We sat down with Irish artist Leah Hewson to pick her brain.
Here we speak to her about her incredible artwork…
The best thing about being an artist is…
Getting to decide how I spend my day. If I’m not in the most productive mood I can surrender to that and take the rest of the day off, knowing that I will hit the ground running tomorrow. It’s a real privilege to be an artist and give yourself the space to be creative, express yourself and to see what you do resonate with people on a visceral level.
The hardest thing about working for myself…
Is staying motivated. If I don’t do the work, there is nobody there to pick up the slack. I had a much slower year last year and found it difficult to stay motivated during that time.
A day in my life might look like this…
I wake up at 7.30am, spend 30 minutes meditating and doing Wordle to get the brain going. I like to take my time in the morning, so I make a nice breakfast and cycle about 15 minutes into the studio. Then I get a coffee and check my emails. Depending on if I have a concept design, application or other admin work to do, I might do this in a local cafe on the laptop for a change of scenery. Otherwise, if I’m painting I put on the overalls, stick in the headphones and get messy for the day. After work I generally like to do hot yoga or go for a run and I’m in bed around 9.30pm like a granny.
When I paint…
I feel most connected to myself. My painting practice is where my pure authentic expression is. I find so much joy in not knowing where each piece is going to end up.
I realised I could make a career out of this when…
I got a studio residency in the Royal Hibernian Academy. It was the first time a large institution said yes to me and my work. After that, people began to really listen to what I had to say and what I was trying to make. That was six years into my career, so I felt immense relief and a great sense of responsibility to make the most of the opportunity when it came around.
What I’m most proud of is…
The fact I am living off my work on a full-time basis. I was always working towards finding some stability in that, and to me, it was buying a house. I’m always moving studio spaces and the work itself is so precarious that working towards buying a house seemed like a good way to be able to continue being an artist even if times were tough. I managed after 10 years of saving to achieve that in 2022 and I’m incredibly proud of doing it as I know how difficult and dismal it is out there.
My favourite piece is…
The new painting I’ve created for my exhibition ‘Raze the Container’ that will be shown in Chateau La Coste, France in September. I’m also very proud of the Guinness Storehouse installation and to be involved in such an exciting year as the Guinness Storehouse celebrates its 25th anniversary. It was a very fun and collaborative project and is such a joy to see my work on such a large platform and scale.
The artist or creative who inspires me most is…
There are too many to name, there’ve been a lot over the years! I’m inspired not only by artists and creatives but by people, places, architecture, music, colour combinations and general experiences. My eyes are always open.
I dream of…
An end to the genocide in Gaza and for people to remember their humanity and compassion again.
Leah’s installation is available to view at the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin.