I first met Leonie Kervin when she was still a teenager and I was a young mother. Thanks to Facebook, we've reconnected and it's been a real thrill to see the amazing person, and artist, she's become. It's lovely to be able to interview her today:
As an artist, I dabble in many fields, but my
main passions are painting, drawing and textiles. You can view some of my work
here. http://leoniekervin.wix.com/designs,
or read about my adventures here www.newsviewscluesandreviews.blogspot.com
As a life drawing teacher and facilitator,
the human form is a focal point of my work.
www.leonie-newportlifedrawing.blogspot.com
It is important to me to be able to draw from
life. Whether it is just drawing for the sake of it, or working towards a
larger project, inspiration usually comes from something that is part of my
environment. Colour, texture, form, tone etc. are all tools to express what
cannot be said.
Have
you ever been inspired by an animal, or animals in general, in your life or
art?
Animals are a huge source of inspiration.
From as far back as I can remember, I have always loved and felt close to them.
Particularly dogs, probably because they are brilliant at communicating without
words.
Figure 2 A commissioned
portrait that I did last year.
Figure 3 Moira, the wine dog.
My brother's Irish Wolfhound.
Did
you have pets as a child? Or: what was the pet you most wanted as a child?
As a child I was surrounded by animals, and
loved them all. We grew up on a farm.
My first pet was a fox terrier called Seiko.
So named because as a puppy we couldn’t get him a collar small enough, so he
wore a watch band. (Mum was brilliant and thinking up interesting and unusual
pet names).
He was a very loveable rat-bag. Being a very
shy kid, it was wonderful to have such a loyal and affectionate little buddy by
my side at all times. He was the best therapy any kid could ask for.
Do
you have an animal companion now? How did it get its name? Does your pet have a
story to share?
Until last year we had a beautiful old feller
called Remus. We rescued him from the Lost Dog’s Home in 2002, when he was
about three years old. We think he was a border collie x kelpie x healer
combination. He was smart, funny, affectionate, fiercely loyal and great
company.
He used to love coming to life drawing. He
would often sit with the model, probably because he could see that they were the
centre of attention and he wanted some of it. Here he is sitting with my
daughter, Lucy while the model was on a break. As you can see, he was great
drawing material himself.
We miss him so much, but we have many happy
memories and loads of lovely drawings of him.
What
would your pet tell us about you?
That I am a complete sucker and should stay
away from animal shelters J
Also that I am more interested in the outsider,
the unusual. I enjoy quirky.
If
you were an animal, what would you be?
Probably a cat. I admire their independent
nature and love curling up for a nap by the heater.
Any
advice for people wanting a pet?
Choose one to suit your lifestyle. Do the
research first. Don’t get a dog if you are not home much or don’t have much space,
or the time and patience to train them.
Be sure you are committed to looking after
them for the term of their natural life.
Favourite
animal books?
As a kid, I used to love reading Jack London
books. I loved how he wrote from the animal’s point of view, and how they
related to the world around them. I also loved how his lead animal was always
torn between being wild and domestic life. He made me think about how animals
perceive humans.
And I love reading James Herriot. His books
are a wonderful snapshot of rural England mid 20th Century. I love
his humour, warmth and interesting stories about animals and their humans. The
medical stuff is quite interesting too.
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| Puppy at Gate Screen Print Design |
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| Sleeping Puppy Screen Print Design |