Danny Cameron: The Paint is the Topic

Danny Cameron received a Visitor Decide’s Alternative Award in Jackson’s Artwork Prize this yr along with his work The Madonna of the Rose Backyard. On this interview, he discusses how even a look at a stain on the road may encourage him, the cherub-like figures that emerged in his work after changing into a father, and portray about paint.

Above picture: Danny Cameron in his studio

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

Danny: Artwork was at all times my favorite topic at college, though we had what was in all probability a fairly typical instructional strategy within the 90’s, whereby, we’d be instructed to repeat, say, a Van Gogh, in oil pastel. The following week we’d copy it once more, in biro pen, after which perhaps in charcoal after that!

I might at all times ask for artwork supplies at Christmas. I bear in mind getting some oil paints once I was round 12 years outdated and spending hours making a small portray of an otter, obsessive about making an attempt to make it as practical as attainable. It was very ‘chocolate field’ however it positively spiked an curiosity within the materials of paint, which subsequently led to many hours of exploration and experimentation.

I used to be additionally obsessive about cartoons, (which have been everywhere in the telly then) and used to spend hours drawing them and creating my very own at a desk in my bed room, which, because it seems, wasn’t an entire waste of time, as considered one of my present jobs is being a contract Cartoonist.

Josephine: What does a typical working day within the studio seem like for you? Do you might have any necessary routines or rituals?

Danny: I suppose the quick reply to that’s there isn’t a ‘typical’ day. On daily basis is completely different albeit with sure mini rituals. I at all times take a flask of black espresso after which have a fast flick via my sketchbook, typically discovering drawings that I’ve no recollection of. One may spike my curiosity. I’ll maybe learn a paragraph or two of one thing I’ve been taking a look at after which I’ll get to work, typically engaged on a number of work without delay.

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

Danny: I believe I’d be fairly misplaced with out my A5 sketchbook and pencil, after which it will positively simply be the oil paints, of which there are a lot of! I largely have a combination of Jacksons’ Skilled, Wallace Seymour & Michael Harding.

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

Danny: My course of has advanced significantly over the past couple of years. One of the crucial important shifts has been that I used to work from, and seek advice from preparatory research and drawings fairly stringently, whereas now, the drawings have develop into their very own entities somewhat than performing as a direct assist for a subsequent portray. Different elements can direct the portray elsewhere, the method is way more open and intuitive now. I would look at a stain on the road strolling to the studio which might immediately inform a part of a portray.

Josephine: Do you often draw or hold a sketchbook? If that’s the case, how does this inform your work?

Danny: Sure, I strive to attract often in my sketchbook, typically it’s a picture I’ve been fascinated with for some time and I’ve to make a fast sketch of it earlier than it’s gone. Different instances I simply start to attract on a clean web page and see what comes out, which is able to inevitably be a end result of all types of issues I’ve been fascinated with that day and past.

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

Danny: Sure, many durations and I’m positive there’ll be many extra! I believe as painters we’re stricken by doubt. The instances the place all the pieces appears to be flowing excellent are sporadic (though once we are in them we’d really feel as if they will go on and on). I’ve provide you with sure coping methods through the years, one being delving right into a textbook, revisiting a favorite artist’s work. The drawing is commonly the saviour, even whether it is only a few fast sketches, sustaining this fixed thread is important, I discover.

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

Danny: I studied on the Turps Correspondence Course again in 2022, which was precisely what I used to be in search of and wanted on the time, it fully reworked my observe. I had Phil King as a mentor and Neal Tait as a visitor mentor for one of many suggestions periods, who each appeared to have a knack for saying precisely what I wanted to listen to, so perceptive. I’ve re-read the notes from my crits so many instances, and refer again to them often.

There are a great deal of artists that I’ve been massively impressed by, one of many foremost being Georg Baselitz. Taking a look at his work is what instigated the whole shift in strategy, to paraphrase him, it turned extra about; ‘Saying one thing with portray, versus making work that say one thing.’ I’m additionally an enormous admirer of Markus Lupertz, Rita Ackermann, Cecily Brown, Prunella Clough, Albert Oehlen, Carrol Dunham, Amy Sillman, Jo Bradley, Richard Aldricht, John Walker, Philip Guston, COBRA, Roy Oxlade, Rose Wylie, Matisse, Picasso and Don Van Vliet (the checklist might go on!) I really like Magritte’s Vache interval for his or her playful darkish humour and sense of the absurd, in addition to Francis Picabia. I additionally look loads at spiritual ICON work, Giotto, El Greco and Tintoretto, Giotto, Fra Angelico.

Josephine: What have been you fascinated with or exploring on the time you made The Madonna of the Rose Backyard? What impressed it, and the way did it come to be?

