Artist: Gary Goodman

Statement:

“ I fell in love with van Gogh quite early on and realised that it's not necessary for my work to have any meaning, or have something 'important' to say apart from 'this is me', which is the most important thing I can think of.

A tutor at Uni introduced me to the CoBrA Group and I felt vindicated and embraced by an approach and aesthetic that I could connect with. It worries me that lots of artists feel there is a hierarchy of art where conceptual and ideas-led art is kind of more important than 'pictures of things'. I'm not an unthinking animal; I am a sophisticated, thoughtful and sensitive artist.

My daughter, who I care for on my own, is disabled; and I'm sure this experience feeds into my art.

I love animals and I love women, I don't find men attractive. People have asked me whether the animals in my paintings are self-portraits; it's not my place to say because I don't know. It's certainly not a conscious decision - I just like the way animals look, and feel it's a privilege that they share their world with us.

There's a lot of ego in the art world: showing off, using gimmicks, attempts to shock. I'm not interested. People say you should consider your audience. I think you should consider yourself, because as soon as you consider anything else it could be dishonest. I believe in honesty, integrity and authenticity, I can't be anything else.

I like that as many people who love what I do, think it's rubbish, childish and puerile. It makes me happy - I've worked hard for many years to get where I am, and I know I'm doing my best, attempting to avoid formula or habit. I've been told that my work hasn't changed or developed in years, but I can't see that as I try very hard to confound, confuse and challenge myself, to pull the rug out from under my own feet. It's constantly evolving.

I am a poet also, and respond similarly to the world around me. I don't need to make things up because it's all there, as long as you have the ears and eyes to witness it. The world is mad; beautiful and ugly, frustrating and liberating, funny and sad.

I find making art (painting or poetry) neither therapeutic or relaxing. If I wanted therapy I would call a therapist and it's never relaxing trying to make something that is authentic - I think of relaxing as something like having a bath (which is relaxing) - making work or writing something that isn't going well, is the most un-relaxing thing I can think of. That's it really. “

Links:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/garygoodman3375?igshid=fm9hkqmu7pwuFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/gary.goodman.796

Curator Zoë Walker