Artist in Focus - An interview with Patricia Volk
Evolving through the clay, the sculptural forms of Patricia Volk have captured the imaginations of collectors with each progression. Volk’s innate understanding of her craft shines, allowing a natural collaboration of both artist and medium which in turn results in sculptures that have an incredibly organic quality. Her passion for simplicity in elegance of form, and colour palettes that ignite curiosity in the imagination of the viewer are just some of the elements that make Patricia Volk’s sculptures instantly recognisable.n
This week we catch up with Patricia and talk to her about what she is currently working on, social media, and if lockdown has affected her creative process.
With art an ever present constant as a creator, what are your earliest memories of it in your life?
My earliest memory, at the age of about four, is of visiting the Ulster Museum and seeing a sculpture of a sleeping cherub, and I remember thinking it was beautiful. Also my father used to be a member of Belfast Arts Club and from a very young age, on a Sunday, my mum used to send me off with him to get rid of me. It all went towards making me feel it was a privilege to be around art, and that making art was something to aspire to.
With such a broad and accomplished spectrum of styles in your collection, what is it that inspires you to start the process each time?
I like the problem solving and having something totally in my power to alter and control. Being dyslexic, I have chosen a material I can use with my hands and a vocabulary that is known only to me. Or the material chose me.
Of all of your collectors and clients, who has been most memorable for you?
Lord Carrington. I don’t agree with his politics, but he was a charming man and I had a memorable lunch in which he and his family constantly bickered. But he was a great advocate of sculpture. He owned a beautiful garden and one of my pieces was given pride of place. He loved it.
Do you follow Art Trends? if so, what are you looking at right now?
I cannot be bothered with the idea of ‘Art Trends’. That is for other people to say. I follow my own instinct while being inspired by the artists I admire. At present I am very interested in Chillida, but I really have a lot in common with American sculptors like Ken Price who work in “painted fired clay.”
As an artist who has often expressed their connection to their medium, has lockdown affected your affinity for creating over the last few months?
It affected me in the beginning as I felt morally I did not want to go to the studio. Even though it is a short distance to travel I couldn’t define it as essential travel during a pandemic. More recently I have been going down, but it is pretty stressful, as, even though it is on a farm, you cannot tell who will be ignoring social distancing. So I keep my head down and do my best. It is all any of us can do at the moment. Once I am focused, though, I forget the outside world.
With online platforms becoming an increasingly predominant factor in how we communicate now more than ever. How do you feel the internet and social media has had an impact on the art world while in lockdown?
I think some galleries have been doing a good job promoting their artists. You can see things online, but I personally feel I have to see an artist’s work in reality before I buy it. With extra time on people’s hands, hopefully the art world will open up to more people. Maybe people who have never bought art before, which would be very exciting for the future.
We would love to hear what you are working on currently, can you share anything with us?
I am developing the component pieces, but rather than constructing them after firing, I am constructing them before firing, and experimenting in different forms. I am always trying to move forward in my practice, but sometimes you only see those changes in retrospect. It’s a constant flow of developing new ideas and seeing where they take me, letting my hands lead me.
Want to know more? Read our other articles about artist Patricia Volk here.
See our selection of work by Patricia Volk in our Artist gallery