Question 1

regarding drawing

S.W:

Stephen Carley describes drawing as 'a form of collating, remembering, archiving, information gathering.' What is drawing for you?

R.K:

Drawing is a lot of different things to me.. (and a lot of things besides!)

The sketch ..the quick recording of an idea, for sure, but I have never really been a 'sketch book artist'. I tend to write about my ideas in notebooks, and a quick drawing might be needed, but really only a doodle...having said that.. I do quite a lot of doodling!

As I'm now mostly painting from life....I use drawing as a way of 'getting to know' the object/pebble I'm going to paint (Stephen's definition in a way?).... But when is a sketch a step towards something else ?.. and when is it a work in it's own right?? (an issue that kind of separates modern art from the classical, traditional 'method'... probably starting with Cezanne who (maybe seen in retrospect) elevated the 'sketch' to a work in it's own right … he also had some pretty weird, and contradicting ideas about drawing!)

But when I'm doing relatively quick drawings of the object I intend to paint in order to 'get to grips' with the shape and structure.... I think this makes my approach to painting quite traditional. I do value those drawings too though...as they 'express' something that the painting can't.

Drawing is also a separate, and entirely self-contained expression for me. In a way I paint what I can't express in drawing, and draw what I don't feel I can properly achieve in painting. My paintings are observational, and my 'graphic novel format' drawings are born out of a totally different culture/genre, and set of ideas.

I spent years trying to 'combine drawing and painting'.. and I'm not even quite sure what that really means anymore (only that I was never happy with the results) ... I think good painting depends on good drawing, but my drawing is not dependent on my painting... only in that one can't substitute the other, and both feed of each other.

Question 2

regarding drawing

S.W:

Please tell me more about your graphic novel work. I think they would surprise people who only know you mainly for your wonderful Pebble paintings.

R.K:

For me drawing came first. I was drawing way before I started to paint... (when I was a kid.)

Drawing is much more important to me than painting... and I think that might come as a surprise to most people. There are two sides to my art, and they do not really combine.

The 'graphic novel format' drawings (I call them that for want of a better description), are born out of a complex tradition, originating (or at least developed) on the continent. I grew up with a vast amount of graphic novel books/art.... some of very experimental quality. My dad was also drawing in this format (his day job was as a graphic designer)... So we basically sat and churned out an enormous amount of drawings ...me and my dad ...in the 1970s (and ever since, to be honest...)

When I started on my Degree course in England, things got difficult... It turned out that the English were a bit behind in their appreciation of this kind of art... I started to concentrate fully on painting.

5 – 6 years ago I realised how much I enjoyed, and absolutely loved drawing...and I started to draw again in earnest.

I still find it very, very difficult to explain what it is I want to 'express' with my drawings... I have tremendous fun doing the work... (probably more so than when I paint). I use a huge amount of references, and sources of inspiration. It's a very playful process, and often with abstract elements of pure 'mark making appreciation'. I'm inspired by everything I see, and read, and experience.

I try to free myself from 'traditional linear narrative'... (something I also try to do in my painting, but in a completely different way, and for different reasons.)

Wow, Just writing about it makes me want to start some pages of 'playful absurdity' .....

'Tiny Torquay Pebble'
Oil on canvas
10 x 15 cm

'Striped Pebble from Devon'
Oil on canvas
88 x 160 cm

So that what with one thing and another, and with Watt's not wishing this, and with Watt's not wanting that, it seemed that Watt, as he was then, could never get into Erskine's room, never never get into Erskine's room, as it was then, and that for Watt to get into Erskine's room, as they were then, Watt would have to be another man, or Erskine's room another room.

Watt

Samuel Beckett

Devon pebble with deep hole
pencil on paper
23 x 18 cm

'Rounded pebble from Whitby beach'
Oil on canvas
144 x 96 cm