Our community of artists is the core foundation of Artfinder. With such a vast community based in all corners of the world, we wanted to help them share more about their artist journey, their artistic process and technique and what inspires them. Today, we chat with one of our amazing pop artist painters, Ian Viggars.
Can you introduce yourself, where you are from and how long you have been with Artfinder for?
I'm Ian Viggars, I'm originally from the Midlands but now live in East Sussex, and I joined Artfinder in July 2014.
In just a short sentence, how would you describe/summarise your work?
My work is a bright and colourful take on the styles and themes of pop art, mixed with some graphic design and street art elements.
What influences you and your work?
The original pop artists of the sixties - Warhol, Lichtenstein, Oldenberg - modern day graphic design and food packaging, and original street artists like Haring and Basquiat. I'm also interested in the design elements and architecture that I see around me in every day life.
What does your creative process involve?
Mainly I work in acrylic paint on canvas or paper. Everything starts as a sketch in pencil, before I start layering up colours using acrylics paints and Posca paint pens to create the strait edges and outlines I like to use in my work.
Have you changed as an artist over time?
I've definitely become more focused and honed my skills to become more precise. The kind of graphic / pop art I make often requires straight lines and hard edges, something that it took me a while to master. I've also started to incorporate more painterly, natural elements. In terms of subject matter, I started out mainly creating pop art still life images of food, and have slowly over the years introduced other subjects, such as buildings, landscapes, and more traditional still life items, like plants.
What’s your favourite artwork you created and why?
My all time favourite is a mural I was commissioned to paint in 2016. It depicts a 99 ice cream cone with a flake next to a fab lolly, with a small phone logo in between. It was commissioned by one of my all time favourite bands to represent their small record label. It was an image I'd built up over the years and painted a few times, even selling two canvas variations through Artfinder over the years, so to have the chance to recreate it on a large scale in a public space was a thrill. Not only that, but the artwork is still there and has become a spot for selfies and the chroniclers of street art.
What do you think is the role of art/artists in society?
For me the role of an artist is to create joy and distraction, to brighten up the world, but also to experiment with form and expression, and to help shed light on difficult situations where necessary.
What advice do you have for emerging artists looking to make a living out of their art career?
Try to find as much spare time as you can to work on your art. However, you should also always be thinking and making notes on your phone or in a notebook when ideas occur. You don't need to be working away in your studio or at your desk to get good ideas. Save them up for when you next have some time. Go part time or freelance at first, and dedicate the extra time to creating art. And never be afraid to share your work!
Cover image via Ian Viggars
