Eileen Long

Interview with Hannah Whale, Art Practioner

2011-02-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

Hannah Whale by Eileen Long

Your practice covers many areas of art, how would you describe yourself?

      I don’t know… that’s really difficult because what don’t I do really? I would say I’m a creator of things I think. Other people may describe me as an artist and I do sometimes but I don’t come from purely an art background. Craft was actually more my thing, my degree being in Studio Ceramics. Although I don’t do it much now I don’t think I could have one without the other; the art without the craft. The latter is my trade, but then again I write and illustrate too. Does that come under the category of being an artist? Writing’s a craft yet illustrating is an art isn’t it? I don’t really know. Does it matter what I am at the end of the day? It’s only a label you put on yourself, or someone else puts on you.

Hannah Whale What Makes Us Human

Hannah Whale Doll and Crowd Scene

You said that your degree was in ceramics, what made you cross over into other areas?

            It was Studio Ceramics I did, but throughout my degree I tended to mix media. I would for instance make ceramic spoons or bowls with ‘found’ objects as the handles; throughout my degree I did that. I too had a keen interest in assemblage. At the time I think they thought I’d pushed boundaries, and maybe why I did well in my final degree show. But I think if I had my time again I would go for another craft and that would be textiles. Part of me wishes I’d done that, but if I had maybe I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now.

Hannah Whale Hand
Who was an early influence on you?

            My dad; Yes, I reckon my dad. He painted in oils and did pencil sketches; it was always what he did when I was a child growing up. I have vivid memories of him sitting at an easel with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth with a great big long ash on it… painting. Despite this I didn’t do art at school I did cookery! I went to college in ’92 and did a part time non-examination general art and design course. I remember at comprehensive school taking a picture of some mushrooms I’d drawn into the art teacher and asking, ‘What do you think of these?” I think he said I could have done better! The story of my life really!
            My dad hasn’t painted for years, I’m always telling him he should. He gave up smoking a long time ago and when he did he gave up painting. He’s now seventy nine and smokes roll-ups. This week I’ve been struggling to do a portrait, a surprise gift for a friend of mine. I took the picture to my dad and asked if he could give me a hand with it as I’d torn up five attempts already. He’s doing it now! It’s backfired a bit because I wanted to, but it’s the first thing he’s done in years so that’s brilliant and I’m glad.
Hannah Whale Platform Galloper
You sculpt, you write, you draw, what else do you do?

I work with textiles, assemblage is something else I enjoy.

So out of everything you do, what is the most important part? If you had to give up them all apart from one, what would it be?

            Oh gosh… probably drawing. That’s a really hard question because I love writing too. It wouldn’t be ceramics put it that way. That would go. To prioritise, I would say ceramics would be at the bottom, and then it would probably be assemblage. It’s really difficult to choose as I get so excited with whatever I do, just like a child opening a present, they sort of shake with excitement, I’m a bit like that really. So it would be ceramics at the bottom, then assemblage, followed by writing then drawing. But you see the writing and drawing go hand in hand – I’ve written the book and done the drawings to illustrate it. They help the writing to evolve; they help each other.

In your art practice, are you creating things that just look pretty? Or are you trying to put some sort of subliminal message into them?

            Very few of my pieces, if any, look pretty. When I was at college it was all about trying to get a message across. It was my interpretation of when I worked in Romania, the awful tragedies that happened and what the children were going through, trying to get across what their lives were like. I was there from 1994-97. I rang up a charity and said ‘do you need any volunteers?’ I was originally there for three months to do arts and crafts with the children. I had no materials so we ended up sticking leaves on pieces of paper with flour and water! And then I came home. There was no-one going out at Christmas so I said I would. I stayed and ended up becoming Field Co-ordinator for child-care volunteers at one particular hospital. When I returned to England I became house-mother to two young adults who’d been adopted here from Romania, my job teaching them life skills.

