Random questions with NONXVI, an artist and Jill of all trades.

A few weeks ago, decide to put ink to this little idea, perhaps I should say "a keyboard" featuring artists who have something to say, deep clever artistic maniacs who bright our days with strokes of mass creation.

Non began as a printmaker and painter, an immersive creator, interior decorator; she also trained in metal work and blacksmithing. Moving into general illustration, and developing a style in children’s illustration, Non sidestepped to stencils, mentored by the large and endless repertoire of UK brilliant artists. We must remember cities like Bristol, considered a mecca of streetart.

Catch the Moon by NONXVI

What follows is our direct interaction, random questions and a good smile.

What's your name? Non

Or how you want to be known as? Non, Nonxvi is my art name.

What is your favorite medium?

depends....charcoal, messy...I love it. Spray paint, I like the versatility and immediacy. Oil paints, a faff to get out but beautiful to paint with. 

I have oil paints from when I was in Camberwell school of art, which are over 60 years old and still beautiful fantastic colors and pigments. 

Watercolors, I was once told by an art tutor that I couldn't use watercolors, I can, and do, and love them. I use Cotman by Windsor and Newton. 

I have drawn with sticks dipped in mud... this is a tough question, because I can, and will, use anything. my commonest medium is a popup pencil. Sharp tip, eraser at the other end, and they are cheap. In short, whatever is to hand, when I need to create...

You started as a printmaker and painter, have you nibbled back into printmaking or would you?

Stencils are prints. A stencil is a type of serigraph. Serigraphy is in two forms, negative and positive. The skill is seeing something, then converting it to the negative and positive in your mind, so you can break down an image. Then to do that on a wall or canvas in a series of layers. I love this part of the puzzle. In simple terms, layers are cut, sprayed, and built up to a final image. 

You can start with a drawing, a painting or a photograph even, then draw each tone separately, cut the sheet then build up the image. Another way is to paint within a basic stencil, and then add on top... deciding which, is for the individual artist, and individual work. I think its important to develop three processes, drawing, cutting and painting, I'm still learning, I think and see in different ways on different days. I will be making more new stuff, but will talk about that later on. 

I know music is a major influence in your life and artwork, visually speaking who are your biggest influences?

Art influences... oh my! 

LS Lowry. The basis of every artist has to be drawing, its the first thing we do, grip a crayon in a clenched fist and draw. Some sit at the table, some draw on walls. Lowry, made live stories in half a dozen pencil marks. and when he couldn't afford pencils he used coal. I admire his quiet observation of life. He is one of the few working class artists, that has received accolade. 

Warhol. another working class hero who changed art, created his own branding and defeated the Gallery system. His understanding of advertising and marketing allowed art for  the masses. A lot of my early works, rave and gig posters, that sort of thing were produced on Xerox with no more than reduce/enlarge/tone and a packet of colored paper and scissors. 

Hambleton, His drawings have definitely given me courage to pursue messy silhouettes.

Jamie Reid. his artwork was everywhere in my youth. along with Peter Kennard. i had their work on my walls, and in later years Robert 3D del Naja, his work is ground breaking and he deserves more acclaim. 

Banksy. I love his street art, but his drawings, those little sketches, show how important observation and the ability to record a tilt of the head, a yawn, a doze in the airport. his really early running figures in the riots of St Paul's, are fantastic, and worthy of a place in the national collection. His immersive art is also thought provoking, and he creates an atmosphere that changes your mood, makes you look, makes you remember.

"Cut and Run, banned phones, and cameras". So to remember, you really had to look. and look again....and closer. 

Illustrators, EH Shepard, Enid Blyton, Mabel Lucie Atwell, Beatrice Potter, Dore, Beardsley, Dran and  Hera.

I read you listen to music while painting and your paintings are titled after each song, so far what's your favorite artwork created? What's your favorite song?

Of my own work? that's so tough hahaha! I don't know if this makes sense. but I don't think I've painted it yet. there is a painting of a person dancing, and its called Salva Mea. the colors are dawn light, I used from a video a mate had filmed. the figure just evolved from the paint really. I remember every brushmark, and I love the soft blues and mauves. Salva Mea is by Faithless and is a chilling down song with movement.

My Favorite Song... ooh big question; it depends on what I'm working on.

It's a Fine Day by Opus iii, and most of the rep really, I love Kirsty's voice and the laid back style.

N-Trance 'Only love can set you free! many of my brightest and danciest works were drawn and painted to this. It's the one i get up and dance to, loosen up and get ready for work.

FatBoySlim, darling Norman Cook, he's written and produced some of the greatest anthems in the past 35 years, and some of my best work is attributable to his music.

