An interview with a surreal artist

1) There isn't really a general idea or ideas that I am trying to
convey in my work-if there are ideas there then they are subject to the
viewer's point of looking at my work- whatever they can see there.
There is intensity and a personal 'meness' to my work-it's all about me
which sounds indulgent and narcissistic but as an isolated, inventive
and extremely misplaced frustrated individual in a sea of mediocrity
and normality it has to be about me, because no one else could or would
attempt to reflect me in a creative work. Too complex and looking like
a dark ethereal fairy doesn't help!
I don't consciously push a theme or an idea in a work that's too
regimental and artschoolesque. However I have issues to do with self
representation, worries, eccentricity, isolation, morbid and black
humour, nonsensical couplings ,lonelyness that could not ever be
quashed, a desire to use colour inventively and uniqueness and they way
people treat you. I think these issues are there in my work but it's
not a no.1 priority to get these issues across-the impact and the image
itself matters more.

2) I don't consciously think'I must be ambiguous or dualist'- I don't
like boxes and formulas- a 'recipe' for a Jasmine work doesn't work. If
I conscientiously stuck to a prescriptive function and form for my work
it wouldn't be a me work. Every artwork can have multiple meaning - the
meaning changes from social, political and cultural happenings. Because
I use what I describe as surrealist/satirical/ethereal imagery- I hate
boxes and descriptions and categorizing but I have to do this- I'd
sooner let my work speak for itself. (The other day one of my works
said Hi!) The imagery may be construed as ambiguous though because
maybe I do not usually merely directly represent for example a house.
The house may be flying with wings, have eyes or be cut up and
interjected with a frog's face! There really isn't any conscious
meaning I just basically think it looks eyecatching and is very me. I
am ambiguous myself- people don't really know what to make of my
eclectic complexity and diverse interests with the collages I create
there is an interesting dual media- cut outs and acrylic- I paint add
ons and extensions to magazine pics- so you are never certain what's
cutting and what's painting.

3) My work contains potentially infinate meanings to the viewer and
could be termed as ambiguous/dualist- I'm not consciously trying to
create,reveal or hide anything apart from presenting myself. I suppose
I paint a lot of dark women or feature them as I prefer my own kind of
looks- this could be taken as ambiguous- are these self representations
or representations of an idealised female form? I paint beautiful men
because they don't feature in my life as there aren't any in Merseyside
(mostly white trainers, shaved heads and abusive intolerant vicious
narrow minded berks and grey business men who leer at me)- am I
representing my ideal man or what men should be like in general? I
nearly always paint figures on their own in their own worlds away from
the scourge of human society today- ambiguous because am I trying to
say that I would like that life or that it should be more about the
loner.
I suppose I am trying to present the alternative to the masses and make
them think beyond their desire for normality and straight forward
imagery that is not about the baser forms of human existence
-representations of sex mainly which I find overdone and boring. It
usually doesn't work-people generally don't like my work and say that
they can't cope with it- it's too different- not linear and simple. My
audience is a niche one!

4)I like to keep myself as separated as I can from those who see my
work because I can't stand the funny looks and quick rejection of my
work or them laughing at it vindictively or saying that I am talentless
and can't paint (Salvador Dali was told this!) and need to alter my
style and go to art school to 'learn some ability' or give up. You name
it, from the people mass I 've had everything thrown at me in the name
of jealousy, hatred, and fear of difference. This from artists who copy
watercolours or do scraps of fabric on pieces of sacking! I've got
everything but have nothing at the same time because I'm stuck in a
place that wants me out, people don't like my work and I can't seem to
break into the arts scene big time but I do try!

I have an intense and protective relationship with my work- I care
about it- who sees it, the way it is stored, the way it is exhibited-
it is my baby- It's so me that it feels like I am extending my self
care to the work and looking after myself. I feel exasperated by
audience response and the lack of sophistication, insight and thirst
for the unusual. There is little positive reaction there- when
individuals do praise my work and exhibit/buy it's a relief that
everyone isn't an automaton programmed to normal or die- I become more
animated and expressive and my personality come through more then. I do
switch off with a lot of people as they don't like or understand what I
am presenting, and they are very personal and caustic. The intensity
between me and my work is not a trimuvate with the viewers
unfortunately (or fortunately?)

5)I don't have deliberate influences and I think too much is made of an
artists influences. It's as if originality has all been used up some
time ago and all that's left is pilfering and shaping other artists
ideas. I consider my work to be unique. There isn't anyone in my
estimation who creates work similar to mine as a whole- certain pieces
have semblances to other artists,e.g, Magritte and Beardsley but not a
direct copy of their style. Artists tend to fix on one style of work
and produce endless permutations of the same theme/style- you can tell
all my works are Jasmine's but they each have their own individualism,
type, imagery, technique,etc. and feel. That's what makes me unique. I
am influenced by my own mind largely and how I perceive things and my
emotions.