Hannah Whale Absence

   In 2001 I went to Falmouth to do my degree which I found really difficult to begin with because it was the first bit of time I’d given to myself for many years and had a bit of a problem with it. I nearly left college in my second year as I didn’t feel worthy of it. I managed to work it out. Anyway, when I went to college I had to revisit what I’d seen in Romania so that was a little bit difficult but I did see it with a fresh pair of eyes because I’d been away from it for so long. I was more objective
            The most recent things carry no hidden messages or statements. The silver jewellery is what it is, stunning but with no secrets. Before this were two commissions for friends. Both fairly new in the grand scheme of things, one of them has been collecting my work since 2004 when I exhibited at The London Art and Design Show. The commission was a character based on one from my book I’d made out of clay; Corvine Hominine has a female body, gangly legs and arms and a crow’s skeleton for a head. My friend saw it and absolutely loved it. She had been given a clog and wanted a little creature to sit inside in a nest. Days later Hupwig Larsling was conceived and now lives in the clog in Rochester, Kent.
            The other commission came as a result of the jewellery I’m doing; silver skulls and bones. The friend informed me the wren in folklore is described as the king of birds. As I had a silver cast of a skull already the commission was for a cloak of feathers to accompany the silver head. I sewed one hundred and eighty feathers by hand as well as countless beads; the finished piece is quite fabulous.

Hannah Whale Hupwig Larsling
How did you get into working with animal skulls?

            It started really when I was at college, I used to collect bones to use as handles on my spoons, a cows rib bone, a sheep’s jaw bone etc. Then I found people started giving me things they’d come across, particularly more recently. My collection’s growing. I’ve been trying to find out what a collector of bones is called……..
Hannah Whale

You’ve sold some of your work, have you ever exhibited?

            Yes, I exhibited quite a bit after finishing college. In 2004, at New Designers I was chosen as one of DKNY’s twenty New Designers of the Year, showcasing one hundred and twenty of my spoons in Donna Karen’s Bond Street store. The same year I was involved in an exhibition at the Craft’s Council, I have shown and sold my work in London, Brighton, St Ives and Newlyn. My last exhibition was in Rochester, Kent in 2006. Conveniently the friend who buys my work was curator of Rochester Art Gallery and Craft Case. I haven’t done anything since.

Would you like to do another exhibition?

            I don’t think I’d want to exhibit anything I’d already shown so I’d have to do an awful lot to produce another body of work. It would be interesting to see what people think of my drawings though.

Do you advertise yourself at all?

            No I don’t do anything as yet. I don’t push myself and it isn’t enough, that’s why I work in a pub. Apart from the book and the jewellery, I don’t create with other people in mind; primarily I do it for me. That’s what I’ve always done. I think now I look at things differently and think well okay I’ve been given this chance, this opportunity, you could say I’m looking at life differently. I now think I owe it to myself to do something I enjoy. Psychologically I get a huge buzz out of it. A website for the jewellery is the next thing, oh and illustrations for the next book, oh and the next book!
Hannah Whale Tins

How do you get all of your ideas? Where do they come from?

   I don’t know they just come. I remember going for an interview at Plymouth College of Arts before I went to Falmouth and was asked, ‘Who am I influenced by?’ I had to say that I don’t know because I don’t look, I don’t look anywhere. I struggled to try and come up with somebody… perhaps why I wasn’t offered a place. In hindsight I’m glad because I went to Falmouth. It just wasn’t meant to be that I went to Plymouth. Things might have turned out completely differently had I gone there. Now however, I’ve got broadband – ‘cause I’m just up there with the kids!! I’ve been looking on the internet and getting very inspired. The most recent work I’ve looked at is by Beth Carter, her drawings are absolutely out of this world, their a bit funny and a bit odd like my fairground drawings. I think ‘wow’ and suddenly I have to go and draw. Inspiring!
            I don’t really go looking for ideas; I just play, sometimes with clay. I think that’s where the book initially came from, creating a funny little creature suddenly evolved into a literary character. And I can honestly say when I’m writing I am there. It’s like a film playing out in my head; I can see it and all the characters as if it’s real; a bit worrying as it’s quite a grim fairytale. I’ve sent it to two publishers, one sent it back saying they only publish twelve books a year and they have to fall in love with it….. They didn’t. The other publisher has had the book for a month but they can take two months before replying, so I wait in anticipation. It’s an older children’s story, a bit dark and moody, a strange little tale about a man called Pemberton Crewe who becomes custodian of his parent’s toyshop when they pass on. He was bullied as a child; hence he spent time in the basement of the shop becoming friends with the dolls and puppets who lived there. He’s a strange looking man who also has a penchant for bones! I sent it to Tim Burton a year ago, he’s never sent it back…not a dickey bird from him…I think Helena may of put it in the bin! Ha ha, she signed for it! I’ve got her signature!!
Hannah Whale Marion and Pablo