Underworld Born Slippy, challenges me... but 4 of my loveliest works are directly attributed to this.

Pink Floyd, Division Bell is the album I cut stencils to, along with KLF Chill Down Dawn, and anything by Enigma. 

Massive attack, if I'm painting, drawing urban type stuff like planning stencils or doodling. 

I know you have used different acronyms or names as an artist, I assume they all have something different to say, what makes them different from each other?

Lots of us do that. Nonxvi is my usual one, Vibe is the dance stuff, and I used it for my solo exhibition because of rules around mileage between exhibitions. It also separated my fine art from the rave stuff, but actually they are now blended, so its more of a stage name. Live appearances at raves, that sort of thing. The other name, is under and NDA. basically I could get in trouble for some of the stuff. I've had to turn down press calls and tv interviews because I really don't want it generally known. Besides it's nice to be able to be hidden. The work as that alt is far more important than the person behind it. 

You have a distinct style of work, that is recognizable, how long it took you to get here?

Everyone says this. I don't see it. But, my first exposure to art was posters around London, and then drawing on my own clothes. I belong to an era of living art, and artists being creative people. I was 14 when I started going out, and really expressing myself by the way I looked.  Art was something I did in school, and consisted of brown pumpkins and wine bottles. Whereas I've always loved movement, lighting, faces and contrast. When I started exhibiting in pubs aged about 16 / 17 it was my photography that was on the walls. My first painting sale was a child soldier in the Artist for the Future on the South Bank in London. I was 18. Thinking about it, I suppose that child's face is very similar to the faces of children I do now. A few weeks after that exhibition, I went to New York, and walked through the streets of Harlem and the Bronx...and a whole new world unfolded. 

I kept up art, learning processes, dress making, design, pattern cutting, silversmithing, screen-printing, charcoal making, metal work, welding, blacksmithing, painting, pencil drawing etc. I even studied a lot of art history. Nothing is ever wasted. 

What is your favorite paint color? pink

As an artist, what is next in your pipeline, anything exciting? Always. I am currently working on a series of Illustrations for a book of poetry. And I've got ideas running in my head for something completely different than you have seen before. I have Live Painting at Weston Super Mare this July, pared down, but very much me. 

I'm surprised there’s not much information about your mural work, stencil, or street art, are the fumes finally getting to you?

haha... I've been taking time out recently. 

My last big murals were in Leistival September of 24. Last summer I clocked up,

Weston, Westival, sets and live painting.

Portsmouth, Leicester, Cheltenham, RIVINGTON STREET! next to the Banksy, opposite Jef Aerosol, LEAKE STREET! STOKES CROFT, Bristol... twice...!!!

also had lots of charity auctions on, they take time.  

Have a look at my instagram

And of course a fair few of my street stuff is under NDA, so you won't find them or be able to tell... 

Pembrokeshire is perhaps one of the most beautiful counties in Wales, the tranquility must be overwhelming but also a relief from the London buzz….

yes. there is point on the journey home, just out of Swansea, and around Carmarthen Bay, that my sense of calm returns. However I love the buzz of London, Bristol, Brighton and everywhere I travel to.

There is a good amount of art galleries in Pembrokeshire, how is the art scene? 

Breakout Gallery is my gallery, they represent me here. they have nurtured me, pushed me and opened up the local art scene in general. Thanks to Breakout, I had my first solo exhibition, and have exhibited around the town and county. 

The philosophy is taking art out of galleries, and bringing it to festivals, and street exhibitions. Its public art. They are self funded, but that gives us all freedom that public funding wouldn't. As a gallery we also do music and performance art, that is artist painting, while people watch and we also do public participation art. 

Pembrokeshire is famous for art, like Cornwall. but mostly seascapes, there are three coastlines, and landscapes, we have mountains too. 

There are diverse arts, stone work, metal work, and an artist who makes beautiful beach art. 

I think we are potentially approaching a new global recession and art is a luxury to many, as an artist do you have any collaboration ideas or projects that will benefit the community?

In the UK, and in Wales, thankfully we have a socialist government, so public funding is becoming available again for community art jobs. Nobody should be expected to work for free. Collaborations, possibly exhibitions, maybe. 

Is art a luxury? I suppose there is a point where bills, food, living, takes precedence, but art sold well in the 2000s, and I think maybe we should look at values, over value. I certainly feel that the art world has eaten itself to some extent, and is too reliant on safe instead of new, however fashion is also going through a dull patch. We need a new punk. 

Finally, tell me a catchy phrase! 

There are no rules. 

FIN