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Richard Savage Self Portrait
More pictures after interview
ric@swage.net
www.swage.net
See some
of Ric's art
See More of
his art
See the
portrait Ric did of Sadie
Richard
Savage is a figurative artist who strives to make his art work
challenging and thought provoking. His work is as diverse as human
nature itself and his aim is to capture a celebration of life in all its
wonderful shades. He now works from his Cambridgeshire studio, which is
open to the public by arrangement. Richard works mainly in acrylics but
is also happy working in oils, pastels, line and wash, watercolour and
mixed media. He draws inspiration from classical art, admiring the
styles of Rafael and Rembrandt and the contemporary artists Boris
Vallejo and Jack Vettriano.
Richard's current projects are concentrating on life like figurative art
and he has never shied away from provocative topics that include:
fetish, gothic, gay, lesbian, fantasy. "I like my work to have a
sexy feel to it, but hope people see beyond the titillation to the real
erotic sensuality below." Ric
currently lives in the United Kingdom and has a marketing person working
with his material in the United States.
Sadie: I'm interviewing you in the context of your fetish and
alternative artwork, but in fact you also do a fair bit of what we might
call "vanilla" artwork. What percentage of your work is in the
erotic category? Do you find that it sells better or about the same?
Ric: "As an artist I am called upon to paint many things. Some of
if it is demand driven, and some of it is to indulge my own passion. In
percentage terms it varies as to projects and commissions, but I would
say on average it is about 75% – 80% erotic. Without a doubt I sell
more prints of my erotic paintings than I do the vanilla ones. I also
feel that the two complement each other. There are times when I am
painting a vanilla picture and I find new techniques that I take back to
the erotic."
Sadie: What are some of the most popular fetish themes in your art?
Do you think that some themes lend themselves better to painting than
others?
Ric: "The 'submissive lady' theme I suppose is one of the most
popular; I have been approached many times and have explored this topic
quite extensively. There are others that work and sell well; the power
of a ladies high heel is quite iconic. I have explored other themes with
in the fetish world and for commissions have captured both Dominant and
submissive images. Up until 2005 my erotic pictures were in shades of
grey, allbeit with a small dash of colour. This year, partly because of
a possible book deal, I have been working in colour. I do feel that the
grey tones suit the BDSM art better though. Having said that I have done
some in colour, and I think they have worked well. I think each project
should be looked at on an individual basis. If a client wants a certain
style, I do my best to give the client what they want."
Sadie: You said once that, "I like my work to have a sexy feel
to it, but hope people see beyond the titillation to the real erotic
sensuality below." Considering that the internet offers millions of
porn sites, what do you believe that artwork can offer that photography
cannot?
Ric: "I feel there is a vast difference between my art and porn,
though some commissions have been close to the line. I like to think I
stay on the art side of the line. I do not want to sound prudish, I am
certainly not that, but erotic art is less about what you can see and
much more about what you can’t. The imagination is a wonderful thing,
I think it is far more suggestive to create an image that leaves the
viewer thinking.
"I have just taken part in a thing called Cambridge Open Studio in
my area of the U.K. and heard firsthand what some people thought of my
art. The comments varied. What worried me were people missing the point.
Thankfully most saw the art, but sadly some saw rude images.
Photographers can also create beautifully erotic images, and I have been
lucky to work with a few. Where my art differs from porn, I hope, is
shows a sensuality, a closeness between the people being depicted, a
softness that most porn just doesn’t capture. The question is 'Which
would you like hanging on the wall and which do you think is sexier, a
lady legs open displaying all her charms or a nicely lit lady, in an
nice tightly-laced corset, invitingly showing the cheeks of her bottom?
My money is on the latter every time."
Sadie: You have said that much of your work focuses on what you call
the "darker side of life," presumably referring to your fetish
works. Would you say that your art reflects your own sexual orientation
in the BDSM scene? If not, how would you describe your BDSM interests?