If you could give one piece of advice to art practitioners beginning their career what would it be?

            I suppose to believe in yourself and what you’re doing, which can be difficult. Well it was for me. I didn’t push myself; perhaps partly because I believed I wasn’t good enough and if you don’t put yourself out there you can’t be rejected. So instead I lived and still do to an extent, in my little artistic cocoon. Now, with my drawings, story and jewellery - if I don’t get it out there no-one will see it. Life’s too short, if I don’t do it I’ll always have the ‘what if’ question with only myself to blame.
Hannah Whale Woman with the Gold Tooth

Since you’ve had your breast cancer diagnosis, have your creativity levels changed?

            I don’t think so. I haven’t done what I thought I might do, a drawing, painting or making something for instance of a woman with one breast. I haven’t done that or cut into a clay body or produce a traumatic piece of work, something that’s really angry, I haven’t done that. I’m surprised I haven’t. I think years ago that’s probably what I would have done. Maybe now I’m older and wiser I’m looking at things differently. I want to do something with the photographs. I want to record my diagnosis and what I’ve gone through in the last six months because it’s suddenly not just about me anymore. I do recognise that when the chips are down I’m quite a strong woman. Probably stronger than I thought I was. Obviously there are others who are stronger than me but there are also others who aren’t, and it’s to those people who aren’t that I’m in a position to possibly make them think differently, to think more positively. Sitting in the Oncology waiting room and the room where my Chemotherapy takes place is a humbling experience and often makes me think, ‘What have I got to worry about actually? No matter what, there’s always someone worse off…………..
Hannah Whale

Photographer Lecture - Michael Leckie

2011-02-04T07:23:00.000-08:00

Michael Leckie is a Belfast born, London based photographer specialising in the music and fashion industries. He was first inspired to be a photographer after seeing this image of The Clash performing on stage. In his own words: "The essence of cool."


Penny Smith

For his shoots Leckie uses elements such as 'rock & roll', light flare and movement. he likes rough shots, not particularly cropped well - causing a sort of anarchy. He has been successful in his career and has many clients e.g. B A Games, Elle Magazine, Sony and Warner Music.

Michael Leckie

A laid back guy, Michael Leckie was happy to discuss various photoshoots he has done, including time limits - sometimes as little as ten minutes with a client, and he imparted little nuggets of wisdom to help save time. i.e. Set up lighting etc., using a stand in, to ensure the client/model has less time to stand around while you arrange everything.


Michael Leckie

Michael Leckie's Photography Tips:

Pre-Plan the shoot
Test the water with your client - make suggestions
Have a Back Up Plan
Be Approachable

Call to confirm before arriving

Always respond to e-mail correspondence ASAP

Have awareness of the area and people using it

Get first shot taken, then everything will begin to flow

Offer something unique to the client, be creative

Michael Leckie

2011-01-31T12:20:00.000-08:00

My entry for this week’s THE BIG PICTURE in 'The Telegraph'.

The Sky Bridge, Scotland. Summer 2010, The blue haze from the sky produced this amazing blue scene.

