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Artsy Shark presents the exquisite portfolio of British artist Patrick Bremer. Visit his website for more from this versatile artist.

Right now I’ve just finished working on Satyr and I’m getting ready for an Open House exhibition in Brighton throughout May. Rubens painted Two Satyrs in 1618 and I love the idea of taking these beautiful old paintings and giving them my own twist.

Up until this one and the dead bird collages, my work has been mainly traditional portraiture in oils or collage, often to commission. I am always seeing people around town that I want to draw or paint, and I used to paint a lot of the locals at a pub I worked at a few years ago.

I always loved painting and I grew up in a very artistic family, my father being a painter and art teacher. I also remember being really influenced by  seeing lots of the old Derek Riggs Iron Maiden album covers when I was little, as my sister was seeing a guy who was obsessed with them – the colour and imagery in those was like nothing I’d ever seen before, and has remained a pull to art ever since for me.

After that, my main influences were, and still are figurative painters such as Lucien Freud, Euan Uglow, Francis Bacon and Jenny Saville. It was the way these artists dealt with flesh in their work – Francis Bacon in a very visceral and violent way, whereas Uglow would meticulously measure every part against the other. I wanted my work to be a combination of both – loose and carefree mark-making that leads to happy accidents in the work, but also carefully planned out. I am now aiming to achieve that juxtaposition through collage as well as paint.

I ended up doing collage out of circumstance. I am lucky to have a good studio, but in the winter months it is so cold in there that I wanted to find a way of working at home in the evenings, but without destroying the house with paint. I had a pile of old magazines so I began cutting them up and the first one I finished was of my nephew (George). Since then they have been growing larger and more experimental, getting freer with the knife each time and trying to treat them in my mind as paintings or drawings.

I love the exploration involved with collage work. Some pieces within it are chosen specifically because the image or text relates to the sitter, but others are left to chance. The pictures work on the first level as a portrait, but then you can move closer to explore and read the information within it. This is a new medium for me and I aim to push it as far as I can and see where it takes me. I’ve got some plans for some larger collages in the same vein as the Satyr one, and also want to start combining mediums – painting and collage together.

I also part time work as a secondary school teacher and this has really helped my own practice. Helping the children with their artwork often helps me to come up with new ideas and influences for my own. With art there is never a right or wrong answer, and I think it’s that factor that draws a lot of the children to it too – you never know how a piece will end up when you start it.

Patrick Bremer lives and works in Brighton UK, and has been awarded the De Laszlo Foundation award for his portraiture by The Royal Society of Portrait Painters. He received his BA in painting from Wimbledon School of Art in London.

Artsy Shark presents the work of featured artist Megan Lewis. She is currently a senior at Ringling College of Art and Design studying Illustration. In May she will have graduated with a degree in BFA. Check out her blog for more information about this emerging artist.

What are your goals?

My short-term goal is just to get my work out there and seen. I would love to have my work display at an exhibition. I am regularly in group shows, but to be displayed as a solo artist would be ideal. Becoming my own artist, and having my own voice is important too. My artwork up to this point has been assigned, but after I graduate I will have more time to do my work and hope to really blossom and grow into my own style of art.

What are you working on now?

Well, right now I am working on my senior theses entitled “Good Times” That’s all that I can share with you, but just know that I am very excited and can’t wait for everyone to see it in May.  I am also finishing two other illustrations that were assigned in my advanced media and advanced computer illustration class, both being two of my favorite classes that I have ever taking as a student.  For now, when I do have time I like to do small portrait painting, 12 x 12 sizes.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by everyday moments and experiences, simply ones. The whole world is a giant experience and anything can spark an idea for me. I can say that music is a big part of my creative process; I listen to a lot of R&B soul while I work.

My favorite Artist that I look up to is the late Ernie Barnes. His work displays the same moments that I like to portray. My work can only blossom from this point, and that makes me really excited about my future.  I can’t wait to get out there!

Deana Mattos Diefenbach is Artsy Shark’s newest featured artist. Enjoy her whimsical portfolio, and visit her shop on Etsy to see more of her work.

What are your goals?
I guess when I first started creating, my goal was to fulfill that inner creative desire that runs deep inside of me. It may be gardening, painting, building or fixing something. There is always the call to have the connection between my mind, heart and hands.  As life went on, I had another goal to be able to sell my things – to at least support the creativity. This can be very pricey, especially when I have a love of supplies and buying new things to try out.

As selling started picking up and I felt the gratification of having others love my art, I started to feel a connection with the energy of others having pleasure in what I do.  So now my goal is to be able to share my art with many. I love getting original art to appreciators of all ages and walks of life and also be able to share with them how to create their own art.  I strive for my art to stir emotion and connection.

What are you working on now?

Oh, so many things . . . I am continuing in the fun of discovering reclaimed, recycled items to paint on.  I am always trying to push myself to try new things and and new techniques.  I have been really enjoying painting everyday objects and seeing the beauty around us that we take for granted.  I am also involved with teaching and sharing art with kids at our local schools. This really is a back-to-basics passion builder for me, encouraging kids to keep thinking outside the box and really letting their own creativity bloom and grow. It seems that with all the other studies that passion is stifled, and this is one area where it should be encouraged. It reminds me to let my passion show through again.

What inspires you?

Everything! Life, nature, experience, family, weather, joy, adversity, food . . . Every daily experience and human interaction affects us in some way – what do we do with that, how do we handle it, what is our reaction.  For me the answer to much of that is to paint and create.  It is a release to much that I take in.  I think that is why I am a ever-evolving and changing artist, because my life is as such, always changing, moving and growing.