Artist Wendy Saunders answers a few questions

WENDY SAUNDERS
www.wendymsaunders.co.uk

Can you describe your practice in a few words?

A practice in which everything revolves around painting.

What is your earliest memory of art?

Every year in Melbourne (Australia) there's a huge outdoor public festival called Moomba and in amongst all the events, the parades the waterskiing championships on the river, there was an outdoor art exhibition in the botanic gardens. As a child I loved walking along the rows and rows of exhibition panels that snaked along the paths hung with artworks - it was great fun as the work would leap from one subject and style to the next and the feeling of anticipation, of what the next one would be....

Have you shown your work in a non-white cube space before?

Yes, in an old dilapidated about-to-be redeveloped buildings, in a wine shop and once in an outdoor setting.

What does this sort of space bring to your work?

Challenges and not always an appreciative audience!

Does the environment in which you exhibit your work change how your work is percieved?

Answering this more generally...sometimes you happen upon some art work - say in an office building or hospital and it may stop you, but often work set up in a non-specific art space is overlooked because people are not looking to engage with art. I a specific art space, say a pop-up event, the work may retain its intention particulary if it is set with other artworks.

What is the future for art outside the gallery context?

Really exciting for those who put in the energy.

What was your first experience of Hackney?

An early experience of Hackney was years and years ago, having mt portrait painted in the Print House in Ashwin Street when my husband worked in the same building.

What is the future for art?

Good question....no idea.

What is your greatest weakness?

Nah - that wouldn't be strategic to answer.

What place does portraiture play in your work?

Formal portraiture doesn't really play much of a role in my practice. I am less interested in who someone is in a formally described painting, whereas looking at people or images of people's faces is always fascinating.

Who have been your main influences over the years, both in historical and recent terms?

Historically that is a long list of painters. In recent terms I would say my London peer group and in particular my good friend, painter and collaborator Paula MacArthur.

What projects do you have coming up in the future?

Last year I was involved in a very successful collaborative project called PIY PaintLounge which ran at Sluice Biennial (2017). The idea was to bring together as many painters as possible to discuss and celebrate painting in a relaxed and conductive environment. We put up a salon show, arranged the sofas, set up the bar and organised painters and other art proffessionals into a series of conversations. We coincided this with an open call of small paintings on paper as a fundraiser for  Hospital Rooms. Over the four days we had 42 painters exhibiting in the main salon, 13 hours of talks and about 180 small works on view that sold out within hours. We are just starting to think about our plans to put together another PaintLounge.PIYPaintLounge 

www.wendymsaunders.co.uk