Nettie Wakefield
What is your background into art?
I don’t remember when exactly it started but I would draw all the time as a child, mostly mermaids on the walls which displeased my mother immensely! Drawing has been something I’ve done since I was a little girl and I spent a couple of Summers in my late teens in Florence doing life drawing, which I loved. I knew when I left school that I wanted to go to art school, so I applied to Chelsea College of Art. However, when I got there, it wasn’t what I expected and I felt as though I didn’t fit in. So, I dropped out (without telling them and therefore failed by default) and went to study Art History at Leeds University instead. I thought there must be something I didn’t understand or there was something I was missing at Art Foundation, and so I thought learning the history would help to figure that out. I’m not sure I ever did! When I graduated, after hardly picking up a pencil for over three years at Uni, I felt sad about being so disconnected from something I used to get such pleasure from. I applied to an MA at Wimbledon in drawing after spending a few months drawing around London in galleries cafes and at home by some miracle I got in and graduated a few years ago. To go back and do an MA was the best decision I ever made. For the interim show I developed the reverse portrait series which helped me gain some recognition and led me onto lots of exciting things including having my reverse portraits at Banksy’s Dismaland.
Who or what are the big influences in your work?
Gavin Turk has always been a huge influence for me. I loved his bronze bin bags and rough sleepers. I’m interested in contrast and light. I have no interest in drawing a subject which is just one tone. I suppose that’s why hair appeals to me so much. Drawing shiny hair is very satisfying for me.
Did the pandemic and lockdown change what you were doing?
During the pandemic…I started off the first lockdown doing some playful 'Corona Collages', then some large (A1) social distancing drawings which depict solitary figures floating in space. I also created some smaller drawings of a person (me) doing yoga or a man (my partner) lying in the park. I’ve also done a very detailed portrait of my whippet, Simon (using all available models). A reverse portrait of my fiancé and most recently a self-portrait – as I’ve never done a self portrait! I decided all artists should at least do one in their career. It was actually quite a special time as I’ve been able to use my practise in a different way. I was only working for myself at that moment and drawing whatever I feel like doing which was a very freeing feeling. I created a series of ‘Social distancing drawings’ to try and capture how it felt to be caught in limbo and uncertainty. They were called Lost in Time and Space. Now that Lockdown is over things have changed and I’m back doing commissions and showing in actual physical shows again, which is brilliant. I am currently working on a large A0 Social distancing drawing commission.
How has your practice evolved over the years?
My reverse portraits have remained the only consistent part of my practise and I’ve stayed pretty faithful to pencil. However, having said that, 4 years ago I was in LA making a life size polished bronze sculpture of a semi- deflated blow-up doll. When I was doing my residency at Banksy’s Dismaland, I met a couple of LA artists who were also present for the whole six weeks (I was just there on weekends) and we formed a bond. In the rain.
When I was in LA, the following January for a group show called ‘Expiration date’ (where I drew a semi-deflated Brandy for the first time) we reconnected, and I got to visit their amazing studios and see all the wonderful work they created. One of them works specifically in bronze. At this stage, Brandy was just a pencil drawing but I could suddenly visualise her crumpled self as a polished bronze statue – and that was it. I started preparing the cast and nine months later she became 3D. I ended up with two identical sculptures so I wanted to create this dichotomy of the beauty of the sculpture in itself as an art piece but also its dark symbolism. Brandy 1 is hung on the wall where viewers are able to touch it with white cotton gloves whereas Brandy 2 is situated in a diorama on a sofa surrounded by accoutrements showing evidence of our mystery man after use: a laptop, recently removed suit with Paul Smith underwear, half-eaten pizza, tissues and Brandy’s original box.
Do you have a favourite quote?
“Comparison is the thief of joy” – Theodore Roosevelt
Which 3 artists are you loving on instagram right now?
Olivia Kemp @Livvykemp
David Shrigley’s Instagram guarantees a chuckle a day
Zoe Zimmer @zzimmer I love. I’m also a recent owner of one of her stunning prints.
Russel Herron’s cardboard pencil drawn smiley faces are wonderful, also a recent owner of one of those beauties. @russell_herron_art
Oh, that’s four.
Which Gallery do you never tire of visiting, what is your favourite art work there?
'Ophelia’ by Millais at the Tate Britain. I’ve always been drawn to that painting for some reason.
I also used to love to draw from the Old Masters paintings in galleries or Watteau’s chalk drawings. As a child I was in love with the Surrealists and especially Rene Magritte’s ‘Empire of light’ at the Peggy Guggenheim in Venice. I found it so enchanting.
I don’t think I’ll tire of the New York Guggenheim, the journey the structure forces you to go on is beautiful.
What do you have in the pipeline?
I have 5 exciting things coming up…
- I’m in a show called ‘The Tribe’ curated by MC Llamas as part of ‘Art in the Age of Now’ at Fulham Town Hall at the moment!
- ‘Pressing Matters’ at Matches Fashion ( 5 Carlos Place) on show now until June with an Auction on 20th.
- ‘YES’ at Gallery 46 opening in June 2021
- ‘Beyond the streets on paper’ at Southhampton Gallery July 2021
- …and of course, the clothing collection which comes out SS22
Instagram @nettiedraws
www.nettiewakefield.net