Where Will I Be In Five Years

2011-01-31T06:28:00.000-08:00

In five years I'd love to be able to travel to different areas of the world, to take thousands of photographs - perhaps selling the odd one or two. To see different cultures and experience the diversities of life. I love travel photography, and people, but am realistic about the chance of success in this area.
I don't want to work for anyone except me! And I want to be able to explore and enjoy my photography, mostly to relax, have fun and laugh...

International Photographer Interview

2011-01-23T08:02:00.000-08:00

Dafydd Dil is a freelance photographer who works in the UK and Germany. Dafydd kindly agreed to answering a series of questions via e-mail:

1. Could you tell me a little about your background? i.e. College, training, qualifications etc.,

"I dropped out of college when I was fifteen and went to Duncan and Jordanstone, which is the art college of Dundee University. I stayed for a year (and a bit - "false start") then moved down to London. I took a year out just working and parying then went to City and Islington College to continue to do the HND and then finished at London Metropolitan University, where I completed my BA in Photomedia (although I didn't really do ANY video work)".

2. Your first job was as a 'photographer's assistant' to Christopher George Sim ( a fashion and celebrity photographer), what does an assistant do? How long did you work for him?

"I met Chris at City and Islington (he was a guest lecturer) and I worked for him for about two years. He already had an assistant and a retoucher when I started, so to begin with I was really just 'bag carrier' and 'coffee buyer' (I can't make coffee so usually had to source a Starbucks). Although I already knew how to use the equipment, it was different to how Chris used it. It took me a while but after I learned his 'style' I started to set up the lighting for him, doing test shots, also helping with the general running of the shoots and also various random tasks such as painting backgrounds, holding props, driving, dropping off portfolios and picking up prints etc., Really, ANYTHING I could reasonably be asked to do, including emotional support! It sounds a bit odd, but sometimes the photographer's having a bad day and it's nice for them to have support from someone who the work with all the time".

'An Affair To Remember' Dafydd Dil

3. What made you leave this job and start up on your own? Did you always want to be a commercial photographer?

"I started doing my own small jobs while I was still with Chris. I thought about trying to find other assisting work but laziness and lack of time stopped me. I also knew it wouldn't be the same. Chris and I became and still are to this day very close friends. He helped me out with some jobs, advised me on how I should proceed with the start of my own career. I only really stopped working for him completely when I left London. Even then, I did help out on a couple of his shoots when I was in town. I always wanted to do fashion, nothing else! But Chris thought the same so I kind of learned from him that everything else can also be a bit 'fashion-like'. From this moment I knew that I just wanted to photograph people, no matter what for and I would do it in a way that I was happy with the results and that I enjoyed".

4. Did you find the change from being employed to becoming self employed an easy transition?

"Simple, NO! Hahaha. The money runs out VERY quickly. This is obviously very stressful and doesn't help that you are doing everything on your own and for the first time. You're almost counting down the days until your bank account hits the big 0. But on a positive note, there is help out there if you look and many people can advise or help you with various tasks. You just have to ask. But after meeting a lot of photographers I've realised that there is no shame (especially at this moment in time) in having a 'secure' income of some sort, whether it's stock photo's, events or something completely unrelated. As long as you still have time for your creative work".

5. What has been your biggest success to date?

My biggest success was for Ray-Ban. My accountant would disagree.:'(

Ray-Ban Dafydd Dil

Ray-Ban,European Launch Dafydd Dil

6. You work and live between Berlin and London. What drew you to Berlin and not another European city?

"I thought Scandinavia was too cold, Italy and Spain were too hot. I never imagined myself speaking French and Berlin was the cheapest capital city in Europe at the time. It was also the centre of the so-called art world".

7. How did you manage to begin your business in Berlin? Did you speak German? Did you need a lot of help to set up?

"It was a nightmare! I relied on google translate for a while (turned out to be completely wrong). I was lucky though. I met a picture editor for a Berlin magazine who gave me a break. He spoke English. We became friends and he helped me translate all of my paperwork. In Germany, most companies won't pay you unless you invoice them in German... Apart from that a lot of it was just sitting in a room all winter getting the work done".

