**[Lee Ellis](https://www.cohart.com/leeellis/profile)** is a British multi-media artist based in Bristol. His insatiable desire to create leads him to embrace different artistic mediums, from printmaking to drawing and painting. His bold and expressive style is characterised by the unusual juxtaposition of bright colours and dark subjects.

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##### Can you walk us through your creative process? Which materials and techniques have become integral to your work?

My process is rooted in experimentation and play. If I don’t have that, the act of creation would feel forced; I’d probably create the worst work, too. I try to have fun with whatever I am creating, from using different mediums or finding objects scattered around the studio that I can paint with, and move the paint across the surface I put it on. I think creating is a self-indulgent thing that I do for myself. If anyone likes it, that’s a bonus. 

I write down or sketch ideas and thoughts continuously, keeping notes on my phones if I don’t have one of my many sketchbooks handy. I keep a log of all ideas so I can constantly have something to look at for reference or inspiration. 

In terms of materials… I adore working with charcoal and more recently I’ve gotten back into the habit of using oil paints. Spray paint has been a staple ingredient for years and I can't imagine not using it. 

##### What emotions or responses do you hope viewers experience when engaging with your art?

I personally think it’s up to the viewer to take what they want from my work. They can interpret it in as many different ways as they choose. I’m in no position to tell someone what to see and how it should make them feel. As long as they feel something, I‘m happy. I purposefully give my paintings titles that allude to nothing - it means I don’t direct the viewer down a certain route. I also get to play around with language and highlight my peculiar sense of humour. 

##### How do you approach starting a new piece of artwork? Is there a particular routine or mindset that helps you begin?

Where to begin? It all starts with a sketch or scribble. A line, it starts with a line (that sounds arty and ‘quotable’). Every idea and every experiment. No matter what medium I want to use, be it charcoal, spray paint, or oil paints, I sketch out using whatever I have on hand. Sketching and looking around me for inspiration is a key part of starting new work. Some pieces, especially spray painted portraits, are created in one sitting with no plan at all. They are a sketch that evolves. Other times when I’m using oils I will sketch and plan before starting. It’s a bit mad to think the medium determines the level of planning I do. 

##### How do you handle moments of doubt or insecurity about your work?

I take a step back. Remove myself from the situation and take a breather. I used to try to ride it out in the studio, but it only makes it worse. I like to try something new, or read a book, or hang out with my kids, and get back to the painting when those feelings have passed. 

##### Do you envision your artistic journey evolving in the coming years?

Absolutely. I would be concerned if it didn’t evolve. The work would become stale and dull if it didn’t. How I see it evolving is a different story altogether. I haven’t figured that out yet. I have a feeling I will look back in 20 years time and only then notice how it evolved. 

##### What lets you know a piece is complete? Is it an instinct, a feeling, or something else?

It’s a feeling. I just know. Sometimes I ignore that feeling when I want to see how far I can push things. Inevitably I end up destroying the piece when this happens. I’ve found that I have to turn the work over for a few weeks before revisiting to check if it’s finished. This has saved so many pieces. 

##### Does being part of an artistic community impact your work or connection to the art world?

I would say it has a mostly positive influence on my work. I’m able to learn from other artists and I like to think they can do the same from me. Seeing so many talented creatives around me offers a plethora of techniques and insights that are super valuable to the creative process. There is one thing I will say and that is, it’s super easy to fall into a trap of comparing yourself to others, especially when you see everyone's best work on social media. If I’m having a bad day it can be far too easy to start comparing work. They do say “comparison is the thief of joy” and I truly believe it.   

##### Have any social expectations or family influences shaped or challenged your identity as an artist?

Nothing obvious comes to mind here, however… I worked in the design industry for years and there are elements of that world that have had an influence on my practice for sure. When I first began painting, it was just after graduating from a design degree. I had a bit of time on my hands between jobs, and I filled it with painting. 

I started because I knew, as a designer, I would need to work on someone else's brief and have to water down my ideas or compromise to suit each brief or client. I wanted something outside of this that was free and allowed me to experiment creatively. 

The issue was I dedicated a lot of time to it and created a ton of work. I needed to find homes for as much of the work as possible, so I took everything I had and strolled down to the harbourside in Bristol. I sat there in the freezing cold and sold a fair few pieces to passersby over the span of a year. These moments all influenced how I would work and how I would approach my art moving forward. 

##### What’s the most unconventional material or technique you’ve experimented with in your art?

I don’t think there is such a thing as unconventional any more. Everyone has tried virtually everything. I enjoy painting with objects that shouldn't be painted with, for example, hand tools and scrap materials. Something that can create texture and move paint around in unexpected ways. 

##### If you could change one aspect of the art world to better support artists, what would it be, and why?

That’s a tough question to answer. I honestly don’t know where to begin. There are so many hurdles for artists to progress within what can be seen as a ‘cliquey’ world—from gallery acceptance to willingness to take risks to shady figures. SO, to keep it simple: I would reduce the cost of art supplies. In an ideal world, of course: Quality materials that cost less. Every time I go shopping for supplies my bank balance screams at me.

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Lee Ellis, a British multi-media artist from Bristol, embraces the unexpected with bold, expressive works that blend bright colors and dark themes.

Spotlight: Lee Ellis on Embracing the Unexpected in Artistic Mediums

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