Studio Snoop: Merryn Tresidder

We are back snopping around and in this installment we are introducing you to Cornish artist Merryn Tresidder. Here are some images from when we went exploring around his lovely studio.

How did you get involved in art?

My involvement in art stems from my mothers bohemian background. Listening to her stories about her aunt, Pip Benveniste, and her mums 'Pink House' in Newlyn, kept an early interest in art alive for me, dad wanted me to study history.

 
Where did you study art?
 
Locally to begin with, my B-Tech teacher Liz Dickenson put me on some programs at the Tate St Ives. This was my informal introduction to the modernists that flourished in Kernow. After that I studied for a BA in Mixed Media Fine Art at The University of Westminster. I loved being in the big city, as a kid I visited regularly, but living there was a very different experience.

What are your main inspirations in your work? 

The overall inspiration behind my paintings is just to explore the medium of paint, using tools and devices that, say, a poet, might use with words, metaphor for example, or maybe even irony. However, since moving back to Kernow, it'd be rude to ignore the countryside and its unique colours. I've defiantly moved away from the inorganic palette I used in the city. Beyond that my inspiration can stem from almost anything. Recently a friend and I have been turning animals into contemporary caricatures, things like chavs and the internet seem to be a common theme at the moment, just because I think the arts (generally) are are good at ignoring them. Maybe deliberately, but I suspect its more to do with the controversy that surrounds them and their lack of aesthetic. I think its fair to say my paintings aren't safe in that respect. 

Are there any new areas of art you wish to explore?
 
Yeah, plenty, I'm just not sure what they are yet. It seems I've always got more ideas to pursue than time or money to pursue them.

How do you find having your own studio?
 
After the small space allotted to me at university, having a space the same size as one I used to share with another 6 people, all to myself is just great. I had a studio in Brent in London for a similar price in my first year after my degree, but it was tiny by comparison. So yeah, to have a view like the one I've got here and to be so close to home is perfect really.
 

How do you tend to use the space?
 
I get up to all sorts of nonsense in my studio. I've had to do small bits of woodwork and painting for my dads windows, build plinths and shelves, I pretend to be a framer sometimes, drawing/doodling happens a lot there, I dance there, cry there and eventually, after walking the dog, get round to some painting there.

You are getting involved with an upcoming exhibition, Can you tell us more about that?
 
Yeah, so my two up coming shows are sort of linked together with the same ridiculous theme of '...throwing traditional ideas of modernity in the rear view mirror of a metaphorical transit van.' that phrase popped up in a brain storming session at the studio with some fellow artists. We liked the idea of 'Transit' as it relates to how we all felt about moving from '...the daunting void of a blank canvas...' to our own unique final products. The shows, named Transit Pt.1 and Pt.2, are both in Kernow, and are my debut shows in the Duchy. Pt.1 will be at the Porthleven Life Boat Gallery on March the 21/22nd, and Pt2 will be at CMR Gallery on Back Lane West in Redruth July 11th to the 14th.

To check out more of Merryn's work visit http://merryntresidder.weebly.com

Studio Snoop: Laura Menzies

If you've been following  our blog you would have seen our 'Artist Introduction' series for our Storm Front exhibition.  Well, we've revisited one of our artists from that show to see what she's up to now (and to have a good old nosey around her new studio!)  If you want to read a bit about how Laura got into art and her processes, click here before you read on!

Laura in her studio

Lauras Studio is located in the Troubador building on Falmouth Wharves.  We climbed four flights of cold concrete stairs to a dim corridor but once inside Laura's studio we could see why she chose it, so read on to find out what Laura's been up to, and to have a glimpse inside the studio...

 

Another Space on the Warf

What have you been up to in your artistic practice since we last spoke to you?

I moved into my studio at Falmouth wharf in Feburary and have started work on a new body of paintings which are slowly taking shape. I have also been involved with several exhibitions and in July I completed my first residency at TAP project space in Southend, which was a fantastic experience that I learnt a lot from. 

Laura's Desk

Have your inspirations changed at all?

The paintings I make are abstract works that reference my surroundings, my personal life and my everyday experiences.  I have recently been introduced to Japanese aesthetics and the concept of Wabi Sabi which I am excited by, as it directly relates to some of the principles I strive to achieve in my paintings such as simplicity, suggestion and incompleteness. 

New work

Laura uses layers in her work

Are there any other areas of art you want to explore within your practice?

As a painter I feel I have just scratched the surface on what I hope to achieve artistically and want to keep challenging and extending my painting practice.  Having said that I would like to incorporate some printmaking back into my practice, to see how another element would change the dynamics of my paintings and open up new possibilities for different formal and narrative relationships to become evident. I am also becoming increasingly interested in poetry and text and would like to experiment with these in some way in the future. 

  

Stacked work

You are doing a talk as part of your week in the 'limelight' at Falmouth Art Gallery.  Can you tell us a bit more about that?

I approached Falmouth Gallery several months ago now enquiring about their Limelight space and was told that I could have the space for a week in October and could do a talk to coincide with my work being in the space. I thought that doing a talk on my work would allow me to engage with a new audience, would push me out of my comfort zone (which I feel is important)  and would also be a good opportunity for me to reflect on my practice and review where I current am. 

Work on an easel 

Could you tell us a bit about how you use your studio? 

When I am working I am very messy and have lots of paints, pallets, tools and paintings all around me. I do however always make sure that I leave the studio clean and tidy so that when next go in everything is in its correct place and I can start working straight away. 

Ready for work!

In these posts we like to give you a taster of the artists work environment but if you want to see more of Laura's work, head to her website:

lauramenzies.co.uk

And if you want to keep up to date with her work here's a link to her Facebook, and the event page for her talk at Falmouth Art Gallery tomorrow:

facebook.com/laurajmenzies

Click here for the event page

We hope you've enjoyed this post.  If you are an artist and you are interested in having us snoop around your studio comment below, or drop us an e-mail!

midsummernights21@gmail.com