insideKENT Magazine Issue 45 - December 2015 | Page 19

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

Artist Profile:

SHEILA OTTLEY

INTERVIEW BY LISAMARIE LAMB

From beautiful Kent to historical Venice, Sheila Ottley finds her inspiration in the
world around her. For her, art is about life and about making the viewer experience
something remarkable when they look at her work. It’s a concept that never fails
to bring forth something stunning.

The Tiergarten (Oil)

Honfleur (Oil Plein Aire)

What inspires your art?
Without doubt, life and light. The world around
me and the things I see that create emotions are
the reasons why I would choose life as an
inspiration. Light inspires my art as it constantly
changes the mood of a chosen subject throughout
the day and varying seasons.
But inspiration alone will not produce a good
painting, as that requires hard work with the help
of my sketchbook and photographs. Research
and experimenting is also essential.
What is your favourite piece so far?
With the work and effort that goes into art, I have
become attached to many of my paintings, but
one of my favourites is the Tiergarten – a wonderful
place in the heart of Berlin where people go to
meet and relax.
Is there any subject matter you would love
to paint but haven’t yet?
I will never stop finding inspiration in Venice and
I still have much I want to paint in this city.
I have lived in Kent for 45 years and the county
offers so many subjects for an artist. I have many
favourite painting locations which I will continue

Whitstable (Oil)

to revisit including Whitstable, Faversham, and
my local Footscray meadows.

could only paint one type from now on, what
would you choose?

How has your work changed over time?

I could never make a choice as they all reflect life
around me as a whole. However I do draw and
paint a life model every week.

I used to work alone in my attic studio but now
I supplement this by belonging to Sidcup Art
Club, a great place to share ideas with others.
I am spending less time in the studio and more
time painting plein aire. I love painting outside
with my subject using oil paints and a palette
knife. In this setting my style is looser, while I
experience the challenge of working with the
changing light and elements.
You’ve said you like to work on more than
one painting at a time; how does that help
your creative process?
It focuses my eye. I find working on a painting
for a couple of hours in one sitting is enough.
Any more and I will overwork the painting.
This is the time when I will put the work to one
side and bring out another. When I return to the
first painting with fresh eyes it is much easier to
resolve the earlier problems immediately.
You paint a combination of landscape,
portrait, still life, and figurative works; if you

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For me this is imperative to keep my eye trained
for the rest of my artwork. I thoroughly enjoy and
am influenced by working with many talented
people at the life drawing.
Where can we see your work?
You can see an exhibition of my paintings at:
Capital Art Gallery, 13 Well Hall Parade,
Eltham SE9 6SP
November 30th to December 5th 2015
Mon-Sat 10-4
Meet the artist December 5th 2015 10am-4pm
Some examples of my work will be at the Whatif )