ARTISTS: WORKING LIVES
A day in the life of SORAYA FRENCH PPSWA
Sally Bulgin talks to Soraya French about her life and career as a professional artist
Soraya in her studio
I first met Soraya in 2005 at Art in Action, where she was demonstrating for an art materials company. Impressed by her experimental approach, communication skills and ability to inspire, I invited her to become a regular contributor to The Artist magazine and have followed the evolution of her career as a professional artist with interest ever since. She works in all media, capturing a variety of subject matter including flowers, landscapes, musician and café scenes, amongst others. Many of her subjects are travel based featuring people in everyday situations. Light, colour and semi-abstract passages feature prominently in her paintings.
Soraya has received several prestigious awards and many of her paintings are held in private and public collections at home and abroad. Her various books have increased her international recognition, plus she also tutors and demonstrates her painting techniques to art groups and societies worldwide. I was delighted when Soraya agreed to share the following insights into the keys to her success as a professional artist.
Winter Landscape,
mixed media, 18x18in (46x46cm)
Can you describe a typical day as a professional working artist?
“Being able to be in control of how the day takes shape is one of the best things about life as a professional artist. I am getting better at improving my life/work balance these days but have no intention of ever retiring. In an ideal world, every day would be a painting day, but unfortunately necessary daily chores often interrupt the flow. On a typical studio day, the drive there is a helpful transition, giving me time to prepare mentally. Once I arrive, unless there’s an exciting piece waiting, I tend to potter about, shuffling things around, line up my paints, and ease into the creative mind-set. I need to be in the zone.
“I usually work on multiple pieces at once. It keeps my eyes fresh and helps with the multi-layering process, as I prefer to let each layer dry naturally. Throughout the day, I’ll drift off into different tasks - maybe varnish a finished piece, have a quick chat with fellow artists in neighbouring studios, some admin or browse online for inspiration. When things are going well at the studio, I get so immersed that when it’s finally time to leave, it feels as though I’ve only just arrived. Teaching days are more structured, they need a different kind of energy and can be exhausting but truly rewarding and joyful at the same time.”
How do you divide your time between studio work and working on location/en plein air and admin?
“As a mixed-media artist, I love the comfort and familiarity of my studio. It’s where I feel grounded and free to experiment. However, over the years, I’ve also embraced the challenges and rewards of working on location, both at home and abroad.