Hudson Mackay Gallery chat to Carole about who inspires her and how she creates her beautiful beach hut paintings.

Jan 2010

HM ~ Where are you originally from?
CG ~ I was born in Glasgow and still live there now.

HM ~ When did you first become interested in art?
CG ~ As soon as I could hold a pencil, even before I started school. I've always loved drawing and painting.

HM ~ You went on from School to Glasgow School of Art?
CG ~ Yes I studied graphic design and illustration full time. Then after a short spell in advertising went on to teach for over 28 years, the last 16 as head of department. I have been asked to do a live painting demonstration to the members of Troon Art Club in March 2010.

HM ~ Which artists inspire you?
CG ~ I like a painter who paints in a way I cannot, my paintings tend to be realistic and representational of the world around me, so people who paint in a very free and loose way really inspire me. I love Picasso for this reason. Gustav Klimt is a favourite and I also admire the work of Pam Carter, her use of colour in seascapes is out of this world. Emilio Fazzi's painting style I also find exciting and uplifting.

HM ~ Tell us more about your paintings
CG ~ I tend not to sketch too much, I work from my own photographs and this can be quite involved. I couldn't work in the same way from someone else's images, as I need to take ownership of the subject matter. I often make composites, mixing two or three photographs together to make the image I then go on to paint. Some of my beach hut paintings were done in this way, taking a beach photograph from one location and painting it together with huts in another location to create the final painting. In 2009 I enjoyed a 10 day trip to the south of England and travelled from Bournemouth to Old Hunstanton and took over 250 photographs of beach huts! Many of the finished paintings are now hanging in galleries in the South of England.

HM ~ As well as painting and taking photographs, you also draw cartoons and caricatures too?
CG ~ Yes I stared this a long time ago and over the years have contributed to educational publications, trade unions, campaigning groups, political parties and I worked regularly as cartoonist and photographer for a local newspaper. I still draw caricatures and welcome commissions.

HM ~ Which actress would play your life story?
CG ~ Oh, someone good looking!!! Rachel Weisz or maybe Audrey Hepburn would both do the job very well.

HM ~ What should never change for you?
CG ~ The world is a beautiful place and shouldn't be ruined or spoiled.