Being my first blog (ever), I presume one gives an insight of themselves.
As I state in my profile, I’ve always been creative, but never really created anything.
My creativity blossomed in a place where the main things that grew were negativity, anger, violence, paranoia & resentment.
I started my first art class in a high security prison, whilst serving a 14yr sentence after being used as a mule by a drugs smuggling gang.
We had an excellent tutor called Douglas Spooner, a Basil fawlty type Character with big curly hair. The guys took the piss out of him, but he resented the system as much as most of us.
After my introduction into pencil drawing, a ball in a bowl and a portrait of Steven Birkoff (which I took 4 whole weeks to complete, a mixture of a little OCD and plenty of time on my hands), my first written task was to find two artists to write a small essay on and create a piece of work in their styles.
I figured I’d go for the ones whose paintings looked the easiest to replicate. Out of the 19 art books in the prison library, 4 were Rolf Harris and the other 15 I’d not heard of. Most had at least one page missing and every one had a penis, pair of breasts or a smoking joint drawn onto each image.
I chose a book about a little known French guy, called Matisse!
I had no idea for the 2nd artist. I saw a picture of Zandra Rhodes, in a magazine, with a painting next to her. The text said it was by an artist called Duggie Fields from Earls Court, London. So I sent a letter (I shit you not) to Duggie Fields, Artist, Earls Court, London, telling of my essay and lack of info. A few weeks later I received a letter from him with plenty of, background info & images and corresponded throughout my sentence.
We then watched an art programme, featuring the painters Ray Richardson and Patrick Hughes. I wrote to them via C4 and received a letter from both soon after and have become friends with both to this day.
A new tutor arrived to cover Doug for a week; she brought with her a catalogue from the SENSATIONS show. I couldn’t believe the art I was seeing, conceptual art… That’s not art, anyone can do that! I could have made nearly all of it. She told me to take the book and read with an open mind, then I’d have a more valid opinion on it. Luckily, I started with image of a sieve with the holes filled with nuts & bolts (No Way – Mona Hatoum). A metaphor for her home the covered holes being the border points. I was gripped by the story, I just ‘got it’. How could she express all that with a sieve and some nuts & bolt? AMAZING! I wrote to nearly everyone in that catalogue, and received replies from nearly all, most sending me a catalogue/book featuring their work (click here http://www.garymansfield.co.uk/#/artistslinks/4559406471 to see who supported me back then). I read and read and read. I found conceptual art incredible and judge every piece I make by Hatoum’s No Way, if it doesn’t give me that feeling, it’s not quite there. It took me 7yr to get that feeling from my work.
I told myself I’d give 100% to the GNVQ course, if I got top marks I’d go for a degree. In April 1998, I turned my back on my previous life and focused on getting the grades to gain entry to Uni.
Whilst still in gaol I started my degree at the University of East London, where my art exploded thanks to superb tuition.
I started an MA there straight after, but dropped out when my partner fell pregnant and we couldn’t afford a baby & an MA.
I met up with Tracey Emin 18months ago, she gave me the kick up the arse I needed to get me making art again. The response to the said kick is WALK A MILE. http://www.garymansfield.co.uk/#/artistslinks/4559406471
Twitter = @mizogArt
