Programme 4: Victoria Morton – Using personal belongings to produce abstract paintings

Programme Outline

The Artist
Vikki Morton cycles every day to her studio at the Pentagon Centre, which is situated beside the busy M8 motorway in Glasgow. On her journey she passes Anderson Primary School and the Kingston Bridge on the banks of the river Clyde. This environment has a major effect on her work. She is constantly collecting important reference material and photographing her surroundings.

Vikki always wanted to be an artist. According to her mum, she was artistic as a child growing up in Glasgow. After two years out of college, Vikki made the conscious decision to make a career out of art. From this point, Vikki felt comfortable calling herself an artist.

Vikki tells a story through painting using design, style, colour and optical effects. Using this combination in a single painting, Vikki can make you think about history, comment on the present or have ideas about the future. Her work is created through a process of accumulation. Each painting is built in layers, with one painting taking up to a year to complete. She starts by looking at reference material such as a particular hairstyle from a magazine and she may be inspired by the colour or the way it lies. One of her works began from a pillowcase and then developed into being about dreams. This becomes an abstract starting point onto which she expresses feelings, and depending on her mood, develops a light hearted or dark theme.

Vikki’s paintings are products of her personal culture and they involve a fascination about the different ways we experience music and how it can alter our mood. Vikki creates art as an outlet for her feelings; she also includes elements of emotion, dreams and experiences from personal relationships in her work.

Vikki makes a living from selling her paintings. In the future, Vikki sees herself taking more risks with her work. She also intends to incorporate music in some way. Her next project is moving in this direction.

Project
Vikki undertakes a project with Anderson Primary School in Glasgow. The children were asked to bring in objects that say something about who they are and what they like doing; for example – items that make them happy, a favourite item of clothing, or perhaps images from a magazine. This activity culminates with each child making a set of drawings and collage pieces that builds up to a large painting.

Vikki helps the children assess the items that they have brought in, deciding exactly what it is that they like about them. It may be the colour of Britney Spears’ hair or the yellow buttons on their jacket. If these were the things they liked, then the children would then add yellow to their painting.