Ric: "Who is not drawn to the darker side? Vanilla is a nice enough
flavor, but there are many more flavors to be had. My work sometimes
explores in detail human nature. I am totally nonjudgmental and
open-minded. My clients have their tastes and I do my best to interpret
and guide people to achieve the images they want. I have a big interest
in the BDSM world, I have read a great deal, from classics like The
Story of O to works by Marquis de Sade, Ann Rice, Maria Isabel Pita,
and of course your own excellent book. So you could say I have explored
the subject inside out and I am happy working on pictures for Doms,
subs, straight or gay, without prejudice. My own orientation, I think,
is best described in my work. Viewers will see exactly where I am coming
from if they look closely."
Sadie: You do quite a bit of custom work and in fact, you have just
completed a portrait of me (Sensuous Sadie) which is quite stunning. Can
you explain to our readers what the process is that you go through to
create a custom work? For example, you've told me that you worked some
40 hours on my painting. Is that 40 hours of brush on canvas?
Ric: "Yes I do a lot of custom work. It all depends on the project.
Few are the same and that reflects in the price of the work. Some people
want a simple image while others want a highly detailed piece that will
be a focal point of a bedroom or indeed a dungeon. A typical commission
usually starts with a few e-mails, trying to get a feel for what the
client wants. The second stage is to draw some sketches. I like my
client to be involved. After all, it is their idea we are trying to
capture. Once we have the image and the feel the work and commitment
starts, I usually ask for a deposit. This shows commitment on both
sides. Then we start.
"Your picture is a good example of how the process works. There was
a fair bit of research, but it was made simpler by the fact you knew
exactly what you wanted. For some clients, the research and development
bits are quite exhaustive, but that is part of the job. Throughout your
picture, and yours was pencil on a very heavily textured paper, I sent
you e-mailed updates, giving you the chance to comment on the work in
progress. Your drawing took about 30 hours and I have to say it was a
pleasure to do. Oil or Acrylic on canvas is a longer process, but in the
same way I keep in close contact with the clients. These are not just
snaps and sketches. I like to think my clients will cherish my images
for a lifetime. One of my clients has redecorated two bedrooms to
accommodate more than a dozen pieces of my work. As I say, few
commissions are the same and I like the variety."
Sadie: One of the things that impressed me in working with you is that
you were very open to my ideas (some may say bossy ideas) about how I
wanted to look. You even let me choose the type of couch, exact position
and what kind of wildcat I wanted. I'm thinking that most artists are
more directive of their own work. What is your approach to work for
hire?
One of the attributes I have is my openness to new ideas. My
relationship with a client is simple. I want to give them the artwork
they want. I didn’t find working with you a problem. There is a big
difference between being bossy and knowing what you want. I am not
passive when it comes to my work. Yes I let you choose the way your
picture looked. As I see it, if you have a clear vision, that is great.
Why not let the client express him or herself? If I thought it didn’t
look right I would have said, but it worked well in my opinion. As I
give my clients input at all the early stages in the process it gives
them every opportunity to change their minds. Where I get a bit
frustrated is if a client changes their mind halfway through. I have
been known to growl a bit. The bottom line is that I want my clients to
get the artwork they want."
Sadie: Do you find yourself aroused when painting something erotic?
Or are you really in the flow of work when you are painting?
Ric: "This is probably going to be a bit disappointing but,
when I am painting I am concentrating on artwork. Not sure how my
clients would feel with me, getting overexcited."
Sadie: You told me about a custom painting you did for a couple who
wanted a picture of themselves making love in doggie style position and
laughing. You commented to me that you felt that their laughing would be
amusing for a while, but could not carry the painting past that. What is
it that you think your art needs to do or be for it to continue to hold
interest beyond the first flush of entertainment?
Ric: "Yes I turned that one down. It was a couple wanting a picture
showing the actual anal penetration. So the picture they wanted was seen
from behind with the couple looking over their shoulder looking like
they had won the lottery. I pointed out to them it might be entertaining
to have a photo but for a piece of fine art to last a lifetime, I don’t
think so. I don’t want you to think me prudish. It was not the
activity that I had a problem with, I am just illustrating the
difference art and porn take a different turn. I make no value or moral
judgment here. I not turn it down out of hand, but I did suggest an
alternative pose. The one I suggested was to be seen from the front, the
couple looking at the viewer, or better still, looking at each other in
a sort of loving pose. They would know the nature of the penetration,
but the audience would be left in some doubt. The couple hated the idea.
