Daniel Bell: Small Creatures – Jackson’s Artwork Weblog

Daniel Bell gained a Jackson’s Alternative Award in Jackson’s Artwork Prize 2026 along with his work Spider. On this interview, he discusses how he captures the environment of a creature, the liberty he found in portray reclusively, and his lengthy walks to feed the crows.

Above picture: Daniel in his studio

Josephine: Might you share the story of the way you turned an artist and inform us extra about your creative background?

Daniel: I all the time liked making stuff as a toddler, and at secondary college I actually received into observational drawing and portray. I bear in mind a careers advisor coming into college once I was about 14 – I instructed her I wished to be an artist, and she or he laughed in my face. I don’t suppose anybody actually noticed it as a critical vocation. I did artwork A-level in school although, after which a basis course (and round that point began going to artwork galleries).

I went on to check Tremendous Artwork at Glasgow Faculty of Artwork, but in addition took a 12 months out to check at Rhode Island Faculty of Design, and that was notably inspiring. I struggled to search out my method within the artwork world after graduating, although, and ultimately did a Digital Practices MA in Norwich (specializing in animation). It was years after that earlier than I discovered my method again to portray, and once I did, it felt like a very recent begin. I feel I actually wanted that point away to grasp that portray was so essential to me.

Josephine: What does a typical working day within the studio seem like for you? Do you’ve gotten any essential routines or rituals?

Daniel: I don’t have any explicit rituals, and I’m not eager on routines. If I attempt to pressure my portray into some form of common schedule, it simply utterly kills it for me. I attempt to paint every time I can, however I actually need to be in the precise mindset too – if I’m not, I can toil away for hours or days, and find yourself in a worse place than once I began.

A typical good day would contain engaged on some explicit particulars on a portray or two, sections that I really feel fairly certain I do know the route of. Then there can be a pair extra work that I might be throwing every thing at, experimenting and taking part in. After which a couple of items that fall someplace in between. I might shift between these work (and methods of portray) as a lot as essential to get one thing fascinating occurring.

Josephine: Which supplies or instruments may you not reside with out?

Daniel: Tubs. I’ve numerous tubs containing mixtures that I’ve put collectively – totally different colors, totally different thicknesses of gel, blends of oils, and varnishes, and so on. I prefer to be surrounded by stuff that’s been stewing away for some time, so I’ve received loads of choices to dip into, issues which may shock me. Additionally, I be sure I’ve all the time received a whole lot of panels ready and able to go, so I can simply begin one thing new at any level. I exploit acrylics principally, so I must say that’s what I couldn’t reside with out, however my work are by no means 100% acrylic, so I all the time need numerous totally different supplies inside attain.

Josephine: Do you’re employed from a reference? Inform us extra about your course of.

Daniel: I’ve a whole lot of pictures that I’ve taken, so I’m commonly wanting by means of them. I’ll both be trying to find a selected object that I feel would work properly in a specific portray, or I’ll be seeing if some picture jumps out at me as a place to begin for one thing else. There are practically all the time recognisable life-like components in my work, however I’ve no set technique of when or how I introduce them. Generally they start to take form at first, however most of the time I’ll part them in at a later level, as a part of the battle with the paint. I don’t wish to simply piece collectively a portray although, like I’m following a formulation – it’s received to be free and comply with a special route every time.

Josephine: Do you commonly draw or hold a sketchbook? In that case, how does this inform your work?

Daniel: I don’t fairly often draw lately, and I don’t have a tendency to make use of sketchbooks. None of that feels pure to me, in the way in which that portray does. I by no means really feel that I wish to plan a portray, and I don’t actually wish to suppose exterior of it. I would like all of it to occur without delay, pondering, feeling, getting misplaced within the course of – I would like the portray to come back from a spot that I don’t utterly perceive. For the sake of my portray, I’ve come to grasp that taking day out to plan and to analyse isn’t essentially a superb factor.

Josephine: Have you ever ever had a interval of stagnation in creativity? In that case, what helped you overcome it?

Daniel: I’ve had loads of intervals of stagnation. It’s tough, as a result of simply strolling away from it for some time can actually assist, however truly I really feel my greatest work have emerged from lengthy intervals of banging-my-head-against-the-wall frustration. I feel generally that battle may give start to one thing new and thrilling, however generally, after all, it may possibly simply sap all of your vitality. When you’ve been by means of sufficient intervals of stagnation and dissatisfaction, you be taught to not be cowed by them. I’ll usually simply exit for a protracted stroll, feed the crows, and hold my eye out for something which may give me a little bit of inspiration.

Josephine: Are there any particular artists or mentors who’ve impressed you?

Daniel: My tutor Peter Bishop, throughout my basis course in Shrewsbury, actually helped me once I was simply beginning out. His principal recommendation to me was to cease pondering, to only embrace what I used to be doing (hold making, repeatedly, relentlessly). It appears apparent, nevertheless it modified the way in which I approached issues, and it’s actually related to the way in which I paint now.

