In January 2023 I started a conversations project during my residency at Applecart Arts. I sit down and have a conversation of approximately one hour with someone I am interested to have a conversation with. Whilst there might be particular things I would like to talk about, I don’t have questions planned in advance and what happens is organic. Whilst we speak, I paint. What I share here is the painted/drawn outcome of the conversation. Afterwards, I write up my reflections about my experience of the conversation. Then, they go into my gallery of conversations, which you have found yourself in here…
This conversation was the first one during a celebration of the summer solstice at Samphire Hoe, organised by the Bee Friendly Trust. It’s a strange place, the land is made from all the stuff dug up during the creation of the Channel Tunnel, and it’s named by an English teacher who won a competition. We were a group of all sorts of artists, getting to know the land, the creatures and each other through dance, painting, poetry, swimming, walking and more.
I met Nicolás the day before, when we all arrived. I liked talking to him, he told me about his 8 cats and vet bills and finding things and Steve told him and someone else about the Lost Cat Project. He checked the Lost Cat map and saw there wasn’t one in the Bronx where he lives and said he’d put one up there. I knew he would be leading a pilgrimage around the art/artists on our final day. I liked the idea of having a painting conversation with him as I felt relaxed around him and felt curious to chat with him more.
On the morning of the full day we had together, I mentioned that I’d like to have a conversation with him if he was interested. I told Nicolás I’d be set up at the beach, if he wanted to find me.Steve and I took loads of stuff down to the beach in a massive wheelbarrow. It’s the best wheelbarrow either of us had ever seen. Very sturdy, with high sides and two wheels. Steve had brilliantly asked the Samphire Hoe Ranger, Paul, if he had any junk that we could use to make art. He said he had a shameful pile of junk and said we could use some of it. I took wooden chalk board and Steve took lots of bits of wood to make a giant crab.
We were boiling when we got to the beach so Steve set up a little tarp on sticks and I stood around not being sure what to do. I knew I wanted to have a painting conversation with the sea so I thought it made sense to start with swimming. We both swam and it was delightfully cold. I saw Nicolás was on the beach and was pleased when he came and asked when I could get started.I asked where he’d like to sit and he said he’d like to be in the shade so I set up my stuff under the tarp. I’d found a small wooden board in Ranger Paul’s junk pile and it was great for leaning on.
I told Nicolás about the project, because I wanted to and also because I thought it might be helpful for him to know more, for the pilgrimage he’d be leading on the final day. He said he felt sleepy and he wanted to lie down so I suggested he did. I liked the idea of a painting conversation with someone relaxing or at least putting their body in the way they wanted to, even if maybe it is less conventional way to have conversations.
I liked how he described what he was feeling in different moments of the conversation. Just as I reached for a stone, to use in my painting, He said his body was having a conversation with the stones and described his body parts and where the stones were touching them. I felt very taken by that idea, especially as when I got to the beach I felt bothered about how much they were hurting my feet. I liked the idea of having a different relationship to rocks which kind of hurt to lie or walk on. He said he could hear them talking and I asked more about what they were saying. It feels like I’d be telling a secret if I told you what he said.
I felt particularly relaxed and like I had permission to ask questions as they popped into my mind, or leave words, which for me is a sign of being regulated. I like it a lot. I like the weird questions that came to mind like “how would your cats find it here?” I love being in the company of people where weird little ideas pop into my mind and I feel like I can share them, without needing to explain where they came from.
I also liked that he said when he was done, which happened to just be as I was finished painting.
To learn more about Nicolás’ work, you can visit him on instagram here or his website, here. He also sent me this conversation, where you can learn more about his names and practice.