Artist Interview: Andrea Curtis

We are excited to welcome our newest artist to Gregg Irby Gallery, Andrea Curtis! Andrea is based in South Wales, United Kingdom and explores color, pattern and still-life through a combination of print, collage and drawing. She received her BA in Textile Design from West Surrey College of Art and Design, followed by an MA in Printmaking from Newport Art College.

Her works often center around artisan objects from her travels and flowers from her garden, bringing a sense of vibrancy to a space that is furthered by the depth of color and textured layers found in her paintings. This marks Andrea’s first collection to be exhibited in the United States. We are thrilled to represent Andrea and to introduce and share her paintings with you.

We asked the Welsh artist a few questions to get a peek into her collage-based painting process and her design inspirations.

Andrea Curtis in her Studio | Photography by Marie Palbom Photography

Across your website and social media platforms, your love for textiles, ceramics, and interior design is clear. How do these themes work their way into your artistic process?

Curtis: Yes textiles, ceramics and interiors are my passion. I’m always looking at interiors in magazines and books and collecting images that I love - recently elements of these are finding their way into my paintings, creating more of a ‘room’ rather than simply a still life.  It’s the same with patterns and textiles - I have a degree in textile design so it’s something that I'm always drawn to. I collect images of patterns that inspire me then usually adapt them and create new patterns for my paintings.  One day I’d love to create a collection of textiles using my own patterns.

Objects and collections of various objects are significant motifs within your work. You've mentioned that these objects often tell stories of your family and of your travels. Can you share a story with us from any of the objects pictured in your collection at Gregg Irby Gallery?

Curtis: I love collecting ceramics and often buy artisan pieces from galleries here and abroad. These personal items often feature in my work or sometimes I paint imagined pieces that are an amalgamation of things I own and inspiration I've seen elsewhere. It might be a shape, a pattern, a colour  that I've seen on separate things and then put together as an imagined piece in my paintings.

For example, the painting Making Lemonade features a small round table that echoes a table I bought in Marrakech about 20 years ago. The jug is reminiscent of a jug shape I own but the pattern is something I’ve seen elsewhere. The flowers are simply what was in my garden at the time.

I love creating small vignettes of objects in my home and this is what I do in my paintings - allowing people to have their own collection of objects but in a painting.

You seem to have a talent for absorbing culture and collecting beautifully crafted objects! If people visited your area and the Greater UK, what are some spots that can’t be missed? Do you have any favorite cultural sites, artisan shops, etc?

Cardiff Castle is a must for anyone who loves handpainted, decorated interiors. The rooms were designed by William Burgess (a contemporary of William Morris) and are covered in murals, patterns and decorative finishes. Its sister castle, Castell Coch, is a turreted castle on the River Taff and is equally as decorated inside. 

I would also recommend the Welsh Folk Museum in St. Fagans [outside of Cardiff, Wales]. I’ve been going there for years and always leave feeling inspired. It’s a large park with dwellings from different parts of Wales, from small stone built  cottages to the prefab houses of the 1950’s. The museum itself traces the history of the different traditional Welsh crafts like weaving and pottery. We also have our own National Costume in Wales too. Maybe I’m more influenced by Welsh history and craft than I realised!

Lastly, one of my favourite homeware shops is Baileys Home and Garden in Ross on Wye. It’s full of beautiful home accessories, handcrafted from different parts of the world. They also sell local handcrafted accessories too. The building alone is worth the visit!

Are you originally from South Wales? How does the place you live influence your art?

Curtis: Yes I was born in South Wales. I haven’t always lived here though, leaving for art college when I was 18 years old and then living in London and New Zealand for many years - my husband is from New Zealand and our daughter was born there. I would say that although we are back living in South Wales now, it's my travels that have a bigger impact on my work. We often go to Europe for holidays and love visiting cultural, historical sites and galleries. However, I do love my garden and would say that definitely influences the flowers and plants that often feature in my paintings.

Andrea’s collage process | Photography by Marie Palbom Photography

What is your favorite thing to listen to while you paint - music, podcasts, etc?

Curtis: I always listen to the radio when I’m working, but I’ll be honest it is more about background noise rather than specific music. Sometimes I’ll listen to a podcast, but in all honesty because I lose myself in the painting I end up missing half of what they are saying!

You have a great passion for color psychology! Can you elaborate on how you got interested in color psychology and the influence that it has on your art?  

Curtis: Colour has always been an important element in anything creative I do. I've worked as a colour consultant for years - helping people choose colours for their homes. Understanding how people connect to colour has always been an important element of my work, and about 8 years ago I worked with a lady called Angela Wright who invented a whole theory around colour psychology back in the 70’s. That experience was life changing and has influenced both my working practice and my life. It helped me understand my personal affinity with different colours which in turn has given me a better understanding of why I use certain colours in my art; why certain colours don’t work for me; and more importantly how to use colour to connect with people.

Color Studies | Photography by Marie Palbom Photography