Our April artist of the month is Mark Curtis Hughes whose large-scale papercuts are tapestries of on a regular basis life.
Mark Curtis Hughes
“There’s a type of chaos in on a regular basis life that I really feel my work paperwork. I consider my paintings as a tapestry of on a regular basis life, and I adore it when individuals discover tales or particulars inside in.”
The place do you make your work?
For the final three years I have been working in my little backyard studio in South London. It doubled as an internet classroom throughout lockdown, so I’ve spent extra hours in there than I anticipated.
It’s a beautiful area. Plenty of inexperienced out the window, snug and quiet. My household and I are shifting within the close to future, and I’ve already marked out a studio area in our new home, however my backyard studio will at all times be particular to me.
How lengthy have you ever been working with paper?
I’ve been working in paper for twelve years. I studied an MA in Printmaking, and I discovered myself on the lookout for methods to make my prints extra dynamic, and I began papercutting as an in between step, to assist me take my drawings into print.
Visually they resemble woodcuts, however they are often created way more spontaneously and with higher power. Regularly, I realised that it was papercutting I wished to give attention to. I’ve constructed my observe slowly alongside full time instructing.
How would you describe your method to paper artwork?
For me, papercutting is an expressive course of. I improvise my items as I work, so there’s a sense of exposing or uncovering one thing sudden. For me, the method is an excavation, and I like the journey of discovery.
I’m notably within the mark making with a knife, which I why I have a tendency to stay to a single layer of paper. There’s a type of chaos in on a regular basis life that I really feel my work paperwork. I consider my paintings as a tapestry of on a regular basis life, and I adore it when individuals discover tales or particulars inside in.
The place do you discover inspiration?
I’m a individuals watcher, which is ideal for my commute by way of central London day-after-day. I am fascinated by the best way individuals put up masks and undertaking boundaries. Lots of my inspiration comes from the issues I see or expertise day after day. However I am additionally impressed by tales and music. In every of my items there will probably be a number of reference factors that I’ve grazed from completely different locations.
Describe your work to us in three phrases:
Expressive, transient, liminal
What are your favourite papers to work with?
I like to make use of comparatively skinny papers. 120 or 140 gsm. I discover these are robust sufficient, but in addition allow me to chop rapidly and fluidly.
What device may you not dwell with out?
I’ve a nicely liked Swann Morton deal with, and I additionally love to make use of my Ergo Kiwi blade. In any other case, my drafting board has turn out to be important, I wish to work upright. I don’t suppose I may work with out my headphones and a queue of podcasts.
What’s the neatest thing about working with paper as a medium?
I suppose it’s slightly like discovering you’re good at singing or taking part in Tennis. After I began working with a scalpel all the pieces about it felt proper, it’s fits my fashion and my mentality. I may in all probability use different artwork mediums if I wished, however I discover one thing concerning the means of uncovering a picture very engaging.
Who’re a few of your favourite paper artists?
What are you engaged on for the time being?
Within the subsequent 18 months I will be slicing down on my instructing and choosing up my artwork observe in a extra centered means. I’m trying ahead to seeing the place that takes me.
