Colour, Dance, Sunsets & Water: An Interview With Glenn Badham
Glenn Badham is an acclaimed visual artist from the United Kingdom who has made a name for himself through his stunningly detailed, hyperrealistic artworks. With a career spanning over two decades, Glenn has captured the hearts of art lovers and critics alike.
With a keen eye for detail and a mastery of technique, Badham has created a diverse portfolio of works, ranging from portraits to landscapes, and everything in between.
His unique perspective and creative flair have earned him numerous accolades and recognition, including being shortlisted for the prestigious Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition. In this interview, we delve deeper into the creative process and inspirations of this eminent artist.
Glenn Badham. Image courtesy of the artists.SAH: Glenn, could you begin by giving us an insight into your journey as a visual artist?
How did you discover your passion for art?
GB: I have had a passion for art for as long as I can remember. My Father trained as a draughtsperson when young, so I think I inherited his point media skills. Paint has proved harder to tackle, but the discoveries made, and the joy of working with colour, made it irresistible.
I saw `Supper at Emmaus` by Caravaggio on a school trip to the National Gallery, and my fate was sealed. I just had to paint. Since Graduation, a residency in Italy, and the various galleries that represent me have granted me the pleasure of meeting some great painters over the years, who have inspired me further. It’s a simple case that, I can’t not produce my artworks.
Glenn Badham. Close shadow hold. Oil on canvas.SAH: How would you describe your artistic practice? Are there any specific themes or concepts that are central to your work?
GB: I have always been drawn to the figure, often in theatrical spaces with cinematic light qualities. Studying film studies and inhabiting dance halls has shaped the movement, light and environment my figures frequent.
I am also very interested in our rituals, rights and history, having painted works from the ancient events held in Britain.
The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, The Hallaton Barrel Kicking, May Day at Oxford.
Since Lockdown, our place in the world has been finding its way into my artwork. The interface where man and nature meet or clash has become prevalent.
SAH: Your work appears to strongly connect to urban environments and architecture.
Could you tell us more about how these elements inspire and influence your work?
GB: The urban environment in my work has increased of late. Our imprint on the landscape and evolving expansion create a permanent fringe where nature yields to our development and vice versa.
During lockdown, through daily walks and sketching my rural environment, I began to document some of this attrition and metamorphosis. Our dependence upon and management of the environment has shaped so much of what we see about us and our environment becomes a work in progress.
Glenn Badham. Medway moonlit. Oil on canvas.
Glenn Badham. Medway magic. Oil on canvas.SAH: You utilise a variety of mediums in your art, including drawing and painting. How do you decide which medium is best suited to a particular project or concept?
GB: I adore colour and am still trying to master it. My interiors and figures are mostly painted as the cinematic qualities of glorious technicolour are emblazoned on my mind’s eye, and I appreciate that enduring power.
Also, the experience of studying dancers means fabric and after-image are everywhere, and potency is lost in Black and white. Often a subject screams monochrome due to its intense contrast, but I feel it also adds weight and poignancy to the right subject.
SAH: Could you give us an insight into your creative process? How do you move from the initial idea to the final piece of art?
GB: My process, I assume, is similar to many other artists. I see something and the mind’s eye instantly knows that is `right`. Then the hard part starts when you reach the studio and are confronted by a blank canvas.
Often I let the groundwork and underpainting suggest and shape the idea. Subsequent layers of paint or pencil then fill in the blanks, and I try to resolve the artwork with the initial concept held in mind.
SAH: How has your artistic practice evolved throughout your career? Are there any specific experiences or influences that have significantly impacted your work?
GB: I spent 4 months working with an Italian artist `Cesare Sartori` in 2006. This had a huge impact on my studio practice.
A prolific artist and ceramicist, he let me work in his studio and encouraged me to be more abstract and unafraid than I had ever been with my artwork.
As a Competitive Ballroom Dancer since childhood, I have had access to fabulous environments, like living Sickert paintings on tap. This has moulded my figure painting but the lockdown daily walks and my rural studio space have thrown open the doors to landscape, the vista and man’s impact, good or bad on this tapestry of life.
Glenn Badham. London by night. Oil on canvas.SAH: What challenges have you faced in your art career, and how have you navigated them?
GB: The major challenge, as an artist, is funding the passion. In a society that, at large, doesn’t value the Arts, it is always a choice between commerciality or creating what you really want to paint. My first studio was a garage so was freezing in Winter, but now I have a much better private studio space with fabulous views and that seems like a distant memory.
I try to balance commissions and more commercial pieces with the imagery that moves me, irrespective if it sells or not.
I often thought I wouldn’t have a chance in open submission exhibitions without a big Art School background behind me, but this hasn’t proved to be the case. I have made a few notable breakthroughs and keep producing my drawings and paintings and shall always do so.
SAH: Could you share with us about your current work or any upcoming projects? What can we expect to see from Glenn Badham in the near future?
GB: I am currently working on sunsets and water. Turneresque evening-scapes where I can play with colour, glazes, scale and texture. I am also hoping to be in the British Art Fair at Saatchi this November. I am just awaiting confirmation from my Dealer.
SAH: What do you hope viewers take away from your art? Are there specific messages or emotions you aim to convey?
GB: I hope viewers of my work will walk away from my work with an after burn on the retina and a question on their lips!
I try to use a synthetic palette, heightening the colour to move people into a more joyous place, removed from our so often grey North European light. I also try to use symbols and messages in my works that viewers may interpret, discuss or ponder.
Glenn Badham. Brampton Holt. Drawing on paper.SAH: Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring artists who are interested in pursuing a career in contemporary art?
GB: If starting out, I would certainly try to surround myself with a good support network. A group studio or collective, where information can be shared and ideas bounced off each other. Present yourself well, too.
Be individual but sharp in your approach to people. I believe you should leave an impression as much as your artwork does. A reticent, studio-based artist’s day is done, I think. We are more on show than ever, so design yourself as you would your artwork.