Meet Felix
-featuring an interview with Paul
-by Maria Owen
A couple of years ago, one of Felix’s large canvases was submitted to the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition call. Felix’s father was proud when the piece made it to the second round, pleased to find his son’s art appreciated. However, he knew that he was alone in this excitement. Whether it’s a wall in his kitchen or a golden frame at the RA, prestige makes no difference to Felix. The art is what matters, and that’s it.
Unlike many of us, Felix is not afraid to begin. He pounces towards the canvas in total engagement, and colours begin to build. In a composition of stripes, smears and dapples, Felix arranges fields of paint into blooming bodies of colour and light. This practice pairs with a meditative focus, compiling and composing marks until he decides it’s time to stop. Felix has worked with Artbox for two years, and with Diana’s support has experimented with and produced a diverse body of work. Through representational line drawings, hundreds of circles and colour blocks, Felix arrived at his present style of layered translucencies and abstracted forms. Looking into his large paintings prompts curious questions, but Felix doesn’t communicate the way most people do. In order to learn more about this dedicated artist’s life, I got in touch with his equally dedicated father, Paul.
Paul describes Felix’s intense interest in observing the world around him, going to cafes and people-watching or gazing out the car window. Colours, especially red and blue, are well-loved. Recently, Felix has been exploring his wide interests with Simon Schama’s The Power of Art (2006) and documentaries about the universe. Artbox is an important part of Felix’s week and a significant catalyst for his creative expression, providing space and mediums with which to experiment. Paul explains with admiration that Felix has no aim. He isn’t clouded by ambition; fame and money mean nothing to him. Felix engages in the art purely for himself. “It’s very interesting to live with someone who doesn’t think something should be anything other than it is,” Paul muses.
There is much to be learned from Felix’s authenticity. Artists everywhere feel pressures of money, fame and prestige, and yet the most profound art seeks approval from no one. Creative expression inevitably suffers from the obstacles of outer forces – fleeting trends, more marketable colour palettes, archaic industry prejudices… the list goes on. Maintaining creative integrity while practicing and developing one’s artwork is no easy feat, but Felix beats the odds. He creates to his own satisfaction, and stops when he chooses. Paul reflects, “Stopping could mean it’s finished… or simply that he’s ready to start a different one.” Felix’s creativity lies in his process and practice. The art is what matters, and that’s it.