An Interview with Lucy du Satoy

1. In three words describe your intentions for the graduate show?

Appealing  – meditative – memorable.

2. Can you describe your work, your process and the vision you have for your exhibition space?

For me, the process of making art induces a kind of relaxed concentration and I try to share this same sensation with those who view my work. While absorbed in painting my attention hovers between the greater intention and the physical application of paint.  Moments of clarity and blurring comfortably co-exist.

I am most interested in capturing transitory episodes of beauty which are often found in the ordinary and mundane, such as the absent-minded observation of raindrops on a window pane or the motion of landscape seen from a speeding train. Ultimately, I hope to transform the transient and ordinary into something more permanent and beautiful.

I maintain a keen interest in composition, colour, and space, and I hope that my work can also appeal on a formal level.  Currently I prefer to work in oils.

I hope that my exhibition space will be a positive environment, where viewers can engage and the works will resonate.

3. What’s proving to be the most difficult part about preparations?

I am most concerned about the technicalities of the space – quite literally, the nuts and bolts of constructing walls and covering windows.  We need to convert what is a busy shared working studio environment into a gallery space with optimum light, clean lines, and ‘flow’, –  in order to create the most effective dialogue between the work and the viewer.  The painting is the easy bit!

4. What one piece of your is closest to representing everything you want to say?

Train Window I.

People seemed to ‘get’ this painting when I last showed it.  In that sense it must be the most successful recent piece.

5. What unique opportunities has the AAL Fine Art programme given you?

I have been privileged enough to have been guided by commercially successful artists with diverse talents across a variety of disciplines.  Apart from being hugely inspirational, by their very existence they offer up the possibility that life as an artist can be both enjoyable and rewarding.   And – by painting alongside some truly gifted artists, I have learnt to have confidence in my own creative abilities, and to treasure and nurture them.

6. What artist intrigues you at the moment?

I am currently reading The Secret Knowledge by David Hockney.  Despite having tremendous respect for him as an artist I am finding his research and observations into the use of optical aids (lenses and mirrors) by artists over the course of history fascinating.  This is of particular interest to me as I almost always use photographs and video stills for my paintings, and am often called upon to justify my use of them. Am I a cheat? I don’t think so. I am currently working on my argument and David is helping me!

7. What do you think you have got from the Academy that you might not have got from another college?

Ultimate flexibility. It has been a challenge to make time for my art while looking after my young family.  The structure of the Fine Art course has allowed me to switch attendance days around to suit me, while at the same time work towards the diploma as a meaningful end goal.

8. What do you want to be doing artistically in 5 years?

There is still, and always will be, more to learn. I hope I will still be growing and developing as an artist.