ARTIST Lucy Young spoke to the View from this week having just launched her latest collection of artwork at the Blue Lias Gallery in Lyme Regis.
Having grown up in the area, Lucy moved to London where she studied Fashion at the University of Westminster. Despite enjoying the city lifestyle Lucy couldn’t keep away from the coast and has been back in Dorset for a number of years now.
Lucy now lives in Uplyme with her boyfriend having recently moved from Charmouth.
Lucy’s latest collection of expressionist paintings, entitled 'Incandescent Light of Dorset’s Coast' was launched last weekend at the Blue Lias Gallery, where her work has been exhibited for four years. Lucy is known for her seascape paintings and is also represented by other coastal-based galleries in St Ives and South Wales.
For anyone interested in meeting Lucy, she will be painting in the Blue Lias Gallery on Saturday, September 25th.
HAVE you always painted seascapes?
I think because I moved back here after uni, and I have always stayed in coastal locations since then, it became a massive inspiration to me. You can’t help but be inspired by it. I’ve painted the Cobb so many times and it never ceases to amaze me how beautiful this area is.
WHERE are the best coastlines to paint?
The three favourites at the moment are here in Lyme Regis, and right across the Dorset coast as well, up to Lulworth Cove. Then down to Cornwall and St Ives Bay, there are lots of great coastlines down there. Also the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, there are lots of amazing features along there.
ARE there any places you would like to visit and paint?
I spent some time travelling around Australia and New Zealand and I always thought I would go back and do some paintings there and maybe get represented by galleries over there. It has always been in the back of my mind to go back.
HOW would you describe the style of your work?
It has sort of evolved. I’ve created this signature of iridescence and texture. My style is not naturalistic, I try to capture the essence of the place. How you feel when you sit by the ocean, and that lovely feeling you get. It would probably be considered expressionist or romantic.
WHO are the artist that influence you?
My most recent collection is based on Michael Turner because I just love the way he paints light, he is known as the painter of light. I get very inspired by the way he has used light and captured it and that is what I tried to do as well. I try not to follow too many artists though because I think it’s important to have your own style and a lot of people do say that I have my own style. I think that is because of my conscious effort not to copy anybody else.
WHAT made you come back to Dorset?
Well when I was doing my degree in London every weekend I just wanted to get back down to the coast. I felt quite claustrophobic living in London, I loved the lifestyle, there was a lot going on but I feel most alive when I am stood next to the ocean and that lovely expanse of space. So I couldn’t wait to get back.
WHAT advice would you give to young aspiring artists?
When I started at university I never thought in a million years that I would become an artist. I never thought you could make a living out of it and I just thought you’ve got to get a job and paint on the side. It was only the confidence I got from when my work started to sell that I started to think it was something I could do for a living. You’ve just got to have the confidence to go out there and show your work. I know it’s hard because I have had galleries turn me down and it is heartbreaking when that happens but there will be galleries that do love your work and who will find the clients that love it too. And there is nothing better than selling a painting.
IS IT sad to see a painting go?
Kind of but then I think that they have obviously bought that because they are going to get pleasure from looking at it and that makes me feel great that they are filling their home with my work and enjoying it. Sometimes there is the odd painting I fall in love with and its sad to see it go.
WHO would be your three dream guests at a dinner party?
Ruth Jones, for some dry comedy value. Maybe as her Nessa Character from Gavin and Stacey for part of the evening. The Dalai Lama, for some wisdom and inspiration on life and Banksy, I am intrigued to find the mystery behind the artist even though his style is complete opposite to mine.
WHAT was the last book you read, CD you listened to and film you watched?
The last book was Charmouth author Sallyann Sheridan’s book If Wishes Were Horses. It’s brilliant; she has a fantastic way of making you think about things. You think something negative and she turns it into a positive.
I was listening to Florence and the Machine last night, I do quite like her and she’s got an amazing voice. The last film I watched was Cemetery Junction, I really enjoyed it.
DO YOU find a different pressure now you are a professional artist?
Obviously there are times when I have to create and it’s difficult at times to get into that mood but at the end of the day how lucky am I to be getting up every day, sitting down, being inspired by my area and creating something that someone might want to put on their wall? Yes it’s a job but I don’t see it like that.
HOW did the launch of your latest exhibition go?
I went in on Saturday and I was actually painting in the Blue Lias Gallery while people came and looked at my work and talked to me about it. It was really lovely, often I am represented by galleries and don’t get to meet my customers and a lot of the people who came in were either following my work or had bought my work, it was really lovely to meet them. I’ve been in the gallery now for four years so people could see the progression.
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