Terry Chipp - Featured Artist
I had the privilege of conducting my first artist interview with the incredible Terry Chipp at his art studio, Chippko Studio in Doncaster on Tuesday 2nd, November 2021. It was lovely to conduct this interview inside the artist's studio and truly get a feel for the environment and mindset they are in whilst creating such beautiful works of art. With this I began my interview.
Q. How did your career as an artist begin?
A. Terry's career in art began around age 17, having been as he describes; a man with hardly any natural talent for art besides his burning passion, Terry was unsure of his place in the art world and was thankfully encouraged by his art teacher to submit his work for an exhibition in which he made his first of a painting. This got the ball rolling for Terry who has gratefully been able to exhibit at least one work of art every year at various exhibitions.
Q. What medium do you use for your artwork?
A. As Terry said he most recently has been using acrylics for around the past 20 years though he prefers to go through phases of altering his artwork. Before he began using acrylics, he used watercolours for 20 years or so before making the change to acrylics. He explained that he doesn't like feeling limited within his work and likes to change mediums and techniques to try new things and allow the creativity to flow. In line with this Terry has decided to start moving more into oil-based artwork, especially now he has retired from teaching to allow greater focus and time spent towards creating his works.
Q. Did you acquire any formal training before your career began?
A. After finishing school he enrolled in Doncaster College to complete a Foundation Level course before then heading to Bede College, Durham University to complete a Teacher's Training Course specialising in Art and Design. There followed 30 years of teaching in primary, middle, and secondary schools including 6 years in an advisory role, training other teachers to teach art. During the advisory work he completed a Masters’ Degree in Art and Design Education. Terry joked that in regard to training within art he did it a little backwards compared to other artists as many other art teachers had already completed their degree's before entering the field of teaching whereas Terry had already been teaching not only students but other teachers the tips and tricks of the trade before taking his own training further. After leaving full time teaching Terry re-enrolled in Doncaster Art College, achieving a First-Class Honours Degree in Fine Art.
Q. What struggles have you faced throughout your career?
A. Terry states how he has been incredibly fortunate regarding being in the right place at the right time or around the right people who have been able to further his career. For example, after he finished his Fine Arts Degree in 2006 the following year (2007) he set up his art website (www.terrychippart.com) to further market himself and his work and was contacted by a group of American artists who had been searching for artists from the English twinned town of their hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina. They invited Terry to join an artists' colony called "No Boundaries International" colony on Bald Head Island for international artists. The opportunity to spend almost 3 weeks working alongside 20 professional artists from 12 countries worldwide opened a new chapter in Chipp’s art career. This first invitation led to other invitations from art colonies all over the world including Spain, North Macedonia and Montenegro.
Q. What is your most memorable exhibition you have done?
A. Upon chuckling Terry said he was unsure he could pick a favourite so selected a few. He was particularly impressed about his 'Time Shadows' Solo Exhibition in Warsaw, Poland (2018) and the ' Welcome to Gera' Exhibition in Gera, Germany featuring Terry alongside two other artists (2018). He also mentioned how grateful he had been to receive a Commendation for Drawing for his work selected for the '5th International Bienalle of the Nude' in Petrovac, Montenegro.
Q. What is next for you and your art career?
A. Terry stated that he wishes to paint more like he draws, with more fluidity to the lines within the work rather then the precise detail he has come to be known by. As he mentioned earlier, he does not want to feel limited within his work and aims to paint more for himself to test out his own skills and see where the creativity takes him.
And with this we concluded the interview, I for one am very excited to see what the future holds for Terry Chipp and his art and cannot wait to see what fantastically, beautiful work he produces next.