Artist Interview - B A R E F A C E A R T

The winning piece by B A R E F A C E is revealed - Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Take historic musician Samuel Coleridge-Taylor mixed with Mickey Mouse - artist Nick Daley a.k.a. BA R E F A C E A R T puts his street pop style down to create the winning piece for the Croydon Art Trail - LIVE to see in town now!

We know him as the creator behind one of our most popular decks - Skull-duggery.

Nick Daley delighted us with a special chat about his WINNING piece, process and future art projects…

Katie: So Nick, firstly huge congratulations! As we read in our feature back in March - you were crowned the winner of a very cool local art competition with your piece that freshly celebrates Croydon’s musical history through art.

We have been waiting patiently to show readers your winning piece plus chat to you about the experience… so let’s go!

Katie: I understand getting the Croydon Art Trail winners artwork up all around Croydon was a little tricky at first due to lockdown so you actually knew that you were the first official winner some weeks before your piece was on display - are you good at keeping secrets?! ;)

Nick: Haha, yes, I am very good at keeping secrets. I have a lot that I will be taking with me to the grave. I knew that I was one of the winners in January but the piece didn't go up until April and even then, I didn't reveal it was mine until the Art Trail launched in May/June, so yes, that's a long time to keep tight-lipped. 

Katie: The competition mixed local musical inspiration with art - is that your sweet spot - music and art?

Nick: I explored the combination of art and music in great depth early in my artistic journey. I had even created two art shows around this theme. Like most people, music plays a massive part in their lives. For me, it's something that has helped shape my creativity, whether it be by listening to it to get in the mood or out of one, expressing myself through dance or creating mixes for people to listen and express themselves too. 

Katie: Your winning piece features Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and a cheeky nod to Mickey Mouse! The B A R E F A C E mix of powerful mischievousness - how did you manage to choose a local musical inspiration and what gave you the feels for Samuel C-T?

Nick: The brief was to produce a piece that embraces Croydon's musical heritage and it runs very, very deep. I knew people would be the prominent stars of today, but I wanted to champion an unsung hero, someone that made you question who that person was so that you would (hopefully) take the time to learn and discover someone new. Samuel C-T fit the bill perfectly. 

Katie: Your piece is displayed very prominently at the front of Centrale Shopping Centre, shoppers can't miss it as it explodes in its space!

Are you used to the limelight now?

What has been the reaction from family and friends?

Nick: The funny thing about that was that the location was not my first choice. I was more attracted to a more discreet location that you would have to look for to find, rather like a treasure hunt. That appealed to me more because it fit my child-like play approach to art. But you had to pick more than one location in the submission. I was stunned to find out that I had won that location, and I got some great feedback from the General Manager of the shopping centre saying that she knew it had to be in that location as soon as she saw it. Now it's there; it makes total sense.

I don't think I will ever get used to the limelight simply because I don't keep still long enough to enjoy it, but that's something I am working on. But, what's important is that it's been received well and I have been impressed by the sheer size. 

Katie: How do you work on large scale pieces? Do you have to adapt your own style?

Nick: I am a digital artist and mainly draw using vectors which means I can create at any size, from the size of a pin or the size of a house, very quickly. Generally, I work at a quarter of the size and the printers usually scale it up. 

Katie: Did the music of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor inspire you or did you have a clear idea for the piece when you heard about the Croydon Art Trail?

Nick: I knew that I wanted to create a piece on Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, but I did listen to his music, especially Othello Suite Op.79 Dance while drawing him; it seemed fitting. 

Katie: How do you visualise art projects - do you sketch it down or always work digitally?

Nick: Most of my ideas start as scribbles that only I can decipher, generally geometric shapes with poorly handwritten notes around them in my notebook. 

Katie: Which art tools do you most enjoy working with?

Nick: I love my Wacom tablet (a pen and a base that mimics a pen and paper that you can plug into your computer). But I also really love screen printing, which is a way of printing onto surfaces by exposing images onto a mesh screen; you pull the ink through the mesh to print your image on the surface. 

