Kirsten Hocking

Artist Interview

What medium do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

I work primarily with oil paints on linen, canvas or wood panels that are professionally made for me. It's important to me to work with the best quality materials that I can source, as that always translates to a high quality product. I love the tactile quality of oil paints and the richness of their colour. I am mindful of sustainability so avoid toxic and synthetic mediums and solvents wherever possible.

How does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

I draw a lot and take a lot of photographs. I use the camera like a sketchbook. It's a quick way to burn through a lot of ideas and collect lots of visual information. When I find an idea that really appeals to me, I will push it through a lot of different compositions until I find the one that really tells the story that I want. I paint in layers, working from an imprimatura (underpainting) layer and building it up with successive layers of oil paint until I feel it is finished. It can be slow going at times, but I like the technical challenge of it too. I take care to finish the edge of a painting to gallery standard, whether the painting will be framed or not. And I always finish a painting with a layer of varnish, to deepen the colours and protect it for the future.

Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?

I work from my home studio in a leafy suburb of Perth (Boorloo). It is flooded with natural light from skylights. My studio is well insulated and heated/cooled, so I can spend all day in there comfortably. My window opens onto our macadamia tree, so in season, I hear cockatoos crooning noisily. I have three separate workstations set up and move around them as needed. The whole place gets very messy as I progress through series of works. At the end of a series, I have a big clean up and start all over again!