A lecture and masterclass with James Gillick
Event description:
What does it really take to become a professional artist?
Explore this question together with British painter James Gillick. The lecture and masterclass will offer a rare opportunity to hear an internationally-respected artist reveal the realities, rewards and responsibilities of a professional life in art.
The public lecture will provide insight into what separates those who love art from those who build a career around it. Gillick’s talk will be honest, entertaining, and practical, telling his journey from aspiring artist to working professional. Through personal stories, hard-won lessons and practical insights, he will unpack how careers in the arts are built and consider the realities of the contemporary art world.
The masterclass investigates creating a life through art and not solely creating art. Spread over one and a half days, the sessions will lead participants through topics of artistic purpose, perseverance, and professional development, divulging the mistakes, breakthroughs and lessons learned to build a successful career.
Practical information:
20 October – 18.30 – Malta Society of Arts, Valletta
Public lecture on developing a life in the arts, by visual artist James Gillick
Followed by a reception
21 and 22 October – times TBC – Friggieri Hall, Valletta Design Cluster, Valletta
Masterclass on professionalisation in the visual arts, by James Gillick
Lunch and coffee breaks will be provided.
A lifetime of experience will be distilled into practical guidance for emerging artists. Various topics will be explored, including:
- Who artists really are.
- Why artists matter.
- What professionalism means in creative practice.
- How careers are built in the real world.
- How galleries, markets and technology have changed the game.
- The challenges every aspiring artist must overcome.
Bio:
James Gillick was born in Norfolk, England, in 1972. He is married to Miriam and has ten children. He read for a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture at Cheltenham & Gloucester College.
As a figurative painter, James Gillick lives and works in a quiet backwater of rural Lincolnshire where he runs his busy studio. He makes all the materials for his paintings entirely by hand, using techniques that date back to the 17th century. James’ work ranges from the smallest of still lifes, including game paintings to life-size horse paintings. He also works on a wide variety of commissioned projects including portraiture and historic restoration.
Notable commissions include portraits of the Rt Honourable Margaret Thatcher (1998), His Holiness Pope John Paul II (2004), The Most Rev. Couve de Murville (1999) & Most Rev. McMahon as Bishop of Nottingham and Rt Rev. McKinney as Rector of Oscott. The 600 or so paintings to have come from James’ brush in the last 27 years are to be found in private collections and places of worship across the globe.
James is an experienced art mentor; artists travel informally to his studio from Europe and the USA, seeking to make gains in their art and how to market it. He is a traditional paint specialist, an oil paint specialist, a colour specialist, an art expert, particularly in terms of method or technique, and is very knowledgeable about mosaic. His parents, sisters and brothers and the cousins in his close family are all various types of artist – sculptors, seamstresses, actors, cabinetmakers, illustrators, singers, stonemasons, theatre set designers. He has extensive connections with professional artists and craftsmen in the UK.
James is very much looking forward to meeting local artists and cultural practitioners in Malta.
The lecture and masterclass are free of charge and will be held in English.
Kindly register by filling in the form by 19 October at noon.