Some questions for Laurence Elliott

One artist that caught my attention at this years' Modern Alchemists exhibition was Laurence Elliott. A graduate of Glasgow School of Art, his captivating paintings are a self-deprecating saga of life events and political and social subtext. I wanted to ask him a few questions about his work - below is the correspondence. Laurence's portfolio is available here.
 

'As above, so below' by Laurence Elliott

 

Ruth Hitchens: Is there a rigid process to your work? Do you follow any sort of cursory procedure in order to create paintings?

Laurence Elliott: I basically do what I think most painters and illustrators do. I have an idea and try to keep it as visually simple as possible, but I'm following 11 years worth of tailored new years resolutions which mean that there's more readings there for anyone who pays proper attention and for me to be thoroughly entertained during the sometimes many years struggle to birth these things. 

I try to draw everything on poor quality paper in marker pens, so that I'm left with dots where my hand pauses. I find this very helpful because it means the work can be farmed, combined, etc. [see below.] I always try to have a few drawn versions of anything before I'll think of painting anything. It rarely works the other way round. It has to be funny & serious. I test them out in a range of drugged, low blood sugared and drunken states, to see if I was lying on any level and to see if they'll inspire lyrics. I've got to get my kicks, or how the hell can anyone else!?!

 

'We all fight the grief' by Laurence Elliott

 

R.H: In your portfolio you mention plundering source material from everywhere, are there any particular places or people that have become a part of your work?

L.E.: Of course. I collect a true current crime magazine from Glasgow called the digger and try to find images of the gang that tried to kill my flatmate that God helped me stop and eventually get the money for this laptop. My friend James Dick is a brilliant portrait painter, so when he heard of my fight with the law over my attempted murder, he willingly gave me photographs of Glasgow's procurator fiscal. I use old photographs of myself and family. Myself, because I like the idea of documenting the decay & fall of a 'golden boy'. 

I collect pictures of Jordan's family, real people magazine, Jade Goody & TV drama actors, particularly Ian Beale at Pauline's funeral.
 

R.H.: How was art school? Did you feel the need to shake the experience off when you graduated?

L.E.: Art school was brilliant for finding the people I needed to know. It's an industry. I want to teach because I know my stuff and imagine it'd be mutually beneficial. When I was in 2nd year (3rd in Scotland), Transmission gallery put me in a group show which meant all the other ambitious collegues of mine turned on me with some real venom. When I realised that I'd probably never be able to pay my loan back because of taking it all very seriously and also in jest, there were things I wanted to shake off, but there's a lot I miss about it.

'Crossing the brook' by Laurence Elliott

R.H.: How has this year compared to previous years in your practice? Where can you see it going?

L.E.: This year was good for making work, and it was the latest. Thats all I can really say. I need a studio and have just gone self-employed, aiming to screen print hoodies and t-shirts and make money from several chasm's I see in the market. I've got favours to call in from various publications. When Xmas is over and I've done all the paperwork I need to do, get a studio and paint again. I've been concentrating on getting my new zine book together and preparing a lot of drawings to become print. Writing songs. It will go further, but I expect many more years crippling poverty. But am REALLY PSYCHED & PUMPED about what I plan to do.

R.H.: What's your outlook for the future of painting and fine art?

L.E.: Such a lot obviously depends on the economy. I just want people to be serious about their fun in this field. For years I've been aching and wishing for the most extreme form of everything mutated together in a dirty rich broth. That nourishes the soul and sense of humour. It's what my efforts have been based around for a long time. Technologically speaking I think it could be really exciting with new print technologies, techniques and methods, holograms and projected sounds so a few individuals think they're going nuts & act up.
I want the wars to stop, especially the war on drugs and that money put into culture. If that happens, it'll be really thrilling but I think people swallow the towed line waaaay too easily and the power is vain and proud and not really concerned, I feel.
 

With thanks again to Laurence for his time, I'll be interested to see what follows.