Marcus Aitken — ART PRESENCE

Which 3 words best define how you would like your art to be perceived?

ENERGETIC

EXPRESSIVE

RAW

What creative challenge have you faced and overcome that has transformed your art practice?

Stopped worrying about what I think other people would like to see in my work and just doing what I want in the moment.

What tools do you use as part of the preliminary stages of your process?

I’m always taking screen shots and pictures of things I see out and about or online, which can be anything, like a battered shop shutter that might influence what I create next. We’re all sponges at the end of the day so it’s hard to say what hasnt influenced my practice.

How do you usually start an art session - any habits or rituals?

Music, always. I have a lot of playlists on spotify that I’m always adding to which essentially dictates the tempo of each piece when I’m making it.

With which intentions do you infuse your art making?

Movement and emotion - as long as my audience feels something.

How do you deal with doubts and fears?

Procrastination is a big part of being an artist, some days I will look an unfinished painting and 'waste' a day...that’s just how it is for me. The best remedy for this I find is to just make myself start making marks and then it will lead me on.

Do you specifically schedule time for your art practice?

Yes, typically im in the studio at 8am and leave at 5.30pm. I think it’s really usefull to have days off otherwise I find I get a bit stuck.

Where do you draw your color inspiration from?

It’s changed over time through trial and error but I’ve always been very drawn to greens, blues and pinks - which you’ll be able to see in most of my works.

What do you like about your work, and what do you dislike about it?

I like the fact that each piece I create spurs me on to make more, I feel that sometimes my work needs to be a very large scale but my space wont enable to do this currently so I’m restricted by this.