My workspace: James Alfred Hart
James Alfred Hart’s work is abstract—he paints feelings, places and adventures, with his travels being a recurrent theme. His ambition for his work is to find a new way of looking, while also inviting the viewers to make their own interpretations.
Words and photos by Cathy Buckmaster
A large beard and a penchant for unusual hats make Hart easily recognisable on the streets of London. He says that his own paintings are a surprise to himself, often starting with just the chosen colours and no concept—but then ending up as a depiction of somewhere he recognises.
Although based in London, Hart has exhibited around the world, from Cardiff to Taiwan, and has two studios, one in London and one in Dorset. ALHAUS met Hart at his workspace in Hackney Wick, East London.
AH: What does having a studio space mean to you?
JAH: It is a place of creation and a place of inspiration. A studio can be as small as you like with only a few tools—but the surrounds should make you want to create. London is my base and has all the pigments, brushes and surfaces I need, but I share it with five people who also make for inspiring company. In Dorset, the setup is different and it allows me to experiment with new materials.
AH: Define the atmosphere of your London workspace using only a few words.
JAH: It’s a positive place to paint, with a certain energy that inspires work that is warm and colourful. I like that everything I need is there and that I can make a painting at any time of day.
AH: Does mess inspire you or are you all about order?
JAH: I start off with order but over time it turns into mess. This in itself is inspiring; all the elements and tools scattered across the desk create spontaneous moments and mean I can choose to use objects that are splayed around me. My workspace is like an engine from which all my inspiration spills out—everything I need to create is there.
AH: What essential items do you need to paint?
JAH: I love to use ice cream sticks—those little flat pieces of wood that hold ice cream. They’re really good for dragging paint across paper or canvas. I picked up a load in Taiwan when I visited recently but now just order them online.
AH: Do you have any favourite materials or inks?
JAH: I work with these very special powdered pigments that I found in India when I was travelling around. I love how bright they are and the mystery of them.
AH: If you could change anything about this space, what would you change?
JAH: While the space I’m in has a very large window, my desk is quite far back from it. So it can be fairly dark with little natural light. I would change the light—a window closer by would be nice.
AH: Do you listen to music while you work?
JAH: I do—I listen to a radio station called Chances with Wolves. They play a mix of psychedelic, rock, jazz and soul.
AH: How do you deal with distractions?
JAH: Depending on what I’m working on, the distraction can be welcome—as I’ll talk about it with others. But generally, I like to be in the zone.
AH: What's the hardest thing about being an artist in London?
JAH: It’s really hard to build a reputation and become recognised—there are so many great artists in this city. Plus, setting up a show in London is bloody expensive so that can be difficult.
AH: What's the best thing about being an artist in London?
JAH: There’s lots of art to see so there’s always something going on. And I do think, despite the competition, there is lots of opportunity in the city.
AH: What are your plans for 2020?
JAH: I plan to get involved in more artist residencies in Europe and hopefully around the world. I’d like to do more traveling, more paintings and to keep pushing the boundaries of colour.
