I tend to be naturally inward-looking and don’t really like having people in my studio when I’m working toward exhibitions or creative projects. I stay insular in my creative space – ‘my very own island’. When I do occasionally have visits, I get very nervous and anxious about it but I capitulate to requests for meetings to allow potential buyers and collectors access to a greater range of work and to get a better feel for what goes on. I understand the natural curiosity of people wanting to check it all out but it remains a hard thing for me to do. As an artist, you are always pigeon-holed into very narrow categories’ and I’m the ‘painter’. Currently and more specifically, a ‘landscape painter’ but the reality is, I do all sorts, and love creating in general. Drawing, collage, printmaking, sculpture, textiles are just a few on a very long list. I love my garden, a second passion and an extension of my creative self. It’s very therapeutic and always changing. Often, I’ll get into a slash and burn mentality and end up creating new areas to design and plant out. When you have been in the one place for over twenty years you can see the fruits of your labour and you get really attached. People are often surprised to find out that I rarely work ‘en plein air’ preferring the studio environment. I think I loathe painting or drawing outside because I find it painfully difficult, fighting the elements and being open to the curious onlooker. I also hardly ever do separate studies or other preparatory sketches for my work preferring to nut out thoughts and ideas directly onto the canvas, paper or board that will eventually be the finished product. The biggest artistic influence in my life would have to be without a doubt my parents, with their encouragement, continual support and teachings, allowing me to be independently creative since I was a small child. I have fond memories of creating huge figures on left-over Ballarat Courier newsprint, rolled out along our hallway and playing with the ‘Nerrina’ clay that my parents cut from the natural clay deposits near where we lived. Tarli Glover’s exhibition ‘My Place‘ runs until the 18 March. To See a full listing click here .
