SPRING FLING 2012 PARTICIPANT
Fine art and landscape artist Phil McMemeny relocated to Galloway 10 years ago after a career as a Child Mental Health Nurse and has been capturing the beauty of Galloway since then. He opened his own gallery ‘Gallery at Laurieston’ in 2008 and has been participating in Spring Fling since 2009. Having exhibited in and outwith the region, Phil won the Scottish Nature Photography Award in 2010. Phil’s work is available for purchase from the Spring Fling shop.
SF: What do you make?
I make images. Some of these are brief moments of chance and some are painstakingly considered and planned – I enjoy both.
SF: Where do you make?
Galloway – I love her.
SF: Why do you make where you do& How long have you worked here?
I guess in a way the wind blew us here but less prosaically Louise got a job here. We’ve lived here since 2004 which is when I started taking photographs and the Gallery at Laurieston has been open since 2008
SF: What inspires you?
Galloway, it really does. I always worry that folk will think a bit kitsch & fluffy to mention moods, seasons, vagaries, rhythms and other ways of describing this region but for me it’s really true and for real!
SF: Where do you go for a break from the hard work as an artist?
Hmmmm, I think I sometimes view my work as a break from my life as father and house-husband! I am a very lucky man as I view an evening out with my camera as a brief, exciting holiday – I always end up filthy so end up with lots of washing to be done just like at the end of a ‘proper’ holiday!
SF: What is on the horizon for you locally?
Continuing to capture Galloway and do her justice. And to continue to work hard to raise my profile and presence.
SF: What is on the horizon for you nationally / internationally?
I really don’t know. I have enough to consider locally at present but would one day hope and love to take my work to a wider audience. I’m also hopeful that my friend Hannah McAndrew continues to ‘burn it up’ in Japan – as I think our StillMovement exhibition and work would go down well over there and I’ve always fancied myself in a kimono!!
SF: What advice would you give to an up-and-coming artist?
Follow your heart but listen (sometimes) to your head! Although I’m unsure why they would ever listen to me.
SF: What’s currently playing on your studio ipod / cd player / tape deck / record player?
I love music. So it’s a mixture of: 6Music, Grandaddy, Sigur Ros, SFA, Guided By Voices, Nick Cave, John Foxx and Arcade Fire amongst others for me presently
SF: Tell us something not many people know about you
I once spent time working in a small squid processing factory in Crete – with a crazy Dane called Ola! It made me the man I am today!
