Hannah Collins Interview

Hannah Collins is what I would describe as a calming abstract artist. There’s a sense of peace that is received from observing her work. It’s so intricate yet so calm with so much to look at within one piece!

I’m so inspired by Hannah’s lovely art and she was so kind to do this interview with me where we discussed her work, a bit about her process and what tips she has for aspiring artists. Check out her interview below!

Nadine: What's your name, where are you from and what do you do?

Hannah: I'm Hannah Collins, I live in a little seaside town in Dorset. I am a full time mum and Artist.

N: How did you get into art? Is it something you always wanted to pursue?

H: I've always enjoyed being creative. Drawing, painting, making odd creations out of clay or paper mache when I was young. If someone had asked me what I wanted to do when I was older, Artist wouldn't have been my first choice. But I really got into painting again in 2015, sharing what I was making with the world. It grew from there and now I couldn't see myself doing anything else.

N: How do you get inspired? Do you have any advice for overcoming artist block?

H: I find inspiration from all over the place. Colour schemes in nature, online, from other artists. Shapes from rocks, the ocean; pretty much anything. Living on the coast and having the sea on my doorstep is a definite bonus.

If I'm suffering from artist's block I give myself a break and take time away. I find if I try and force my way through it it makes it worse, and then I become frustrated that things don't go the way I want them to. Sometimes I will look back through some of my past works to see if an old colour scheme will reignite the desire to paint. But if not then that's okay.

N: Walk us through a day in the life of Hannah.

H: Pre-Covid, it would be getting my children ready for school, or at least encouraging them to get ready, they're old enough to get themselves dressed :) Once they have left (or I have dropped them off) I would do some house work and then go out to my hut (my studio) and spend a few hours tidying and creating. Starting or finishing commissions. On Wednesday's and Thursday's I would look after my nieces, so I wouldn't paint on either of those days.

Currently with lockdown I spend most of my time in doors making sure my children are doing their school/college work. I then tend to paint after 3pm once their "school day" is over.

N: Do you have a process behind planning each piece and what is that? Or do you go with the flow?

H: The only bit of planning I tend to do is decide what colour palette I'll be working with. The actual painting just goes with the flow. I try not to think too much about composition initially, I build on that as the piece develops.

N: What has been the highlight of your career so far?

H: There are so many highlights, but I think it would have to be my first commission. Although I spent the whole time fretting about whether or not it would meet the clients expectations, it set me on the path I'm on now. It was also the first piece of artwork I had sold overseas, so it was a double highlight.

N: What would you like people to take away from your art?

H: That's quite a tricky one to answer. Art means something different to everyone. I think because my work is so abstract I would like it to invoke a feeling, that they take away a sense of 'being'.

N: What tips can you give an aspiring artist and painter?

H: Stay true to who you are. It's easy to get caught up in fad's or trends and create work that doesn't represent who you are. Experiment, with colours, textures, shapes. So much can be learnt from experimenting.

Thank you so much Hannah!

Visit: www.hannahcollinsart.co.uk