How did it feel to win the Havana Club prize?
Totally unexpected but absolutely brilliant!

What inspired you to enter?
I liked the brief and really felt that my way of working was relevant- my work is large scale and highly textured so the scale of the wall seemed like a great opportunity and challenge.

What were the challenges in creating such a large scale piece?
Making sure that the idea translates well onto the surface of the wall and that the texture and flow of the lines are not lost in that translation. The work is very heavily textured involving lots of mark- making so there was a lot of repetition to maintain this across the whole wall.

What has been the feedback so far?
All good – everyone has been very positive!

Will winning change your practice/ direction at all?
If anything it’s a great confidence boost- I like a challenge and it has inspired me to continue making more complex, challenging work on a practical and conceptual level.

How easy ( or difficult ) is it for emerging artists to have their work seen?
I think it’s very difficult- it’s so competitive, you’ve got to be incredibly proactive about getting yourself ‘out there’ and even then it’s very hard to gauge the audience’s response.

Which artists do you most admire – and why?
There are so many but to name one or two: Cy Twombly- I am completely lost and in awe of the efficacy of his paintings. I also love the work of; Tacita Dean, Lucian Freud, Cornelia Parker, Rachel Whiteread, Grayson Perry, Richard Wilson and Tracey Emin.

Has the recession affected artists?
Hmm that’s a difficult one. I can’t speak for artists generally but the recession has definitely affected art and culture. With all the funding cuts it’s becoming ever more difficult to make art accessible for everyone. I’m a strong believer in ‘art for all’. However I think these more difficult times provide more for the artist: there has been huge socio-political uprising all over the world as a result of the impact of recession and for me it’s important to be aware of and understand the social status quo. My work is heavily influenced by social, ecomonic and political goings on. This is the time when Art is needed the most, it has also provided a new challenge in getting the work seen and therefore it should be seen as an opportunity to be more creative.

Did you go along to Frieze this year? What are your thoughts on it, and the art market in general?
I didn’t make it down to Frieze this year which is a shame-  I was locked away working on a particularly challenging piece but I have been a few times before. I think it’s a great opportunity for lesser known artists to exhibit under the same roof as some real superstars of the art world. It has an international focus which is great for seeing what people are doing in other places but I believe there were 35 British galleries representing this year so its great that there is still a focus on home grown talent as well. The art market is a complex creature. I have mixed views, but ultimately artists need to fund their work. There is always the question of value and how that is determined which is a bone of contention, so to speak.

What next for you?
I’d like to do an MA in Fine Art and I’m currently working on a solo exhibition so watch this space!

See Olivia’s painting at Rich Mix, 35 -47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA until the end of December.

Image © Debbie Bragg

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About the author

Loma-Ann Marks
Loma was a performer and freelance writer before becoming a journalist on the Daily Star Sunday, Daily Star and Express. She's the Founder and Editor of Culture Compass. North, South, East or West? I'll go anywhere. I like to think that I'm a pretty good map reader ( not everyone would agree ) but then I remind them that I navigated my way around the Paris one-way system with NO mistakes. High Class or Common or Garden? High class in the garden. Clothes or Culture? Culture in new clothes. My best night out ever made me feel....... That things would never be the same again. And they surely weren't the following day.

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