Nov 22

Nov 22 Ask an Artist: Interview with Estelle Lovatt FRSA, Art Critic

Season 6, Episode 20: Interview with Estelle Lovatt FRSA, Art Critic

In this episode Peter and Tom interview art critic, Estelle Lovatt FRSA. Estelle has the experience of being on both sides of the canvas; having trained as a painter, read art history and worked as a gallery exhibition curator. Estelle works as a freelance art critic for the BBC (radio and TV), as well as for various independent radio stations throughout Great Britain. She writes for numerous magazines and newspapers and lectures at the Hampstead School of Art, in London. She also runs her own walking tours and masterclasses.

In this fascinating episode, Estelle talks knowledgeably and passionately about the art world of the past and the present, and the role of the art critic today. In the first part of the episode, Estelle talks about how she got into the art world and how her strong training in art and art history, provided her with an excellent foundation when she began to write about art. She talks about her role as being that of an educator; encouraging audiences to open their eyes, learn how to “read” the visual language of art, learn about the historical and societal context in which it was created, therefore understanding it better and ultimately enjoying it more. This episode is peppered with fantastic nuggets of advice and information, both for artists and viewers of art.

In the second part of the episode, Estelle talks about the power and responsibility of a critic, particularly in reference to an Artist’s career; the responsibility to provide honest feedback, encouraging Artists not to work alone and to be open to constructive criticism in order that they can grow and develop their practice. She discusses how the art world has and continues to change, with the advancement of technology and thus how the role of the critic has changed also; she talks about the critic being similar to that of a mentor, encouraging artists to tell their own story.

Estelle runs a masterclass called “How to Artist” - learning from artists throughout history, from their daily routines and their practices; how an artist deals with the everyday. She also leads walking tours; “Walk Constable’s Hampstead”, a guided tour around Hampstead, the area where Constable painted his famous painting, The Hay Wain. All the details can be found on her website: estellelovatt.com

This week’s takeaway… Estelle concludes with some advice for anyone entering a gallery and viewing art. We are so used to instantly understanding information, in the way we are presented with imagery today. Art can be a tonic to this way of consuming. Spend some time with a painting, really look at it. Ask questions, slow down, learn the language of art and how to read it. Stop and really look; there’s a world of art out there to discover!

To find out more about Estelle, visit her website: https://estellelovatt.com/