An Interview with Lauren Archer

This is an interview with Lauren Archer, who won the Lynn Painter-Stainer Young Artist Award (£2,500) at the awards ceremony at Painters Hall on Monday night.

The Chase by Lauren Archer

What's your background and art education to date? 

I am a 21 year old student from Staffordshire studying in my final year of a BA Honours at Loughborough University in Fine Art

Tell me about your artwork. What's it about and how does it evolve?

In ‘The chase’ I aim to evoke the emotion’s one would have when being hunted by something or on the contrary the sensations you would experience when actually pursuing something with the intent to kill.

As a painter, photography is a part of my process.  The imagery has come from my own documentation of a local drag hunt which gave me an insider’s view to the thrill of a chase. The movement of the paint adds to a sense of unease.

Being an experienced rider, artworks such as Maurizio Cattelan's piece of a life size stuffed horse have influenced my work greatly, along with Hollywood blockbuster films such as ‘The hunted’. These simulate in the extreme, the basic instincts experienced when caught up in a situation where something or someone’s life is at risk. As a consequence my paintings attempt to question notions of beauty and what is natural.

Do you enter a lot of art competitions? Why did you enter LPS?

I was told to enter this competition by my brother Nicholas Archer who is also a painter so that I could start networking my work, but never even dreamed of getting into the exhibition.

I then received a letter saying my painting had been accepted into the exhibition and thought that it was a brilliant opportunity.

What does it feel like to hear you won a major prize?

I was completely blown away by winning this award.   To have won the Young Artist Prize is a massive bonus and a real honour. I can't stop smiling especially because its my very first competition.

Lauren Archer being presented with the Young Artist Award

What are you going to be doing when you graduate? 

I see this now as a great chance for my work to be publicised and that it will hopefully open more doors for me in the future.

I really would like to do an MA in painting next year at one of the London schools if I am lucky enough to be accepted, because I feel I would like to further my skills and that I need more experience within the industry of art. Hopefully someday soon I can be a successful working artist.

What are you going to spend the prize money on?

I am going to reinvest some of my money into my course to help with my BA degree show and then use the rest to help me next year if I am successful in getting a place at a London MA course.

The Lynn Painter-Stainer Prize Exhibition is at Painters Hall, 9 Little Trinity Lane, London EC4V 2AD between 15 November – 26 November 2010 (Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm; Admission free). There are a number of events - see Events - Lynn Painter-Stainer Prize Exhibition 2010. The exhibition will then tour to W. H. Patterson Gallery, 19 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BB (29 November – 3 December 2010)