I interviewed artist Beth Quarmby, who says about the view from her studio in Stroud: “I love watching the weather rolling in, the birds sweeping through the sky and the intersection of the crooked terraces.” Beth uses a variety of mediums – acrylic, charcoal, thread and collage – to create work that “Considers the intersection of line within the environment and plays with layers of texture.”

Leslie: What moves you to start an artwork? How and why do you rework it as you go along? What are the plusses and minuses of having several works in progress?

Beth: I just start. I start with a feeling, or a phrase in mind. A little emotional snippet that I want to explore. That’s the compositional sketch I guess! My process involves laying down quite a gestural background layer and I’ll have a bit of an idea about where I want certain colours placed but, because most of it is going to be covered up, I can be pretty instinctive. I like an element of chance and I don’t think I’m that precious about my paintings. The process of covering and layering is how they emerge and I quite like that there is something hidden underneath. Something maybe only I know is there, sometimes a more visible suggestion of a previous form. I find if I start with too much of a visual plan the piece can feel quite static. Once the under layer is down I will draw a bit at the bottom; the rest of the painting grows up from there. 

Starting with a thought or a feeling or a phrase, sometimes a lyric or a line from a book, a mood I guess, I feel I end up with families of paintings that have been made at the same time. They usually have a similar emotion to them and using the same colour palette across a few canvases leads to a sense of unity. It helps with being less precious too, I can try something on one with no risk to the others. Though sometimes I do end up with a favourite and the other gets pushed to the side! 

I do find coming back to work can be tricky. My mood may have changed. I’ll often use music to get me back into the headspace to finish the painting. Usually this works, sometimes the intention of the painting changes and sometimes it ends up feeling too disjointed and the whole thing becomes an under layer for something new. 

Leslie: How has your painting and drawing changed? What characterises your more recent semi-abstract style?

Beth: I’m much less interested in recording things accurately than I’ve ever been. I just don’t find it exciting. There has been a shift in me over the past few years and now the work I make is for me first and foremost. I suppose I’m approaching painting in quite a selfish way! My practice is how I explore the world, how I understand things around me. Relationships I see between others, relationships I have, the relationship I have with myself. I think the style reflects that. Nothing is concrete, it’s all just thoughts and ideas. I like the ambiguity. It’s wonderful when people connect with my paintings, it’s a really special thing. That’s why I love showing my work. The conversations you have with those viewing it. That human connection. 

Leslie: Take us through the pre-exhibition work you had to do for your show in Lansdown Hall & Gallery, Stroud. What are the most demanding aspects of organising shows and self-promotional activities?

Beth: The self promotion is probably the part that takes the most effort for me. The show emerges as I’m making it, so designing promotional material, or knowing what to market it as, can feel a little tricky. I think you can also feel like a bit of a tit promoting yourself. It has to be done though! If you don’t invite people, you can’t expect them to show up. And I really love sharing my work so the payoff is there. 

Making the paintings for the show was a really enjoyable process, even though many of them explore quite painful subjects such as grief and loss. I felt in a good flow. I love to paint, it’s where I feel most myself, so even if there are moments of frustration I still love being in the studio, paint on my fingers. 

I will take this opportunity for a bit of self promotion! I have an exhibition coming up at Spring Gallery in Cheltenham. The show runs from the 31^st October to the 4^th November with late opening Friday 1^st November. 

Leslie: How has working hard as an artist changed you? What keeps you going when it seems that national recognition isn’t likely to happen? 

Beth: Making paintings encourages me to think more about who I am as a person. Maybe even allowed me to. It’s where I feel most confident, less worried about how others may view me. The goal for me is just to have more time to paint and to connect, with myself and with others. It’s a really special thing when one of my pieces speaks to someone. National recognition would be great but as long as I can afford time in the studio I’ll take that as a win. 

Next week I interview ekphrastic poet Lesley Ingram.

ABOUT LESLIE TATE’S BOOKS:

1. Love’s Register tells the story of romantic love and climate change over four UK generations. Beginning with ‘climate children’ Joe, Mia and Cass and ending with Hereiti’s night sea journey across Oceania, the book’s voices take us through family conflicts in the 1920s, the pressures of the ‘free-love 60s’, open relationships in the feminist 80s/90s and a contemporary late-life love affair. Love’s Register is a family saga and a modern psychological novel that explores the way we live now.
   • A signed copy of Love’s Register is available in pounds sterling here.
   • The paperback in other currencies is available here.                                                 
   • Ebook for Kindle in £s here and in $s here.                                                           
   • For other ebook reading devices here (all currencies). 
2. Heaven’s Rage is a memoir that explores addiction, cross-dressing, bullying and the hidden sides of families, discovering at their core the transformative power of words to rewire the brain and reconnect with life. “A Robin Red breast in a Cage / Puts all Heaven in a Rage” – William Blake. You can read more about/buy Heaven’s Rage here.
3. The Dream Speaks Back, written by Sue Hampton, Cy Henty and Leslie Tate, is a joint autobiography exploring imagination and the adult search for the inner child. The book looks at gender difference, growing up in unusual families and mental health issues. It’s also a very funny portrait of working in the arts, full of crazy characters, their ups and downs, and their stories. You can buy a signed copy of The Dream Speaks Back here.
4. Ways to be Equally Human tells the inside story of coming out as a non-binary person, from being ‘othered’ in gendered toilets to stepping up on stage & radio and taking action with Extinction Rebellion. Full of lyrical writing, humour and quirky insights, this is a book for lovers of language, nonconformists and passionate thinkers. You can buy a signed copy here.