Working digitally, you can control a lot of the parameters. Still, with screen printing, there are many variables out of your control that can affect your result, so it taught me to embrace the imperfections, as that's what makes it unique, rather like humans. 

Katie: How nerve-racking was it to recreate such a legend? How did you know when you had your Samuel Coleridge-Taylor piece right? 

Nick: Drawing public figures is always nerve-racking because people need to recognise them. It took me numerous attempts and constant cross-referencing on old photos to make sure I got this right. 

Katie: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor produced melodic and upbeat African music from his heritage - how much does your heritage shape your art style?

Nick: Primarily, my work is based on Pop culture, especially from my youth, so there is no visible link to my heritage, but it's very much present in my approach to my work. I liken my approach to early Hip Hop of the 80's and the '90s taking samples from different genres and repurposing them to tell a new narrative. 

Katie: The theme that rang through the whole Croydon Art Trail was Croydon as a Music City - did you realise how much musical heritage was on your doorstep?

Nick: I have always known that Croydon is home to a lot of musicians and genres. I feel proud of that fact. Croydon doesn't get the credit it deserves on that front. From Punk to Dubstep, Croydon has been at the forefront. 

Katie: You are well-known for your distinctive style and proud mix of street and pop art - what makes Street Art, Street Art?

Nick: I feel that many artists will have their interpretation of what Street Art is but to me, authentic Street Art challenges the advertising and bombardment of messaging from corporations. They invade our space with billboards and ads, so Street Art is taking the streets back with an alternative message. It's a lot more inclusive because it embraces many different styles, such as wheat pasting, stencil art and 3D models. To me, Street Art will always be independent and illegal art and shouldn't be confused with a lot of public art that has been popping up over the last few years. 

Katie: What was your first inspiration into your art style? A film, music or another artist?

Nick: I think like most Pop artists of a certain age will say, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. They may be obvious choices, but they made me realise that everyday objects can carry emotional feelings as much as a landscape painting. Plus, Pop art is always loud and turned up to 11. 

As a child, I was mesmerised by the movie poster artwork of Drew Struzan and the general creativity of Saul Bass; he did it all from corporate logos to movie title sequences. 

Katie: There are seven other pieces from the Croydon Art Trail that are dotted around the town for people to see - do you have a favourite piece from the other artists?

Nick: I always find it interesting how people interpret subjects. It says a lot about the creator. I think they are all great, but if I had to choose one, it would be Never Mind The Concrete, The Talent Is Here by Wesley Baker. He told me years ago about wanting to do a piece inspired by the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album and I am so pleased he has finally been able to do it. It's an epic homage to all the famous artists, both past and present, from the area. 

Katie: How important are these types of local art and music celebrations?

Nick: I think celebrations of creativity in any form is essential. People need a safe space to express themselves and it's great that the local shopping centre saw the opportunity to give some local talent a chance to celebrate even more local talent. 

Katie: How long did it take for you to finish your piece?

Nick: Around 7 hours. I found out about the artist calling out very close to the deadline, so I gave myself one day to develop the idea. I think I mentioned before that I do love deadlines, haha. 

Katie: There's lots of time for fans to walk along the Croydon Art Trail until 30 September - have you had a chance to see all the pieces yet?

Yes, I have done a few tours now and it's a great experience and I encourage everyone to make the trip to Croydon to see it. 

Katie: So what's next for BA R E F A C E  A R T?

Nick: I am working on an inspiring project with a youth arts charity. I can't say much more than that because I have had to sign an NDA, but it will be... BIG! 

Katie: Have you played a good ol' game of solitaire lately? ;)

Nick: Oh yes, I still love a game of Elevens on the FLICK app!

Well done to Nick and all the other artists featured on the art trail running until the end of September.

ARTISTS SUPPORT ARTISTS

Buy B A R E F A C E A R T prints here and watch a special Meet The Artist video feature!