At what age did you first feel creative?
Looking back, I can’t remember a time were I wasn’t.
Did someone inspire you to be creative?
Probably my earliest inspiration was my Mum as she was a painter and introduced me to different artists.
How did you start your creative business?
We moved from London to Manchester six years ago. This coincided with my daughter starting school. The move was an opportunity that allowed me the space and time to revisit my creative practice.
Do you feel the environment / geographic location where you live affects your work? If so, how does this influence show up in your work?
I have a studio at home and find that to have my own separate space / environment is very important. I find having a comfortable and practical space also feed into my creativity. My geographic location doesn’t directly influence my work but it moving out of London to South Manchester has allowed me to explore my creative practice.
When / where do you think of your best / favorite ideas?
I find that wherever / whenever you have the time to let your mind wander can produce great ideas. Some of my best ideas have come from stepping away from the studio for a break, like making a cup of tea or cooking for example.
How would you describe your work's palette?
I either like to work with a single maybe muted colour, or as many jarring colours all at once.
Do you feel like your ideas are always translated as you planned / expected / imagined?
I mostly guide with how the material reacts to being cast. I have ideas on shapes and forms but my studio is full of different cast materials. I tend to play with cast shapes and see what comes together as possible sculptures.
Do you have any tools or practices for getting out of a creative "funk"?
Yes! This has definitely happened to me before. When I left college I found I was thinking too much about the finished piece and it was all getting too overwhelming. A fellow artist that I shared a studio with at the time said to me, "start at the basics: just play, enjoy the art of making, and the ideas will follow." I found that advice has worked for me and that is pretty much how I work now.
Is there anything you hope a viewer will feel or think of when they experience your work?
It's always lovely to see when the viewer finds a connection to my pieces. But I think my sculptures are open to the viewer's own interpretation.
What piece stands out to you as a favorite in your body of work right now & why?
I don’t really have a favourite as such. I find that I’m most excited about the piece I’m currently working on. Generally one sculpture sparks an idea for the next.
Was there a turning point in your work where you feel you found your way or style?
I’m not sure? I feel if you were to look at my body of work there would properly be a style and as a viewer you would be able to tell that it is a piece of mine. But I think if you look back at my pieces from five years ago I was working on a much smaller scale. I have incrementally been trying to get my sculptures bigger in scale – something that working with reusable silicone moulds has allowed me to do. So maybe looking back using silicone moulds to cast in was the turning point.
What is your favorite medium / subject?
My favourite material to use is a base material of fine white casting cement.
Do you have any steps, tools or methods in your creative process that you’ve developed in your practice that feel unique to you?
I grow my own crystals on cement elements to attach to my sculptures. Not sure if I could lay claim to developing crystal growing, but using them in my work is something I enjoy greatly.
How has your work / style changed / evolved since you started?
I’ve just completed my largest sculptures so far, which is huge for me as I used to work on a tiny scale in comparison. I’d like to see if I can go even bigger and maybe make work that can live outdoors.
Vic Wright is a sculptor based in South Manchester.
You can view more of her work on her website: www.vicwrightstudio.co.uk and Instagram: @vic_wright_studio All Images above by Laura Hutchinson.