8. Do you think the move to being an 'international' photographer has highlighted your profile more than if you had remained in Britain?

"Definitely! I have no idea why, but when you have worked in more than one country and become 'international', people want you more, even the people who didn't want you before. It definitely helped me a lot, but I wouldn't say it's a must. You don't need to leave your home country to be published all over the world".

9. What is your latest project?

"I took a long break from doing 'projects' but I've just started to continue with my 'The Beautiful People' project. I also began a new one called 'Fuck Off, I'm Smoking'. But to be honest, I have no idea where they're going, if anywhere. I'm not so big on exhibiting. For my kind of work, I don't see it as so relevant. But I would eventually like to try and put together a book. Even just a small one". :0)

10. Where do you see yourself in five years time?

"Not sure if I will be in Berlin then. My big plan is to learn Spanish and move to South America (don't as why, I have no idea!). I'd also like to be working on some bigger shoots by then, maybe break into small time advertising. Until now I've not really done any apart from some small stuff. POS, online etc.,".

I'd like to thank Dafydd for taking the time to answer my questions. If you'd like to know more about his work, have a look on his website: http://www.dafydddil.com

Visiting Photographers Lectures: Jamie Beeden

2011-01-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

Jamie Beeden

Jamie Beeden is a successful photographer who has managed to bridge the gaps between several areas of photography. He has been in the business for fifteen years, starting as a photographers assistant and then running his own business.
His client list reads like a 'who's who'. ranging from editorial pieces in 'Dazed & Confused', F1, Time Out and Nylon, to portrait and music photography for the likes of David Thewliss and John Peel.

Beeden gave out handy hints to the audience including short cuts for a shoot - set up your lighting with a stand in ready for the actual shoot. Stops the client 'hanging around', waiting for the correct lighting etc., spoke about the importance of learning the trade. i.e. working as an assistant to get a firm grounding in the industry etc.,
Here's a couple of his images...

John Peel

David Thewliss

Beeden covers so many aspects of photography, that he is fascinating. Most people have success in one or two areas, he seems to have all areas covered.

Visiting Photographer Lectures: Marco Bohr

2011-01-17T10:29:00.000-08:00

Marco Bohr

Marco Bohr is a German/Canadian photographer who has had a lot of success both here and abroad.
He has spent a lot of time in Japan, Europe and Canada taking pictures of people in varying situations and cultures. Here's a few examples of his work...

These images come from his series, taken in Edinburgh, Scotland,

entitled 'No Ball Games' (2002).

Sitting on Railing (3/26)

Ready to Play (5/26)

I feel an affinity with these children or as they say in Scotland 'weans', I was one of the roughie, toughie kids - sometimes twenty deep, playing in the street. The grey sky and buildings, and the pale skin of the weans reminds me of how cold it is in Scotland.

The next series Bohr discussed was called 'Observatories' (2003), and was taken in Japan.

Mori Tower (1/10)

Okinawa (5/10)

The Japanese images Bohr's observing the observed. He discussed the clinical observation of the Japanese. The love of 'looking'. He slightly over exposed his images to highlight the form of the bodies in them.

Marco Bohr's lecture was probably the most interesting one I have seen to date. He was articulate, knowledgable, animated and an extremely funny and entertaining guy! If only they could all be this interesting!

Where Will I Be In Five Years

2010-11-17T02:30:00.000-08:00

I'm at the very beginning of my photography degree, so for the next few years I will be busy adding to my skills base. Hopefully by the time I qualify I will be able to earn enough to let me continue with the type of photography which I enjoy. At the moment I am more drawn to portraiture than landscape, but I want to learn as much about different areas as I can.
I have already worked for nearly thirty years, so feel that at this stage of my life, this degree is more about me enjoying what I'm doing, than 'nose to the grindstone'. I have a good work ethic which ensures that I do work hard, but mostly, I have to ensure that whatever I do photography wise is interesting and fun.