I felt so negative about the picture I turned it down."
Sadie: You have a studio in Cambridgeshire which includes works from
various artists on display, as well as a variety of classes and
workshops. Your approach to the studio is relaxed and open about art,
somewhat in contrast to much of the art world which is far more
exclusionary and judgmental in terms of what is quality art and what is
not. How do you define art? Is it "I know what I like" or
something more?
Ric: "I am relaxed and pretty easygoing generally and that extends
into art. Art is a concept. Art is art because enough people say it is.
Why be judgmental about it? We all have our preferred styles and even
the styles we prefer may differ dramatically. I like classical painters,
but I also like cartoonists and see merit in most work. In my studio I
like the artists I help to be keen and to try. The ones that work hard
seem to get on better than the ones that don’t. Is this a coincidence?
I don’t think so. I see merit in most forms of creativity. In the
studio people comment on my being too relaxed, but I like people around
me who enjoy what they do. I find my students are most creative when
they are in relaxed surroundings."
Sadie: Were you formally trained in art? What are the styles and
approach that you follow?
Ric: "I have a grounding in fine art, but also graphics, technical
drawing, but to be fair most of the techniques I use today I have worked
on and developed myself. I love attention to detail. As my work has
progressed I have found myself working in finer and finer detail. I use
a combination of techniques depending on what media I am using. I paint
in oils, acrylics, and watercolour, I use pastels, line and wash,
pencils. There aren’t many types of media I have not tried over the
years. The erotic pictures tend to be acrylic and with that I use a
combination of hundreds of very thin washes to build up smooth, strong
tones and a technique called dry brushing for very fine detail."
Sadie: You have said that you admire historical artists Rafael and
Rembrandt. What would you say speaks to you about each of these artist's
work? Do you find that your work intentionally reflects theirs at times?
Ric: "I have mentioned Rafael and Rembrandt specifically though in
truth I admire quite a number of artists. Rafael has an amazing way of
capturing atmosphere in soft and beautiful work. I can get lost in his
paintings when I see them in galleries.
I admire Rembrandt for many reasons. He was a superb
draftsman, stylish painter, superb print maker, and a great businessman.
There's a great story about this one painting, commonly known as the Night
Watch, which was a commission for a small local army. It was a build
up of portraits, each man paying for his own likeness, and when the
painting was later x-rayed, they discovered that some of the portraits
were painted out. Paperwork indicated that these men hadn't paid for
their work and so they were not shown in the painting. Other artists I
greatly admire, Boris Vallejo and Jack Vettriano, very different styles,
but I love their work."
Sadie: You also paint under the nom de plume A. Ravenscroft. Why a
pseudonym? How did you come up with this one?
Ric: "You have been doing research. I am not usually fond of
pseudonyms. I actually sign my work Swage. That was a boyhood name I was
known by from the age of about 12 up to about 25. Everyone knew me by
that one simple name. From that time I signed all my work Swage and I
have just continued. On a handful of people call me it now and most
people think I have misspelled my surname Savage. A. Ravenscroft is the
name I have used for writing in the past. With the exception of a couple
of pieces, my writing has remained unpublished."
Sadie: In addition to being an artist and owning a teaching art
studio, you are married and have a number of other ongoing projects.
Considering that there are only 24 hours in a day, I can't help but
wonder how on earth you keep all these balls in the air! What's your
secret?
Ric: "I have always been busy. I work obsessively. Every moment I
can is spent in creating and being involved with the arts scene, I do
have other business interests too but the art is foremost. As well as my
artwork I am also involved in a number of different arts groups. I am
currently the chairman of the Fenland Visual Arts Collective, a
collection of over one hundred artists in my area of the United Kingdom.
I am on the executive committee of the Fenland Arts Association and a
few other groups besides. I like to keep busy, some might say
obsessively. My working week is about 100 hours. When I go on holiday,
which is not often, I usually take artwork with me. It is not unknown
for me to be working on two, three or even four different pieces of art
work and I flit between then as mood, inspiration and deadline takes me.
I am up at 7 – 8 am to take care of administrative work and other
tasks and I rarely get to bed before 1-2 am. No real secret, espresso in
the morning good red wine at night."
