Art

Artist’s Corner: Lauren Summers

Lauren Summers | Wednesday 10 November, 2010 15:04

Lauren Summers ‘Floating Finished’ Courtesy of the Artist

As told to Lauren Down

Having graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2008, Lauren Summers talks about creative block, what inspires her and what she is currently working on.

I decided not pursue my art foundation into a Bachelor’s degree because I really hated it and was struggling to concentrate. Until about two months ago I had been working mainly in pencil, carefully and painstakingly crafting figurative work on paper but I became more and more frustrated and dissatisfied with everything.

Creative block only seems to happen when I’m not really enjoying what I’m doing. I like trying new things but I need to learn not to over-think or be too precious. Listening to really descriptive music, podcasts, spoken word recordings or being around friends really helps me to produce work. It keeps my conscious stimulated by something other than the drawing and leaves the creative side of my brain free to do as it pleases.

I found myself one evening not being able to complete a drawing so I ended up tearing up the page I was working on only to be left staring at another blank page. I just picked up a pen and started doodling. As the pattern grew I ran out of space, so I held it up to a mirror and started working on a symmetrical copy. I put all the pieces of paper together and ended up with this massive butterfly wing-esque drawing comprised of geometrical shapes and hard, straight lines. Although, because they’re hand drawn the circles aren’t perfect and the lines aren’t too straight, which gives the work its warmth.

I remember loving art when I was a kid. My Nan used to keep all my pictures on the wall in the kitchen: single sheets of paper were filled with everything from mermaids to castles, dogs and Christmas trees. I really loved art as a teenager in school. I had an awesome teacher who used to just leave us to it and play DOOM in his office, but he was honest, encouraging but critical about my work so I was always trying to be better.

I never really think too much about what I’m drawing, it’s quite an organic process despite the mechanical appearance of my designs and illustrations. I guess the main outside inspiration I draw from are buildings (particularly of the art deco era), skylines and detailed architectural facades. I draw buildings from my route into work, from memory and from places I’ve never been. One work in particular was inspired by my time in New York, I tried to draw The Chrysler Building but the lines gradually became abstracted. A lot of my work resembles skylines, roof top, detailed architecture from old buildings.

I’m hoping to turn some of my illustrations into textile designs very soon. Having worked for various fashion companies since I left university this kind of seems like a natural progression for me.

Lauren Summers Website

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