Please introduce yourself. What inspired you to become an artist? Why are you so fascinated by capturing the natural landscape?

Hello, my name is Vanesa Brassey, and I have wanted to draw and paint ever since I became obsessed with my first picture book. Much of my current work captures landscapes, pondscapes, and swimmingscapes. I began keeping a sketchbook journal whilst traveling, which developed into a collection now focused on swimming in Hampstead Heath.

*Weekend Rituals The Mixed Pond Hampstead Heath*

Your figurative work often depicts swimmers. Why do you find swimmers interesting subjects to paint?

I am particularly drawn to swimmers as they combine the figurative and fleshy, with the ethereal and colourful gloop of wild waters.

*An Even Bigger Jump! The Men's Pond Hampstead Heath*

Tell me about your collaboration with the National Gallery. When did this begin and what doES this entail?

I started collaborating with Tate Modern and the Photographers' Gallery when I was a philosophy lecturer. Later, I began a series on Art and Emotion at The National Gallery, which has developed into films, panel events, and short courses. I usually list these on my website.

Describe your creative process from start to finish of your most recent painting. What initially inspired the composition?

All my ideas start with sketching, collaging, and playing. Some of these are complete at that stage, while others I continue to develop, sometimes introducing more photographic or filmed sources of evidence, into final paintings. I like to paint in layers, allowing undercolours to react with the top layers so that there is a shimmer and interest. I'm still experimenting all the time, though, and don't feel I have a settled style yet.

How would you describe your painting style? What do you believe makes your work unique?

Good question! I'm stumped. Truly, I'm not sure how to answer this. I just paint from the heart, often immersed in an audiobook, and then the painting 'turns up'. I can't say much more than that.

Out of all the scenes you have painted, which has been your favourite, and why?

I couldn’t say. Each painting has a purpose and like children, you get to know each one and care for them equally.

*A Little Ladies Pond (Hampstead Heath)*

If you could spend a day with an artist; dead or alive, who would it be, and why?

Right now I’d like to spend the day with several of the amazing portrait artists exhibiting at the CBPP and the National Portrait Gallery. I’d like to work alongside them quietly and see how they mix the paintings, what they are concerned with, and whether they are decisive about when to stop.

What has been your greatest achievement so far as an artist? What are your future aspirations?

Oooof. I think just acknowledging the significance of painting as a part of life and continuing with it, pushing to try new ideas, learning to listen and respond to the paintings I’m working on like imaginary friends, and staying with it despite lots of failures and rejections. We’re all flattery-operated in this game, so it’s hard to deal with a curt dismissal. But that’s a really really big part of putting yourself out there and coping with the ‘no’ is probably the hardest thing for artists to achieve with the remotest level of grace.

Why do you think art is important in society?

Gosh, there are too many reasons to sum up in a sentence, but if pushed, I’d say art helps us make sense of the world as our home and exercises our capacity for mental time travel, which is crucial to collective memory and dreaming. It’s a way for us to flex our differences without inciting fear and defensiveness. In other words, it’s part of what makes us human, encouraging humanity and respect for heritage.

Vanessa Brassey

ARTIST INTERVIEW: VANESSA BRASSEY