Dana Finch’s work is inspired by the shapes and patterns of the natural world, particularly the robust forms of desert plants, the landscapes of hot places and the raw, elemental surroundings of Cornwall. Having travelled extensively in Spain as a child she is revisiting these dramatic and wondrous landscapes in her current body of work. You can find Dana's wonderful work here. 

This week, we caught up with Dana to discuss the story behind her works, where she finds inspiration and what advice she would give to someone looking to invest in a piece of art. 

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

I drive to my studio at Trewidden, just outside Newlyn, make coffee and contemplate the paintings underway. I always work on several paintings at once, so I’m constantly rotating them, as I like to work on the easel, rather than with them hanging directly on the wall. I also like to have different sized paintings on the go so I can try out ideas on small panels, but also for the variety to keep things fresh. I usually work on canvas but panel allows me to be more robust when it comes to sanding off layers, or scraping into the surface. I sometimes work on paper too which gives the work a different quality. If it’s nice weather I’ll walk through the lovely gardens here, sometimes with a sketchbook, but often just wandering and looking. It’s important to get a balance between painting in the studio and being outside, walking, watching, drawing and thinking. My work is based in the natural world, so I need to remember my connection to it, and being in Cornwall provides many opportunities for all kinds of landscapes, from the wild coast to the sub-tropical gardens where I can get my fix of desert plants. I usually pack up between 4-5pm, and head home in the winter or in the summer to a local beach for an afternoon dip.

TELL US ABOUT THE STORY BEHIND YOUR ART?

I have always expressed myself visually so from a very young age I was making images about the things around me, the things I remembered and that left an impression. I grew up in the countryside and spent a lot of time roaming through the woods. We had a wooded valley and a waterfall at the bottom of the garden, which was magical. I had a lot of freedom and lost myself in imagination. Memory is important in my work - it might be just a remembered glimpse of a landscape that caught my eye as I wandered through it, and that glimpse might stay with me more intensely than something I’ve studied and observed for hours, drawing. It might be something I saw many years ago, and brings back the spirit of a place or a time, erasing the years in between. My father was a landscape architect so we spent a lot of time visiting amazing gardens. He taught me to notice the detail, the planting and the forms, and how that could create an emotional response.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?

I love the freedom and the feeling of exploration, and using luscious materials and colour to delve into the core of what I’m trying to say. It’s pure joy.

WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR CREATIVITY - IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DO TO GET IN THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND TO PAINT?

I’m almost always in the right mood to paint but if I’m ever feeling a bit stuck a walk by the sea or through the gardens at Trewidden usually clears my mind and renews my spirits. I also look at paintings by other artists, sometimes online or in books, but living in Cornwall I am lucky to have a lot of galleries on hand to see the real thing. It’s such a vibrant art scene and there are a lot of young painters in the area as well as the more established ones, which I find very exciting.

WE KNOW YOUR WORK IS INSPIRED BY YOUR TIME SPENT IN SPAIN - WHERE ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO VISIT THERE?

The Alhambra in Granada has got to be top of the list. I first visited it when I was a child, which made a huge impression on me, both visually and in terms of a sense of history. The gardens at the Alcázar in Seville are almost as beautiful. I love the structure and visual harmony the Moors created in these places, the use of light and shade, and water; fountains are both a visual and contemplative delight and often appear in my work. I also love the desert region of Almeria, and have long been obsessed with desert plants and the stark colours and shapes of arid terrain.

WHICH ARTISTS DO YOU ADMIRE AND TAKE INSPIRATION FROM?

There are so many, from Matisse, Klee and Bonnard, to the British Modernists, and more recently to contemporary Australian painters such as Elizabeth Cummings and Idris Murphy. I love artists that use pattern and texture, there’s something magnetic about it, that draws me in. But I appreciate all kinds of painting, as well as other art forms. I’m very open minded to all forms of visual expression. I think I chose painting because it’s the most immediate, and suits my restless character.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?

I completed the Camino Portuguese last September, walking from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, with a friend. It will take me a few months to process all the imagery and memories from that experience but I’ve started to make some paintings which will become a body of work this year.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS LOOKING TO INVEST IN A PIECE OF ARTWORK?

A piece of original art changes a room in a way that a reproduction won’t. It adds something that almost vibrates, that has soul. I’d always say buy something that speaks to you, that you can’t resist looking at because you keep seeing something new in it. As you add to a collection the different pieces can work together and enhance each other, so don’t be afraid to move things around to accommodate a new artwork.

AS AN INTERIORS BRAND, WE’D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR OWN PERSONAL INTERIORS STYLE. CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR HOME IN A FEW WORDS?

I’m hoping it’s a cross between a caravanserai and an art gallery but as it’s a small Cornish terrace it tends to get a bit cluttered with things waiting to be taken up to my studio or to the framer! But it’s full of natural fibres, wood and granite, and covered in artworks, most of which are by other artists.

WHAT MAKES A HOUSE A HOME FOR YOU?

Lots of art on the walls, lots of books, peace and quiet, space for friends and family.

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE BIRDIE FORTESCUE PICKS?

It’s hard to limit it to just three, but I love the Bobbin candlesticks for their strong form, the cabbage leaf dinnerware, especially in rose, and the Suzani throws are amazing. I love the rich colours and texture.