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Stuart Bush, Hopes and Fears

When I decided I wanted to be a painter

When I decided I wanted to be a painter As a young man, life at times felt so hard and unfair. I had all these feelings of angst and alienation, and I realised they felt heightened when I walked around London.  In the city, I was drawn to the extreme differences between abundance and scarcity.  All the beautiful and contentious moments from the streets, the architecture and the mad rush of daily life swept through me with amazing speed.   I asked myself, why are these feeling of anguish heightened in the city? I wasn’t sure, but I thought there had to be a higher purpose and reason for all this. … Read More »When I decided I wanted to be a painter

Stuart Bush Studio Blog, Artist parent

Artist Parent

The life of an artist/parent I drifted through life as a young man, socialising, travelling and not saving a penny, I use to reflect on this period when I was a single childless twenty-something, as a time when I squandered a lot of my time and energy. At 27, it all started to change. I wanted to take my art practice seriously, so I returned to university, and shortly after I started a family. Once I had responsibility in the world, I had a strong drive to start painting again. However, I had a challenging time, applying my abilities, attention and resources to understand my new parent and artist priorities… Read More »Artist Parent

Stuart Bush Longing for change

I am longing for change

I am longing for change I keep thinking that before World War Two, and the rise of commercialism and mass communication, keeping people’s attention must have been easy. When it came to looking at art back then, everyone’s eyes must have been used to following the lines around a traditional representation painting.  However, since the Covid-19 pandemic, I now wonder how the world is going to look. Will it be the same again? I feel like this is a rare moment in our lives. I am sure I will always look back at and remember it. As the world shrinks and cuts back there is an opportunity in this chaos… Read More »I am longing for change

Jealously of other artist's work, Stuart Bush Studio Notes

Jealous of other artist’s work

Jealous of other artist’s work When I left art school at twenty-two years old, I thought life wasn’t fair. How come I hadn’t learnt anything about running a business and promoting myself as a professional artist?  I foolishly expected the art establishments gatekeeper to turn up to my degree show.  All I wanted to do was to see a way forward to continue doing what I love. I expected to have been given a solution to the myth of being a starving artist. I feel like I was very naive but instead, I was really jealous of other artist’s work.   But for some reason, l always felt that even… Read More »Jealous of other artist’s work

Stuart Bush Studio Notes, Just a feeling and not the truth

Making life visible

Have you ever noticed we arrive at our destination, without realising how we got there? Without realising we tune out of surroundings. All that we notice is what is vital to get us to our destination. We miss so much, we are so wrapped up with what is going on in our heads. I started to take great pleasure in noticing and drawing attention to what I feel is being ignored. My intention is to make you feel a connection. Like you’re truly learning to see. Making life visible.   Visit: StuartBushStudio.com

Stuart Bush, Laura Owens

Laura Owens shows what is possible

Inspiring Laura Owens shows what is possible As I walk around my surrounding looking around l notice so many things, like what other artist have done before me.  It reminds me that it is common for a lot of art students when they are starting out, to feel like they are stumbling about in a dark wood. With so many options to make work about, they often have no clear idea which way is forward.   Part of the trouble of being an artist is, after you have some inspiring art, it isn’t that hard to make art that looks good. However, the next problem that often arises is that… Read More »Laura Owens shows what is possible

Stuart bush studio, atomic habits, book review

Atomic Habit – book review

Atomic habits, an easy and proven way to build good habits and break bad ones by James Clear – Book review Writing an artist statement or a blog post can feel daunting for a painter.  However, I realised several years ago that not much is going to change if I don’t communicate my story. The solution to my procrastination was breaking free of limiting beliefs, broaden my abilities and work towards the identity I want.  This is clearly explained in James Clear’s stimulating book, ‘Atomic Habits.’ James Clear discusses in his book that to become the best version of yourself and become the person who you believe you are capable… Read More »Atomic Habit – book review

Stuart Bush Studio Notes, play his base desires

Why I paint?

Why I paint? When I think about why I paint, l find it difficult to put it into words. The answer is complicated and complex. I know that as a painter l learn something new every day. I stand in front of the blank canvas, not knowing what is going to happen or how will the work develop?   When I am painting, I feel like I am doing what I am here to do. It is easy to assume I already know how to do it; however, everyday painting teaches me that I have so much more to learn. I feel exhilarated when things go right. However, the other… Read More »Why I paint?

Stuart Bush Studio notes, Wilhelm Sasnal

The inspirational work of Wilhelm Sasnal

The inspirational work of Wilhelm Sasnal In 2005 at the Saatchi gallery, in the County Hall on London’s Southbank l saw Wilhelm Sasnal’s paintings for the first time in ‘The Triumph of Painting’ exhibition. I remember thinking how they hung in the air, waiting, in the moment, as all good paintings do. Their simplicity and subject matter at first gave little away. The swift beautiful and understated paintings appear to made quickly; prompting me to reflect how a poet laureate finds the right words without a hint of deliberation. Up to this point, I had clearly and naively mistaken time applying paint as a significant factor in a successful artwork.… Read More »The inspirational work of Wilhelm Sasnal

Damien Hirst a thousand years

Life, death and a thousand years

Life, death, art and a thousand years When I stepped forward to observed the flies buzzing around a rotting cow’s head in a rectangle glass vitrine, at the Gagosian Gallery in London in 2006, I clearly remember feeling blown away.  However, when I looked closely at Damien Hirst’s artwork, ‘A Thousand Years’ expecting to see the flies freely feeding off the decomposing flesh and maggots coming out of the eggs in the carcass, it didn’t take long to notice that the flies where suffocatingly trapped in the glass box. They were imprisoned.   Watching those flies has always stood out as a remarkable experience as I quickly realised that it… Read More »Life, death and a thousand years