Jina Wallwork describes herself as a artist who was born with a unique perception that some would refer to as mysticism or clairvoyance. She says this spiritual influence is something that greatly impacts her art.

You realize that you are an artist when you try to do something else and it feels strange and unnatural.

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Small Connected World

Searching Deeper Within

David

Three Roses

Tell me a little about yourself
I’ve always loved to draw, paint and create. I can’t really imagine doing anything else. You realize that you are an artist when you try to do something else and it feels strange and unnatural. You realize that you can’t stop, so you must be an artist.

How was your experience of art college? Did it leave you feeling 
inspired or scarred (or even scared)?

I went to Staffordshire University which is a great place to study art. I learned a great deal and I enjoyed my time there. However no art course can completely prepare you to be an artist. There is always so much to learn. You need to learn about how different galleries operate. Therefore you need to learn about business. You need to understand the nature of the art market, so you need to grasp some economics. You need to understand your rights as an artist and copyright law. You also need to understand marketing and promotion. The list goes on and on. It would be impossible to learn these things in a few years and also learn the necessary artistic theory, while developing your practice. So, when you leave there is still so much to learn. This can be very daunting.


How has your work changed over time? Has there been a shift in ideas?
My work is constantly changing and evolving. It makes the process extremely enjoyable for me. As I grow as a person my work is always going to reflect that growth.



How do you feel about exhibiting your work and how do you prepare
 yourself for it?
Exhibiting is important because it is very much an act of sharing your work. It also shows others that you are a serious artist. You can be painting all day to put a body of work together but until that work is exhibited no one will be aware of the work you do.
Different levels of preparation are needed for different kinds of exhibitions. There isn’t a single way to prepare. There are different types of exhibitions and all galleries have a slightly different way of operating. 



Have you exhibited your work regularly?
My work has been exhibited in United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. I’ve had 16 exhibitions in the past year.

If so, do you sell any of your work? How do you feel about selling your work?

Yes, I do sell my work. I am pleased that it finds people who connect to it. If I received nothing for my art I would still be painting. It isn’t about the money. It is an act of being.
I think it’s important for an artist to disconnect the work from its financial value. The art market isn’t based on the standard of the work. It is influenced by lots of different factors. It does include the quality of the piece but price is not set solely by that factor. I’ve come across a few artists where I have realized that the art market has been slow to recognize the significance of their work. It is also worth remembering that Van Gogh sold one painting during his lifetime and his work is excellent.


How do you promote your work? Do you think you could do more?
Your work can be amazing but if no one sees it, it’s irrelevant. I research different methods of promotion. I’m constantly looking for different ways. It’s a learning process. I could list some websites here but in many ways that isn’t useful. You have to learn the methodology. If someone gives you a magic solution it is only a temporary aid. If someone said, I’m going to give you £10,000 for you to promote your show that would seem fantastic at first. Then the money would be spent and you would have learnt very little about how to advertise. Everything is a process and research is the most important part of comprehending that process. Thankfully, promotion does become self perpetuating because people become interested in what you do.


Tell us about a project that you worked on that you felt was successful.

Each project is an exploration. It is a process of discovery. Each piece is a part of the whole and it evolves and influences the entire body of work. They are successful for different reasons. It is a separate project but it is also a single piece of a much larger project.


How has the work of an artist you admire influenced what you do?

There are so many artists. I don’t choose to be consciously influenced by their practice but they influence your comprehension of what is possible.


What materials do you use and why?

I mainly use acrylic paint. There isn’t a lot of difference between acrylics and oils because you can add things to acrylic paint in order to make it behave like oils. I think it is good to try different materials. Even Picasso experimented with house paints.


What materials would you like to learn to use and why?

Any experimentation with materials would have to be explored on a parallel course with painting. I wouldn’t ever stop painting but I would include other materials. 


When did you last go to an art exhibition? What was it and why did you go?

I went to the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool in order to see, A Collector’s Eye: Cranach to Pissarro. It was an amazing exhibition featuring the work of some great artists including Rubens and El Greco. It was the second time that I had visited the exhibition and it was magical.


Anything else to add?
There are a million ways to become an artist. I can only reveal my own process. There are many different kinds of artist and how they establish a career is reflective of their own specific practice. What works for one artist, may not work for another. It is important to keep this mind.

More about the artist
Jina Wallwork has exhibited artwork in galleries across the world with such names as Jeff Koons, Yoko Ono and Grayson Perry. As well as exhibiting with John Baldessari, she was also featured in one of his artworks. Jina was born an artist and developed her craft over time. She has a BA(Hons) Degree in Fine Art from Staffordshire University in England and has trained with other art establishments.

You can see more of Jina’s work at jinawallwork.co.uk

Copyright
All images on this post are copyright Jina Wallwork and are reproduced here with the kind permission of Jina Wallwork.

Wanted: Fine Artists
Calling all artists. Want to showcase and promote your art and share your experiences with the world? It is totally free to do so. Drop me a line at talk[at]dianeashmore[dot]com or leave a comment below.