an idea already in mind or do you start working with materials or sketches to find the departure point?

This process has changed from when i first started painting in a serious manner. Generally now i do think a good deal about what i am going to do, i feel more comfortable with this degree of ‘pre planning’ i definitely have a subject in mind each time i commence a new work. However that is not to say that i am unable to be impulsive and suddenly temporarily abandon what i am working on in order to satisfy a sudden need to begin something else. I sketch out my subject on to the canvas sometimes, most often once i have made my mind up about the colour palette its a plunge straight in to it.

When do you think your most prolific time of the day or week is?

No set time. If i am in the right “headspace” it is straight at it so to speak, as such that can be any time of day or night.

What is a barrier you as an artist overcame? Is there anything that enabled you to develop your work as an artist in your life.

Oh what a question..... Firstly there was the search for courage, the courage required to actually put ones work in to the public arena, where it may attract negative commentary. This particular journey was a mental challenge for me personally, as i gradually overcame the fear of negative criticism. I also learnt to stop engaging with “the thief of joy” that wretched practice of comparison. As i developed my style i cared less and less about matters of negative reaction and the like and simply focussed my attention to producing artwork that i wanted to produce in a manner and style that is my own.

Did you have an idea of what you wanted to create right from the beginning?

When i began painting i concentrated on the human form especially where it relates to dance, gradually i moved away from this subject matter and experimented with landscape pieces realising that this had far more meaning for me.

What is the meaning or creative inspiration for your work? we’re curious what the narrative or story is to what you are producing?

Is there anything more inspiring than mother nature and her playground? I would like to think that my work inspires viewers of it to think about their surroundings and the importance of nurture, respect and self restraint.

Besides your artworks, are there any other things in life that your voice as an artist may consider vital or valuable? What makes you joyful and creative, in other words?

The phenomena of the physical world such as the intricacies of flowers, the splendour of old growth forests and trees in general, the significance of animals and insects. Not forgetting my two Border Collie dogs (Hedy Lamar and Judy Garland) who never fail to enrich my day. These things make me joyful and creative.