An Interview With Nick Macneil

Nick Macneil's paintings are a vibrant explosion of colour and light. His work is characterized by a spontaneous and immediate style, with bold brushstrokes and expressive forms. By playing with light and shadow, Macneil creates a sense of depth and atmosphere in his paintings. His use of bright, contrasting colours and dynamic compositions adds to the overall energy and excitement of his work.

Can you tell us a little bit about you?

I was born in 1992 in London, UK. As a child, I had an almost obsessive interest in the prehistoric world, particularly the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods. I think it was this interest that shaped my worldview as I realised this was a deep emotional curiosity rather than an intellectual one. The thought of deep time going back millions of years, and the uncertainty about what these periods were actually like filled me with awe, and even a spiritual sentiment. This psychologically and emotionally based interest has translated into my adult life by the means of making paintings. Through my practice, I am still searching for that ambiguous sense of wonder, but with reference to my immediate surroundings, such as landscape, light, movement, refraction, water, and organic forms.

How does the interplay of light and shadow, reflections, refractions, and natural forms inspire your paintings? 

Light and shadow are immediate in nature, and can be recognised in some of the most basic of organisms. My approach to painting is immediacy, where I want all the information to be taken in at once. Lightness and shadow can be approached in various ways, for me it is about using colour and tone to suggest these elements. I like to think of refractions and reflections as little disturbances that disjoint continuity whether it's in water, glass or a mirage above a flame. I try to convey these through streaks of coloured light or 'droplets' that spread across the surface, disrupting the darker gestural organic forms. Almost all of my recent paintings are in a landscape format, with suggestions of atmosphere, and organic terrain. I spend a lot of time looking at clouds at various times of the day, as well as the surrounding environment which can be natural or artificial.

What is your process for distilling the essence of these elements into abstracted forms? How do you balance the figurative and abstract elements in your work?

I occasionally do small water colour studies which help me to decipher what I want to extract and use in my paintings. I spend a lot of time observing tones, colours, the behaviour of light and water, as well as foliage and sky. I then strip away what I believe I don't need and use the remaining library of elements to begin painting. I work on multiple paintings at once, usually around 8-11, which allows them to bounce off each other. If l come across a combination of marks and colours I like in one work, but doesn't quite fit into the painting as a whole, I can transfer it to another 3 or 4 paintings, until it unifies with the overall structure of the painting.

What is the significance of exploring what lies beneath the surface of nature?

This is a particularly interesting question, as it's something I have thought about for a few years. I spent a lot of time watching lecturers on neuroscience and psychology and its relationship to the foundations of the universe. I came across a scientist called Donald Hoffman, I enjoyed his lectures so I decided to read his book 'The Case Against Reality'. To summarise, Hoffman tackles the problem of consciousness by arguing it is fundamental. He argues that we see the world in terms of 'evolutionary fitness payoffs' and not as it actually is. This means that the significance of what lies beneath nature is not just a problem for physics and biology, but also neurology. The question for me isn't about what lies beneath the surface of nature, but rather, if our mind creates the world we see, can we ever truly know what is beneath? And if so, do we even want to know? A great example is given in the book about a species of beetle which was dying out in Australia and local scientists were trying to figure out why. Amazingly, it turns out that the bottom of empty glass beer bottles that were scattered along roadsides in the deserts had the same texture, colour and shine of the female beetles. Therefore, the males were trying to mate with the bottles, instead of seeking out females, causing a massive population decrease. This kind of trickery exists all across nature and even applies to humans. We are limited by our senses, and also our senses may not reflect anything close to what lies beneath the surface of nature, but it's that illusion which can evoke strong feelings, particularly in the arts.

How do you hope to express emotions through abstract forms? What feelings do you want to convey? 

I don't want the feelings to be too specific. I want them to be ambiguous, but immediate. Overall I aim for the paintings to feel light, so I set out to ‘drop the dead weight’ in a sense so they don’t feel too grounded or heavy. I can't control how people feel about them, but I hope for an empathetic experience between viewer and painter, nothing too superficially overwhelming, but more of an "Oh I get you, I get you" response.

What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an artist and how have your overcome them?

Access to studio space, like many other artists has been one of my biggest challenges, particularly as rent in London is so expensive. Luckily me and my partner share a live/work space in our flat as she sews and makes clothes. It's a great arrangement, and has brought us closer together as we can support each other's practice daily.

Your earliest memory of art?

At the age of 4, walking past a large, dark abstract sculpture partially hidden behind trees and bushes outside an office building. I was simultaneously terrified and intrigued, as I knew it was a sculpture, but all my instincts were telling me it was some kind of large creature due to its shape and form. Looking back, this uncanny experience my mind was subjected to, makes me certain that this is what art is all about.

Are there any artists or art movements that have influenced your work? How have these influences shaped your style and approach?

My favourite living artist, Alex Katz, may come as a surprise as his style differs from mine significantly. However, I appreciate his approach to immediate surface painting and what he refers to as 'Quick light'. Agnes Martin, Markus Lupertz and Amy Sillman have also been significant influences on my painting practice, as well as artists from the 20th century expressionist period, such as Kirchner and Jawlensky.

What is your favourite book or film and why?

The Colour of Pomegranates. A visually stunning film, with a beautifully subtle narrative about the life of the poet Sayat-Nova.

Are you working on any projects you are particularly excited about?

I am currently working with a platform as part of an artist cohort called KNST. It is a new and exciting collective of art lovers, writers and artists. They run workshops, events and exhibitions which make art accessible to everyone.

Nick Macneil - Instagram

Nick Macneil - Website