Artist of the Week – Tanya Brett
Photo credit: Ella Webber
This week, Little Black Book of Art goes to Battersea in London, interviewing young British sculptor Tanya Brett…
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Animals In Art
Throughout the ages, animals have always been depicted in art within all cultures. Along with the human form, they were subjects of the earliest art ever created by our ancestors, who painted horses, bison and deer on cave walls. Classical artists used animals symbolically and allegorically as seen in the art of Ancient Egypt (when artists depicted many of their gods with the heads of animals) and in the Middle Ages (when artists used mythical beasts to decorate medieval manuscripts).
In Europe, during the Renaissance period, the depiction of animals themselves was neglected in favour of supposedly more elevated subjects, yet re-emerged in 17th century art when hunting scenes illustrating dramatic life and death struggles between man and beast became a popular subject amongst patrons.
The 18th century then saw artists such as Stubbs, Géricault and Delacroix choosing to celebrate the natural beauty and majestic power of animals in their natural habitats and following that, Victorian artists began painting sentimental pictures of their domestic pets and livestock.
The representation of animals also played an important (and often overlooked) role in the development of Modernism, which often sought subjects far away from the anecdotal or heroic allegories of academicism.
Today, artists are exploring the entire range of animal genres. We commission pet portraits, indulge in wildlife photography and it’s now sometimes easy to overlook animals in art, but not so with Tanya Brett’s one-off, hand sculpted pieces…
Tanya’s interest in working three-dimensionally probably began when her mother sent her every Saturday from the age of five, to ‘The Chelsea Pottery’ whilst she did her shopping on the King’s Road.
The Chelsea Pottery was a legendary place located on Radnor Walk in SW3. Children could play around for hours there creating whatever they wanted in clay one week, glazing their designs the second week, then taking their pride and joy home to their parents on the third week. Tanya loved the place so much that she even taught there aged 17 before the much-loved pottery studio shut down in 1994, after the owners were not able to renew the lease on the property.
Since childhood, Tanya has been drawn to animals and representing them in art. Years spent at the Chelsea Pottery enabled her to experiment and to learn the principles of working with clay.
After leaving school, Tanya completed a foundation course at Chelsea College of Art before studying three-dimensional craft at the well-reputed Brighton University. A sell-out end of year show prompted her to become a full-time artist.
Tanya’s work is instantly recognisable, yet at the same time, no two pieces are alike. Her passion for animals and nature has always been her preferred subject matter. She’s interested in what animals mean to man – how we characterise them, and how they elicit emotions from devotion and affection, to cruelty.
“Animal representation is often sentimental. I want to show the raw power of animals, along with their innocence. In my sculpture I am interested in using techniques associated with drawing and painting – brushstrokes, lines and scratches to convey a sense of immediacy, vitality and life.”
The reason I think Tanya’s work is special, is that what she creates aren’t just naturalistic portrayals of a series of animals. When you look at Tanya’s pieces, you can’t help feeling a strong emotional response – there’s a tenderness in the animals she depicts. You can see she clearly has great sentiment for her subjects which in turn enables her to bring to life each animal she represents, creating truly exquisite work that illustrates the character, likeness, personality and expression in each commission.
Photo credit: Ella Webber
Tanya’s 10 ‘quick questions’…
1. Home is…
Brixton
2..Earliest memory
Crabbing in Wales with my father
3. What is your life philosophy?
The most wasted day of all is that on which you have not laughed
4. What is your favourite discovery?
Crabs under rocks
5. What makes you happy?
Nature
6. Worst nightmare?
Parking tickets
7. Favourite escape?
South Downs
8. Do you own any art? And do you collect?
Yes, yes
9. The book you have read the most?
The Giant Jam Sandwich
10. What talent would you most like to have?
To be patient … then to be able to play the piano to perfection
Describe a day in the life of you, Tanya the sculptor…
I usually wake up at 8.30am anxious about everything I have to get done and specifically about the fact that my car needs to be moved from the residence bay as I haven’t yet managed to sort out my permit. I then take my dog for a walk on the common before heading to work in my studio under a railway arch in Battersea. I spend my day working from the my studio but it is usually broken up with meetings either on site or sometimes the more preferable option – over a nice lunch then back to the studio. The end of the day I normally relax with some fine wines, friends and then home to a hot bath.
What is your opinion of arts education? Is an artist born or made – or both?
Well, before Art school or even the notion of education at all I was drawing horses and other animals. I would use anything I could get hold of to draw on from my mum’s cigarette packets to my bedroom walls, so I would definitely consider art to be something in the blood, nature over nurture initially. My art education was valuable for the time it allowed me to find my own style and being surrounded by like-minded people is inspiring in itself. So ultimately I think it is both.
I understand both your parents were artists – did they have any influence on your choice of career path?
I was definitely influenced by my parents being artists although neither of them wanted me to be an artist because of the financial instability of it and it’s general ups and downs.
Was art your first love or do you have another passion?
Animals and the outdoors are my first love and my work was a natural progression from that.
How does making art make you feel? Anxious.
What kind of work did you begin making as an artist?
A clay bust of Morten Harket from Aha.
Please tell us about your technique, what materials do you like to work with? What appeals with the regard to the medium you use?
I enjoy using plaster and clay for their forgiving nature and ability to be spontaneous and I like a bit of charcoal for a life drawing sketch.
Have you found any challenges in your work?
Physically it can be, but I love a challenge.
What have you learned from another artist lately?
My mother told me getting a permit for my car might help alleviate my anxieties, I think she might be right…
I am guessing you work mainly on commissions – what was the most exciting project you’ve worked on?
Always my most recent project, I like new work and new challenges. At the moment it’s a life-size bronze moose for a Canadian diplomat.
Tell us a bit more about your next exhibition
I am working towards a show in LA in collaboration with two other artists, and in the meantime continuing to do private commissions.
What are your ambitions?
Health and happiness…and world domination.
I am always interested in what holds artists back: is there anything holding you back from achieving the next level or accomplishing your next artistic mission?
Hangovers…but 2010 is a whole new me.
Which medium do you feel is the current spokesman of the arts?
Stuffed animals once again…!?!
What are your ambitions?
To have a view of the sea from my window and own a horse.
How do you feel you evolve as an artist?
Moving forward, don’t stagnate.
What other artists do you admire?
Eric Gill, Marino Marini, Picasso, Paula Rego but to name a few…
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
The best advice I have ever been given was by my favourite tutor at college. He said always have an armchair in your studio, to sit back for a while comfortably and reflect on what work you have done.
What’s in the future?
If I knew that world domination would be mine.
For more information about Tanya’s work and to see her beautiful drawings, please visit her site at: www.tanyabrett.com
