An Interview With Richard Eveleigh

Richard Eveleigh is a an artist inspired by the Futurism Movement whose work focuses on duality. Eveleigh’s acrylic paintings appeared in our publication and exhibition ‘Contrast, Issue 2‘.

Can you talk about any artworks that have inspired you from the Futurism movement?

The first piece of Futurist art that I discovered was the sculpture “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space” by Umberto Boccioni. I was immediately captivated by the fluidity of the sculpture and wanted to explore the movement further. The 2D works that interested me the most, however, are the paintings of Giacomo Balla. The influence of his work is most evident in my seascapes. His portrayal of dynamism in works such as “Speed of a Motorcycle” has directly informed my work. This is most evident in my seascapes where my use of angular rocks blend into the waves of the sea.

Your work explores the concept of duality. Could you explain how you interpret and express duality in your paintings?

At first glance my paintings could be perceived as “pretty pictures”. This is deliberate. The viewer will see soothing hues of blue, beautiful clouds and serene landscapes. I create a place that is inviting to the viewer but, upon closer inspection, the tranquil scene becomes less welcoming. There are never any people in my paintings and the vantage point is always slightly obscured. I also use perspective drawing techniques in such a way as to make the composition feel “off balance” and evoke feelings of vertigo. I invite the viewer into my work and push them away at the same time. The aim is to make the viewer feel like an interloper, almost as if they are infringing upon a private dream world.

Could you describe the moon’s significance as the primary light source in your work? How does this element affect the atmosphere of your work?

The Moon is universally associated with the night, a time that can be restful and serene or empty and unknown. I use this association to create different moods for my paintings. Sometimes The Moon provides a soft, gentle glow but at other times it can be cold and harsh providing an intense light similar to the chiaroscuro of the works of Caravaggio or Rembrandt. As the only light source, all shadows fall away from The Moon. This helps to create tension in my work and a feeling of the unknown.

You mention that the colours within your work evoke a dreamlike idyll. What is the process of choosing the colors for each work and what are the emotions you aim to create by using these colours?

The process is very intuitive. I favour blues in my work as the colour sits nicely in the spectrum between warm violets to cool greens. If I want a painting to have an upbeat feel I can include more pastel tones (light greens and pinks). Likewise, if I want a darker feel to my work I can include deeper violets and emeralds. Whichever I choose, the restricted colour choice means that I can create a solid body of varied work that still has a consistent aesthetic style.

How do you balance the elements of stillness and movement within your work, and what are the viewers’ reactions to these two elements?

In my seascapes there is an expectation of movement so in those pieces I rely on composition to create a feel of movement and dynamism. When I paint something that is typically static, such as a cityscape, I employ perspective techniques to create a feel of energy. I ensure that the line of sight is not at right angles to the canvas so immediately everything I draw feels like it is in motion. The vanishing points I use are also askew to enhance this effect. Whatever I paint, I am always mindful of the golden ratio and the rule of thirds. This is how I create work that is balanced as opposed to chaotic. How viewers react to this varies greatly. I do not mind this as, although there is an element of narrative to my work, I feel it is important that viewers can find their own meaning in my art and have a personal experience of their own.

In the future, what direction will you take in your exploration of duality and perspective going forward?

Texture has often played a role in my work and this is something that I am open to exploring further and the inclusion of texture in my work has possibilities both conceptually and aesthetically. I have some personal experience of sensory loss. In the past, I have created pieces where the texture relates directly to the painted image. This effectively means that my work can be experienced by those with visual impairment. In the future I could choose to utilize texture in a way that conflicts with the visual image. This would create two pieces of art in one, an image that can be sensed through touch and one that is viewed visually. I am not sure how to deepen the connection between texture and perspective but there is certainly a lot for experimentation in the future.