piece of my mind: with Rebecca Sammon
don't be surprised if you start seeing a lot more of artist Rebecca Sammon. hers are the exquisite swirling landscapes and mythical creatures slowly trickling onto your feed; future classics in-the-making. find her work exhibited online at Saatchi Art and Blue Shop Cottage as well as her own website. Rebecca sat down with PIECES to talk about painting, Patti Smith and perfect happiness....
what is your current state of mind?
over-caffeinated (a badly timed Berroca boost and two Yorkshire teas within the last hour).
if you could own any piece of art, which would it be?
I would love a Vanessa Bell painting...in fact, can I say Charleston House with the painted walls? is that cheating? it would be impossible to separate the art from the the house, so I think it's best that I just take the whole house! alternatively, I would go for Le Jardin by Pierre Bonnard, his landscapes really have a powerful emotional effect on me. the way he used colour is something I would never tire of looking at.
in another life you would have been...
a dog groomer. at school that was one of the routes my career advisor thought I should consider. something to do with loving animals and being creative. I have to agree that, to a certain extent, shaping poodles' fur into clouds would be a solid alternative career.
who is your real life hero?
I have a huge amount of respect for artist Rose Wylie. the fact she is in her late seventies and has only in recent years started to receive recognition for her work is greatly inspiring. she just stayed true to her vision and kept on painting.
who is on your lockdown playlist?
I need to find a certain headspace to make work and music really helps with this. I find Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez always work. overall, I tend to be pretty obsessive about music and will listen to a single song hundreds of times before I am bored of it. I have One of These Days by Bedouine on my repeat playlist at the moment.
which piece from your home would you save in a fire?
I have a black and white photograph I ripped out of Patti Smith’s book, Just Kids. the picture is of Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe when they were a young couple making art and poetry in New York. Patti signed the picture for me after a show and I have always treasured it.
what have you learned about yourself during these last few months?
that I didn't realise quite how much I enjoyed sharing food with friends and sitting in pub gardens.
what is your most used emoji?
what is your motto?
don’t think twice, it’s alright.
what is your idea of perfect happiness?
a day spent painting when everything goes exactly as you intended. or, accidentally works out better than you had planned.