Sadie: One of the unusual things that you do is individually print
your limited runs and hand finish them. I'm guessing that most people
assume that you just ship your finished works off to some printer to be
run off on a lithography machine. What motivates you to put such effort
and attention into your prints? Why not just outsource the printing and
take a well-deserved nap instead?
Ric: "I like control over the final product. If it were all
mass-produced, there would be little chance of putting in the fine
attention to detail. I love the art I do and I am reluctant to involve
third parties. The only exception is the Glicee prints on canvas. A
small company prints them for me, but they are also done as one off
prints and passed back to me for me to add the final details. What I
like about that is I have hands on influence at each stage, and, with
the Glicee prints they are often confused with the originals. To a great
extent they are original by virtue of the fact no two will ever be
exactly the same. I work hard and enjoy working hard."
Sadie: One of my favorite pieces is called "Back to Basics"
and depicts a muscular and tattooed man from behind. This painting has
been on display in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Washington in a
recent show. How did you come to have work shown in museums? Why do you
think they chose this particular piece?
Ric: "I had two pieces in Museum of Contemporary Art in Washington:
Back to Basics and Water Baby. They seemed to be received
well, I was accepted into the show, due to a lady who has worked very
hard on my behalf. I know she wants to stay in the background, but she
has worked very hard and continues to work hard to promote my work in
the United States. Water Baby has been a signature piece for this
year’s exhibitions. Back to Basics was included I think for the
power it represents. It presents an image of strong masculinity
alongside the very feminine Water Baby.
Sadie: You have a wonderfully lighthearted approach to art, saying on
your website when referring to working with students: "if I sit
here looking complacent and non-responsive, a poke in the eye with a
sharp paintbrush will do the trick." I'm thinking that this
approach doesn't seem much like the dramatic and high strung artists of
the movies: Picasso, Rodan, Camille Claudel, and so on. What keeps you
free from all that?
Ric: "It is not all plain sailing, but I am easy going. As I said
earlier, my group seems to respond best in a relaxed atmosphere. I want
a little of my joy of art to rub off. What I do find frustrating is that
there are members of my group that believe my looking at their picture
will somehow make them a better painter. I usually ask how many times
they practiced between sessions. Painters who are improving paint more
than painters that don’t. It is not my job to make them want to paint.
I tell them three basic facts. 1. There are no rights and wrongs to art,
just different styles. 2. You have to look deeply at the subject if you
want to capture it. 3. Enjoy it it’s fun. And to enjoy is the
key."
Sadie: You are very encouraging of beginning artists. What do you
find they are most fearful about? How do you help them get past that?
Ric: "I like to think I help people that come to my group. Most
just lack confidence. Art is like a new language, but you are expressing
yourself on canvas or paper. With someone who is just starting out, I
usually make a big show of messing up a painting to show it is just a
piece of paper, nothing to be scared about. Then I set about showing the
basics and getting them on a subject they want to paint. No point in
getting them to paint trains when they want to paint flowers. After the
fun, what are required are patience and attention to detail. But without
the fun, what is the point?"
Sadie: Is there anything you'd like to share with our readers?
Ric: "It would be interesting to hear comments or suggestions for
images that they might like to see captured in drawings, paintings, or
prints. Thank you for liking my work enough to feature it in your
magazine. Anyone wanting further details of my work can see it at
www.swage.net. I can be reached by e-mail with comments or ideas at ric@swage.net."
Sadie: Thank you for chatting with me!
Ric: "Thank you for inviting me to take part. It has been a
pleasure."
Pictures of Ric's Studio
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sensuous Sadie is the author of It's Not About the Whip: Love, Sex, and
Spirituality in the BDSM Scene. Read an excerpt at http://www.trafford.com/robots/03-0551.html.
She is the founder and leader (1999 - 2001) of Rose & Thorn,
Vermont's first BDSM group. Comments, compliments and complaints, as
well as requests for reprinting can be addressed to her at SensuousSadie@aol.com
or visit her website at www.sensuoussadie.com.
Sadie believes the universe is abundant, and that sharing information
freely is part of this abundance, so she allows reprints of her writing
in most venues.
Copyright 2005 Sadie Sez Publications
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