Why do you choose to paint on canvas?
In my second year at university, I was doing really tight, small watercolors – they were a bit derivative and s**t – and my teacher said, “you know what, this is not for you. Go out and buy a big roll of canvas and go with it.” I was terrified and about to drop out. I didn’t know what to do. So I went out and bought this massive, massive roll of canvas, and fell in love with pouring paint on it. It’s the most energizing thing in the world – I haven’t looked back since.
How has your work changed since then?
I can look at each of my paintings from over the years and remember exactly how I was feeling when I made them. I just had a breakup recently; before I was doing oil painting, but felt like switching to acrylic after. All of a sudden the work became more sensitive and personal. They’re more me. I know I’ll look back at these in years to come, and be able to feel the way I’m feeling right now.
Tell us about your latest project ‘Strange Brew’.
I’ve always been obsessed with music. Record sleeves were my first source of inspiration. I used to like painting over David Bowie, or Jim Morrison’s face. Everything I listen to when I’m here gets fed into the work. If I’m listening to music, and the Sex Pistols comes on, for instance, then something completely different happens. I listen to everything and like taking different styles, different genres, and pulling them together into one big painting.
‘Strange Brew’ comes from the Cream song. I was inspired by the artwork from the ‘Disraeli Gears’ record. That’s where a lot of the colours – the pinks, the oranges, the purples – come from. I build the frames myself, then stretch the canvas so the painting wraps around the edges of the frame. It makes them feel cleaner – a bit more delicate – but expansive
How do you work with scale in your work?
I want to go bigger, and bigger, and bigger. I already tend to paint large scale, but I’m limited by the space I work in. If one day I can afford my own massive studio somewhere, I’m going to paint huge paintings. There’s an artist called Chris Martin (not the Coldplay singer), and he’s done paintings the size of buildings. The scale of his work is unbelievable. It gives the work an immersive and escapist quality. I’d love to have the space and the time to do that.
How is it having studio space in Soho?
I’m actually subletting from someone right now. I moved here in August. And I remember on my first day here, I was smiling ear-to-ear. I walked outside to get some food from the shop, and saw one of my favorite artists, Jeremy Deller, having a coffee on the other side of the street. I thought, should I go up to him? I know everything about him – I’ve written essays on him!
I went up and shook his hand, shaking with nerves. It was only afterwards I realized my hand was covered in paint. I don’t know if it got over him or what, but that’s the amazing thing about being in this part of town. And now I’ve got my foot in the door I want to stay.
What does a day-in-the-life of Rebecca Gilpin look like?
Get up, black coffee, sometimes a cigarette, then I head to the studio. I tend to get a lot of visitors during the day, which I love. There’s a lovely community of likeminded folk here – fashion designers, fine artists – from all over the place.
Living in London you meet so many people from all around the world. Before you’ve even been to visit a country you might know something about the culture – the food, or the music scene – because of being here.
What’s next?
I’m going to stick to my guns and paint. Always paint. Forever.
You can see Rebecca’s work at 49 Poland Street, Koppel Project, Floor 2 today and tomorrow, 29th-30th November.
