Rosemary Burn
Rosemary Burn, a figurative painter based in the UK, has exhibited her works in Italy, Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Her works are held in several notable collections. She approaches her artistic process with a sense of quietude, concerning herself with the objective examination of the present, telling stories of day to day life. In the bathwater and raindrop pieces, as well as others, there is a merging between the representational, abstraction and freedom of expression. Her compositions are created using oil paints on synthetic board and canvas.
A loaded stillness is present in many of the paintings, and the use of fluid brushstrokes and lighting enhance the sculptural, three dimensional aspect of her subjects. She has a longstanding interest in the paranormal and the possibility of other realms; other subjects of interest which are sometimes evident within the paintings are transitory states of existence (melting, freezing, evaporation), and time.
Please tell us more about your background and how you began creating art?
I grew up in the English countryside and I have always loved nature – I could be found at an early age examining things I found in the garden or out in the woods up close, and drawing them, along with mermaids and other things I liked. I also started playing the piano at the age of five. Later, I studied sculpture at Chelsea School of Art London, achieving a BA followed by an MA, and I also studied the piano at Trinity College of Music in London where I received a performers’ diploma. I divide my time between painting, practising the piano, and teaching the piano and violin.
What does your art aim to say to the viewers?
My art focusses on moments; those snippets of time from which I can find a story in the background, such as a dripping bath tap and the light carried in the ripples, a fly on the wall, the fleeting expression on a face, a nameless place. For me, these events underpin our existence; big events, highs and lows, come and go but the insignificant and fleeting remain and repeat, like a constant hum in the background. Modern life is hectic and often crazy, and my art seeks to still the mind of the viewer, and to give them an escape from their worries and frustrations.
Do you have an essential philosophy that guides you in your creative expression?
I suppose my essential philosophy would be to always stay critical of, and to a certain degree detached from everything I produce, so that I can always reach for more, and better results in my future pieces.
What art marketing activity do you put into practice regularly that works most successfully for you?
I post almost daily on Instagram and Twitter, where I find the art community supportive, and from where I have made many sales, especially during the pandemic. I also enter competitions, and I show my works in galleries and at international art fairs.
Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What is your daily routine when working?
Every day, come rain or shine, I go to my studio early in the morning and start working. I always have more than one piece of work in progress; if I am not happy with a work I will scrape it off, and I often use old canvasses, adding paint to what is already there. Sometimes working in this way adds a vitality to the new work which can’t be derived from a blank canvas.
How much planning goes into each artwork?
Usually I just see something which catches my eye, and I know when it will make a great artwork, so no, I don’t really plan ahead.
What’s the essential element in your art?
I would say that the essential element in my art is spontaneity; light and form are also important to my works; as each painting is a snippet from my daily life, I invite the viewer on an intimate journey of these experiences with me.
In your opinion, what role does the artist have in society?
I think the artist’s role in society is to literally bring colour to people’s lives, and a place to escape, to lift their thoughts away from the tensions and turbulence that engulf us all.
Are there any projects you are currently working on and able to speak about?
At the moment I am working on two self-portraits; I have finally decided to take the plunge and enter Sky Portrait Artist of the Year 2023, and I am entering the other one for the Ruth Borchard self-portrait prize. Fingers crossed.
