The Artist and her Daughter

You seem to like wearing clogs when you work.
They have such a history behind them ... (stepping up to work) ... good working shoes too.
Tell me about your day out yesterday, just you and our daughter.
It was lovely, lovely to spend time with her ... just the two of us. She's only eight but she's so receptive to things. (stepping back from work) We went to see a show.
Did she enjoy it?
Well, yes ... (working again) ... In the first room were all these paintings with female bodies trapped by houses. Also, a huge cage-like box or cell with a replica of the artist's childhood home in it ... (light chuckle) ... I was laughing with her. Explaining how it's not good to feel trapped at home with no way out. That it's good to find something you really want to do in life. Something you care about. And not spend all day cleaning ... (a smile) ... unless it gives you a huge amount of satisfaction ... (stepping through mess) ... No, home, I said, is a good place but that for some people it can be a trap.
How are you getting on with the new piece?
Very good. I've just removed something from it which helps it greatly ... (angling head; working away at surface) ... but I want to talk more about the show we saw.
Go on.
The rooms were like dreams, bad dreams, and memories ... (stifled sneeze) ... I talked to her about how memories aren't always truthful. One room had all these chairs ... a torture chair, little chairs. And it was all about the artist's background, her father's job, and something that had happened in her childhood, which she was very angry about. Which I think is extraordinary, because she's in her nineties, this artist. And to be still making work about it? It's incredible.
What effect does a show like this have on an 8-year old, do you think?
A good effect, it's good ... (sitting down) ... She was fascinated by the fact the artist used so many different materials. (standing up) And that you could literally walk into these imaginary worlds. I think it was also very significant that it was a woman artist we were seeing. No, she was very sweet. (a beat) Inquisitive. Just really enjoying it. We had a really good time. (looking intently at work) And because she's been exposed to art from such an early age, she never wonders what it's for. (working hard) The other thing I loved ... is the fact it was also about motherhood.

The Artist's Parents

I wanted to sit down at the round red table this evening and interview the artist about what I know is the important influence her parents have had on her art and indeed life as an artist. For over 200 blogs now I have been deliberately avoiding this as a subject matter, out of a kind of shy respect I suspect, a sort of sideways glance, but I was thinking only this morning how now may be as good a time as any to approach this important strand to the artist's life. Anyway, as you can probably tell, the interview didn't happen. At least, not today. Meanwhile I have been in the centre of a very cold capital and the artist has been recovering at home, though not unsuccessfully I might add. I am also aware of the fact a possible visit from a gallerist may come next week and the artist must be recovered fully for this. As a result, she is relaxing for the first time today - the space where she normally works is immaculate because of cleaning - and I feel in no position to take away this precious rest. However, as someone who didn't know his own parents, I feel it's important to add that I have never resented those who do. Also, it is entirely in keeping with the artist's lack of pretentiousness that she not only embraces hers and acknowledges openly their general encouragement, but also that she has made them the subject of her work in the two large portraits mentioned on this site before. No, it is a very big deal, encouragement, and as a parent myself now I am only too aware of its power of invigoration. What I perhaps admire most with the artist and her parents is that while some would have tried to nudge their offspring away from a life so unpredictable and difficult as an artist's, this the artist's parents never did. Instead, I suspect, they watched their daughter's absolute determination and like me were so bowled over by it, so impressed, they simply bowed before it and now, I know, wish it the highest regard. They are just as encouraging to their two other talented offspring too. I tip my hat to them; I really do.