ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
KENT ARTIST PROFILE :
RACHEL ARIF
WE ARE CATCHING UP WITH INCREDIBLE LANDSCAPE ARTIST RACHEL ARIF TO SEE HOW THE LAST YEAR HAS AFFECTED HER AND HER WORK .
What have you been up to in the past year of lockdown ?
It ’ s been a busy year , funnily enough . I ’ ve obviously spent more time at home , but I ’ ve still managed to sporadically get into the studio to paint . I ’ ve been thrilled to have had two works selected for the ING Discerning Eye Exhibition . It ’ s the first time I ’ ve entered so I was really delighted . I ’ ve also shown two works along with the RBA ( Royal Society of British Artists ) last month so that was great , as I was able to see the whole exhibition in person .
Your paintings feel so raw , natural and beautiful , do you feel a real connection to the nature you paint ?
I ’ ve always loved being outdoors and get claustrophobic if I ’ m inside for long periods , as a child I was always the last one in from playing out . It ’ s a primal thing I think , if you strip away the structures , the roads and phone lines etc , it ’ s how the world is actually meant to look . Having said that , I ’ m currently enjoying painting more urban scenes ! I also feel a very strong connection with the sea . I ’ m not even sure why , I ’ ve never lived near the ocean , but I try to get there any opportunity I can . I love the beautiful Suffolk coastline in particular , the light there is beautiful . I ’ ve also started to paint more northern landscapes such as moorland and old weathered farm houses , more figurative works .
Do you think the aesthetic of your work has evolved over the years ?
I don ’ t think the aesthetic has changed that much . I ’ ll always paint my interpretation of the ocean and landscape , but I ’ m starting to feature more figurative works which I ’ m enjoying , several inspired by time spent in Dungeness . I love the bleak desert-like landscape there , it ’ s eerie and intoxicating .
Where are you finding your inspiration nowadays ?
I ’ m enjoying painting works inspired by my home town Rochdale . The moorland , farming villages and old weathered barns are lovely to paint . I always get a wonderful sense of familiarity when I ’ m working on them .
Tell us a little about your charity and community work
There have been several behind the scenes auctions and donations of works to various charities including Coronavirus related , Art on a Postcard for Hepatitis C and Sketch for Survival ; who are a wonderful team who work on the conservation of rare and endangered species and the protection of their environment alongside various animal welfare initiatives . The exhibition will be at Oxo Gallery , Southbank later on in the year . I have also done a couple of artist talks and mentorship programs for Suffolk University which I thoroughly enjoyed .
Who would you credit as your greatest artistic influences ?
My all time favourite artists are Sheila Fell , Frank Auerbach and Joan Eardley . I was born and raised in Rochdale , Lancashire so I ’ ve always admired artists who chronicle the old cotton mills , typical street scenes and industrial / factory settings ; Lowery was a master at this . Living artists I admire are Fred Cuming , Robert E Wells and Peter Clossick .
What are your plans for the future ?
Plans for the future are to try and incorporate perhaps more Northern related works , my roots , old cotton mills , bygone Manchester and Lancashire in general and of course more stormy and emotional seascapes .
To see more of Rachel ’ s incredible work head to her Instagram ; @ rachel _ arif , or take a look through her website ; www . rachelarif . co . uk .
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