Danny: I bought a guide on Baselitz work and drawings from the 80’s. I liked their immediacy, rawness and power. I had been preoccupied with the motif of the Madonna for years and had been gifted an outdated guide entitled ‘Madonna work ’(considered one of which was a sixteenth century portray of the identical title) I believe partly, it has one thing to do with the truth that I used to be introduced up within the church, and was uncovered to many non secular artworks. I had been taking part in with the thought of bringing the cartoonish/ caricature facet into the portray, and had began to make a number of ‘Cartoony’ Madonna drawings in felt pen. They have been unfastened and felt dynamic, and so the problem was then how might I seize that sense of dynamism in paint. The cartoon facet acted as a type of cipher, I needed the portray(s) to be concerning the paint, the paint is the topic. They needed to retain a uncooked power, and so, erasure turned basic to the method. There are a number of failed makes an attempt layered beneath the ultimate picture.

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

Danny: I believe I submitted about 5 work in the long run, however this one felt fairly impactful within the sense that it had that gestural dynamic strategy, I believe it manages to retain an immediacy.

Josephine: Bertie Brogan acknowledged your work is “stuffed with feeling, and dripping with confidence in his personal perspective”. The explosion of paint and motion in your works at all times brings such pleasure to the viewer. How are you aware when to cease?

Danny: I don’t! I’ve ruined many work by carrying on and never figuring out when to cease. However I believe usually, the portray dictates this to a big extent. With this portray specifically, I bear in mind it simply wanting hideous for fairly some time! I had a number of sketches and in addition the sixteenth century portray of the identical title which I used to be referring to. It was wanting like a little bit of a tacky transcription, and it had this brilliant acid yellow throughout, which ended up figuring out nice in the long run, because it virtually acted as a backlight after portray over giant swathes of it. There’s an amazing Guston quote the place he talks about having his artist influences within the studio with him, after which they go away one after the other, and if you happen to’re fortunate, you additionally go away, and i feel when the portray works out, it’s while you aren’t actually absolutely aware of it. The final session on this piece was fairly a frenzied hour or so with no thought about what I used to be doing or the place it will lead. I believe it’s maybe additionally necessary to say that when approaching portray on this approach the ultimate picture is just one attainable consequence.

Josephine: Was this your first time explicitly referencing Madonna and baby? What drew you to it? I discover your portray very emotive, a beautiful steadiness between irreverence and earnestness, lightheartedness and tenderness. Is your connection to Madonna and baby emotional or historic or each?

Danny: I believe I alluded to this lengthy held fascination with this explicit motif earlier. I couldn’t actually pinpoint one factor that might succinctly clarify the connection. There’s a childhood connection, in that I used to be a church common for a few years.

I additionally like that portray is stuffed with these antagonisms, the sacred and the profane- which I believe is clear on this piece, it turns into enjoyable to play with these historic references. I discussed the Magritte Vache works earlier, I discover them, in a single sense so transferring, but concurrently stuffed with darkish humour. I believe additionally changing into a father has introduced an emotional significance, the cherub like determine began to floor loads in my drawings.

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

Danny: I purchased a load of recent brushes which I’ve already been experimenting with. I’ve additionally grown actually keen on portray on panels and have bought a number of of the Jackson’s picket panels together with a primer. I’ve additionally purchased a set of acrylic marker pens and am excited to experiment with these within the drawings.

Josephine: How did it really feel to maneuver via the levels of the competitors and win Brogan Bertie’s Alternative Award?

Danny: I strive to not pay an excessive amount of consideration to the early levels, as I’ve entered fairly a number of open calls through the years so am properly used to not making the reduce. There are at all times so many nice work entered, so it will be ridiculous to get carried away. I used to be commuting again from work on the practice once I discovered concerning the award, and so it was an entire shock, and I used to be completely over the moon!

Josephine: What’s developing subsequent for you?

Danny: Properly, I believe the following Jackson’s Artwork Prize open name is developing once more quickly!
I’ve simply returned from London the place it was nice to be a part of a gaggle present in Peckham organized by @blinkandyoullmissitart at Safehouse, which was such an amazing and weird house to exhibit. It’s simply actually a case of cracking on within the studio- I’ve been engaged on some new work on picket panels, there’s a little bit of cross pollination happening and they’re slowly evolving over an prolonged interval. I don’t know when, however it’d be good to get to a stage the place I’ve one thing that resembles a cohesive physique of labor, as I’d actually love to do a solo present sooner or later.

Comply with Danny on Instagram

Additional Studying

Meet Angela Lizon, Winner of Jackson’s Artwork Prize 2026

Jackson’s Artwork Prize 2026 First Prize Winner Introduced

How We Collaborate With Artists

Skilled Recommendation on Making Your Method as an Artist

Store Acrylic Portray on jacksonsart.com