Francis Keogh

What do you paint?

I'm presently interested in painting images that are interpretations of poetry.

What kind of poetry?

Just free verse. The subject matter is autobiographical really, it's about my responses to life issues.

Is there any particular kind of object that attracts you?

What interests me more is painting and experience and my relationship to the world..

The motivation ultimately is that it is in my nature to do this.

How do you work?

I often start with a broad concept but most of the painting emerges through the process of producing it.

What are your early influences?

I've been very much coached in developing my own responses to the acrylic medium, although I'm very fond of Brett Whiteley. The coaches' approaches are modernist and abstract expressionism is probably their major influence.

Do you have any vision for the role of art in your life?

I see it as having a number of functions. Firstly, to learn about myself and my relationship to the world. Secondly, to be understood by others. I don't want to produce work that is elitist or inaccessible and also I want to be financially successful. When I first started out I was producing realistic renditions of landscapes that sold very well but took weeks to complete. The copying from nature eventually became a limitation because I wanted to explore my own experiences and responses to events . I wanted to include more of my subjective reality.

I find it exciting! I did some work on a painting today where I changed something and I got inspired. I feel like I'm exploring life through painting and what's exciting is that you don't know what's going to appear next.

Another thing that's important to me is learning to trust my creativity. I see what I do technically as being an expression of creativity rather than as an end in itself. You know what I mean, you need good technique to render something but this can be a trap. You need to be able to let go and fly by the seat of your pants.

That's what it's about. All of that studying from life has led to the freedom to create.

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Call Francis on +61 2 9907 7673 or +61 (0) 410 425 077.