Round that very same time, I found the work of the Quay Brothers, they usually turned a really large inspiration. After I began making animation, I despatched them a few of my work (asking for assist and recommendation), and received an ideal reply. That they had taken the time to observe all of it and instructed me which bits they thought labored, and which didn’t. In addition they gave me an perception into how they’d struggled within the trade. It made me realise how robust it’s to be artistic at any stage, but in addition how rewarding.

Josephine: What have been you occupied with or exploring on the time you made Spider? What impressed it, and the way did it come to be?

Daniel: I used to be making a whole lot of work impressed by small creatures, with fewer and fewer human components popping up. I used to be to see how little data I may give in a portray to indicate the animals that I wished. With this piece, it was all about creating the environment, relatively than the determine. I felt that I used to be establishing one thing spider-like, however I wished that feeling to only cling there and keep ambiguous. I used to be making an summary portray primarily, and was actually wrapped up within the tussle with the paint. The manoeuvring of oil, acrylic and polish, the dragging of paint by means of a number of layers – it felt like a splendidly convoluted method to make one thing that’s barely recognisable.

Josephine: What made you submit this piece to Jackson’s Artwork Prize?

Daniel: I felt that it was fairly a putting piece. It had been so lengthy within the making; it appeared to have a extremely used and grubby high quality to it. As an object, I simply actually favored it, so I assumed perhaps different individuals would too. The eyes, after all, can draw individuals in, and I felt it had simply the correct amount of ambiguity.

Josephine: There’s a sturdy sense of surrealism and the unconscious at play in your work. Are you able to inform us extra about your influences?

Daniel: After I first began artwork and artists as a youngster, I used to be actually drawn to surrealism (Dali, Ernst, and so on). It’s clearly fairly an interesting method into portray, because it appears enjoyable, like you may simply let your creativeness run wild. I feel the primary portray I used to be actually conscious of although, was The Backyard of Earthly Delights, as we had a replica on the eating room wall. It’s fairly scary for a kid, however I liked Hieronymus Bosch, and I nonetheless do. I turned more and more dissatisfied with my work as I progressed by means of artwork college, and had stopped portray altogether by the point I graduated. After I ultimately got here again round to the concepts of surrealism and the unconscious, it was by means of movie and stop-motion animation (Jan Švankmajer, Ladislaw Starewicz, and so on).

After I began portray once more, I didn’t have any hang-ups anymore, and I simply wished to see what I may create. No person cared (and even knew) that I used to be portray, so I felt utterly free and actually embraced my unconscious. I didn’t actually take a look at different artists at the moment – I simply wished to make work that was me, direct and unfiltered. I’m so glad I began portray once more in such a reclusive method, as I really feel that this let me be myself.

Josephine: The topics in your work have an amorphous, metamorphic high quality about them that you simply increase in the way in which you deal with paint. Inform us concerning the supply materials you employ.

Daniel: I’m fairly open to what sort of topics I paint, however I do are typically drawn to issues like fungi, invertebrates, amphibians, and different small creatures. I all the time really feel I’ve people in thoughts as properly once I’m making a chunk. Though I exploit pictures rather a lot when making a portray, I by no means get treasured about how I recreate these components in my work. The primary factor is the paint itself, the shapes, the transitions – the subject material drifts out and in. I don’t sketch something out, or determine on a composition. The sensible, figurative components will be labored in at any level, and if there’s an accident of color or form that I discover extra fascinating, I’ll pursue that as a substitute. The infinite prospects (and unpredictability) of paint match completely with the mysteriousness of the life cycles and metamorphoses of the animals, crops, and fungi that I’m so occupied with.

Josephine: Are there any new strategies or concepts you’re excited to discover utilizing the supplies out of your prize?

Daniel: I’m actually eager to throw extra oil paint into the combination. The prize has given me some freedom to splash out a bit, so I’m going to take advantage of it. I’ll undoubtedly be experimenting rather a lot. There are some actually great-looking acrylic paints and varnishes as properly – I nonetheless really feel a bit overwhelmed by all of it. The very first thing I did was get some good new brushes (lengthy overdue) and an enormous tub of acrylic gel, which I exploit rather a lot. I additionally received a daylight lamp, so my little studio room is already feeling extra comfy to work in.

Josephine: How did it really feel to maneuver by means of the phases of the competitors and win a Jackson’s Alternative Award?

Daniel: So many individuals had submitted their work, so I knew I’d performed properly to make it to the Longlist. Then to get onto the Shortlist simply felt fantastic. I’ve managed that two years in a row now, so I really feel very fortunate. It was a extremely pretty shock to win a Jackson’s Alternative Award this time. My work are a bit bizarre and ugly, so I by no means understand how they may go down with judges, or any viewers – it’s very satisfying to know that individuals like what I make.

Josephine: What’s arising subsequent for you?

Daniel: I not too long ago had the privilege of being one of many selectors for the Modern British Portray Prize, so I’m wanting ahead to seeing the work that we selected for that in September. I additionally simply came upon that one in all my work has been shortlisted for the Cass Artwork Prize.

It feels nice that my work is getting seen by individuals, and I’m getting to combine with different artists. I’m simply attempting to maintain that going, and naturally to maintain portray as a lot as potential.

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