As student artist Ida Simon Christensen prepared for her drawing work to be exhibited at this summer's Perspectives, the 2013 WAES summer arts exhibition, she explained how showing her work meant ‘lowering the barricades’.
How did you begin with this area of study?
I’ve been drawing and painting for most of my life – as the youngest of four sisters with a very creative mother, we used to spend time at weekends doing really creative things – drawing, painting, knitting and sewing.
After high school I was keen to become a professional artist but decided to become a schoolteacher instead. Now I enjoy teaching art to children and having some flexibility in my life to be creative myself.
Tell us about yourself and your art.
I’m 27 and from Copenhagen. I’ve been living in London for almost a year now and go back to Denmark during the summer to prepare for the new school year. I work at a school for children with autism and creating the right environment for them is of great joy for me. It’s important for me to pass on the joy of art to children. With the focus on the academic and scientific subjects in school, art can be a way of escaping into a world of imagination where rules and procedures don’t apply and where you are free to be entirely yourself.
What or who inspires you?
Many things inspire me including my feelings, moods, nature, music and modern society. I had an exhibition in Denmark a couple of years ago where the entire collection was inspired by the hidden suppression of women in modern western society. Artists such as Michael Kvium, William Turner and Jackson Pollock also inspire me.
“Art can be a way of escaping into a world of imagination where rules and procedures don’t apply and where you are free to be entirely yourself.”
What’s your proudest moment as an artist?
It has always been a little sensitive for me to show my art, whether it’s to my family, friends or others – there are many feelings and emotions put into my paintings. Showing my art means ‘lowering the barricades’ and being vulnerable to criticism. Having said that, my proudest moments as an artist are when my work is liked and someone wants to own it – it’s the greatest compliment you can get!
Tell us about the piece.
This is charcoal on cartridge paper – I experimented with the composition of the figures in creating it, although the piece is untitled.
Perspectives exhibition
Ida's work was featured at Perspectives, this year's WAES summer arts exhibition at the Mall galleries, SW1, from 17 to 22 June. Find out more
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Our purpose built art studio at Lisson Grove allows WAES learners to pursue their passion in an ideal environment alongside like-minded adults, whether it be life drawing, watercolour or portraiture.
Facilities in the art studio include:
Printing presses including an etching press for printing from etchings, drypoints, monotypes and collographs. Other presses in the studio enable relief printing for lino and woodblock printing.
Fume cupboard for etching metal plates
Aquatint box to enable printmakers to use traditional etching techniques
Adjustable easels used for our life drawing, portrait and oil painting classes
Traditional workshop tables for watercolour, printmaking and chinese brush classes
Studio materials including drawing equipment, oil paints and mediums, acrylics, watercolours, printing inks, etching tools and a huge range of papers.
Choose the right course for you
Click a category on the left to browse our range of courses or contact us using the next steps tab, above.