Art Reviews

Interview with Carl Cashman

30/01/16

Carl Cashman is a contemporary artist based in Devon, who creates stunning, vibrant geometric-based optical art. Some of Carl’s work is painted using UV reactive paint, which adds a further visual element to the pieces when seen in the right environment. He'll be showing his work at Moosey Art this month.

You have said before much of your work is hand-drawn, and that is a technique you much enjoy using. You also have admitted that computers have their place. What do you think are the benefits of each medium and in what stages of work do find best to use each?

I literally make all of my work analogue, I am into the draughtsmanship side of things.. attempting to learn and carry on a dying art that is being left behind. It may well be holding to a certain extent, but the rewards feel more satisfying. I like to think that if I end up on a desert island I can still produce my work. In time I can learn to paint without tape… but attempting to replicate Photoshop wouldn’t be so easy.

The Escher influence dates back to when I was at school, one of the teachers used to use him within our lessons and it kind of stuck. Also when you are young you look unto older people, for us it was my best friends brother Stuart Sale. He did Escher type repetition doodles and we all wanted to be like him art wise. The work seemed fun and wasn't taking itself too seriously like most Art in a gallery. I've never been a natural artistic talent, so could not connect with portraits and the like . 

There is a lot of use of bold colour within your work. Why is this and what do you feel It adds to the pieces?

I started making these after a piece of street art id painted was reported in the local paper as a Banksy. I know it’s just lazy journalism, but I wanted to build a name for myself and not hang on somebody else's coat tails.. so start making my work as far removed as possible. There is far too much bleakness in the world, so I wanted to brighten up peoples walls.  I probably put a lot of collectors off with my palette, but you can't please everybody all the time. I used to go to a lot of free parties too and see a lot of neon artwork, there’s a saying 'raised by wolves' which has negative connotations to it, but your youth influences the rest of your life in a positive way also

In the changing definitions of art as it establishes itself away from galleries and pours more into the street, how do you find a place for your work? Where do you feel people can have the most access to it when you exhibit?

I love working on walls, you are able to express yourself in a much freer way. People can stumble across your work in a different context, rather than have to visit the traditional gallery with 4 white walls. Plus you have to be less anal regards the finished piece. weather conditions and space have many influences on the fail outcome. If you have a can and access to a wall, then you have the ability to express yourself creatively rather than wait for a gallery to take a punt on you. Understandably they have bills to pay, so it’s hard for them to take a punt on a unknown artist.

Do you ever find the act of the creative process a quite solitary lifestyle? If so, do you like it this way and why do you believe it benefits many artists to work alone?

It is definitely a solitary existence, although I was an only child so am used to my own company. For the last few years I've been working at festivals to break that cycle of solitude. It’s great working with other creatives, also compromise within the outcome is a good learning curve to know you are not always correct regards ideas and concepts.

That would be my first solo, which was at Breezeblock gallery in Portland Oregon (every time I close my eyes' all I see is this). That show sold out before I had returned to the UK which was mind-blowing.

Sometimes the concept works much better than the final outcome.. which can be frustrating but only really on a time management basis. Due to the way that I work, I never know how a piece will actually turn out until it has been completed.. which again can be frustrating time wise, but again teaches me to not be set in my ways regards knowing how the work will turn out aesthetically. Strangely my favourite works of recent have been the ones that are least well received, but the minute you try to second guess what people want then you are selling yourself out.

Carl Cashman will be exhibiting his work at Moosey Art Gallery 4th-20th February.