Interview with Gemma Trickey
Gemma Trickey is a Somerset based printmaker working mainly in lino and woodcut on paper and textiles. Her work features wild and wonderful characters and creatures from folklore, dreams and stories.
We recently caught up with her to ask about her process and her inspirations, as well as her Wyrd Folk exhibition which is running at The Heart of The Tribe gallery until Sunday the 8th September.
How do you usually prepare for an upcoming exhibition?
I always have a million ideas for different pieces to try to make ahead of an exhibition. They are usually grand schemes that involve a lot of detail or maybe materials that I haven’t used before, which inevitably complicates proceedings. Something about envisaging work in an exhibition space seems to spark a sense of theatricality in me, and I need that adrenaline of the deadline to make these ideas into reality.
I’ll normally try to choose one idea, end up choosing three, and get stressed out trying to fit them all in before the deadline. I’m always sad for the unmade work that doesn’t get to go into an exhibition but the ideas usually stick around and get realised in the future.
Has your work always been inspired by folklore, dreams, myths and legends?
When I started out making linocut prints, I had a big preoccupation with what I would choose as my subject. There are some standard subjects that folks are drawn to such as botanical images or nature scenes in general, which is understandable due to the amazing structural forms that nature takes, and the striking nature that printmaking can lend to them.
However, around the same time as this, I moved to Somerset and was simultaneously reading a lot of place-based books by authors like Robert Macfarlane. I started to think a lot about the strangeness of our collective experience and the unspoken link between humans, deep time and landscape, or rather a sense of place. I’m an avid walker and began to connect with my surroundings via exploring the county, considering the history and stories present – some recorded and others lost to time.
Could you describe your ideal working environment?
It’s probably the same as a lot of other artists when working in their studio! When I’m printing I play a lot of music – a good soundtrack helps me focus as I’m really bad at doing repetitive tasks that have a lot of processes without getting distracted. I get some incense going (Frankincense is lush), and drink lots of tea. Due to my terrible focus I often time myself to see how many prints I can pull in an hour, which really helps get things done. Before getting into the studio, I’m always happy when tucked away carving the lino in a comfy
seat (I’ve perfected the art of sofa carving, with the help of an upturned tray to rest on). I seem to be able to do this step for hours without a break, again with lots of cups of tea, and
usually with reruns of Time Team playing on the laptop.
Do you generally know when a piece is finished?
Never! My biggest problem is wanting to add more and more detail to a block, which is sometimes pointless owing to the nature of lino and the fineness of the lines you can make. Eventually you can go so fine that all your lines flood as soon as you ink it up, so recently I’ve been practicing simpler pieces and being bolder as to when I judge that they are finished.
What do you think is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
I think it can be difficult to be a self directed creative person, and to add the challenge of monetising your work and running your output as a business on top of this can be a struggle for some, and I include myself in this. I really admire those clever people who are adept at balancing both sides well. I get overwhelmed with tasks very easily and have learnt the hard way not to say yes to everything that comes my way!
It can also be tricky to make something that you find creatively satisfying into a job where you have to turn the inspiration tap on at will. Nowadays I use other forms of art and crafts, such as drawing or sewing as a creative outlet that is purely for my own pleasure, and this seems to work well for me.
If there was one piece of advice you wish you’d been given at the start of your career, what would it be?
Get involved in your local community of artists. This is for so many reasons, but my first motive is that once you start to communicate with the creative folk in your area, you will have a ready made group of friends that you can bond with over the shared experience of being an artist. You’ll be able to exchange ideas and chat about everything from creative block to which mailing tubes are best to post your sales out with. They will also be your support network, as times can be rough for artists and like-minded people can advise and sympathise.
Since moving to Somerset I’ve formed some treasured friendships by getting involved in all sorts of local events; from open calls for exhibitions to Somerset’s annual open studios, from doing local markets to attending exhibition openings. There are other great reasons for this too. Once you start getting involved in the arts community in your area, you will find opportunities arise for you to show your work, take commissions and collaborate with others. It’s easy to rely on the internet and apps such as Instagram to show our art, but they can make it hard to stand out, and they may not be around forever. Your local art scene will take you far.
You can find out more about Gemma’s work on her website, as well as keep up with her on her Instagram.
