Dani Bergson's Biography
| A selection of Dani Bergson's work | ||
 Rufus |
 Saphirra |
 Archie Lover |
I was born in 1973 and grew up in Pinner, which is a leafy North London suburb. As a child I loved all the 'Arts' and knew that eventually I would pursue a career either performing or painting. I used to copy the artists on TV and regularly send in paintings in the hope that they would be shown. I was especially fond of drawing plants and animals and would spend many hours in my back garden sketching flowers and the family cats.
I started my formal training at Middlesex University in London where I completed a Foundation course in Art and Design. I then proceeded to The University of Central England in Birmingham to study for a degree in Printed Textiles.
I graduated with Honours in 1996 and moved to Bournemouth for my first professional job as a Textile Designer at Monkwell fabrics. After gaining 2 years of useful studio experience I landed a job with Osborne & Little in London designing wallpapers and upholstery fabrics. Working for such a well known and prestigious furnishing company was fantastic and I learnt how to express myself through colour, texture and pattern.
In 2000 I took the bold step of becoming a freelance artist and illustrator to pursue my first love - painting. My artwork has been commissioned for publication as greeting cards, children's books, prints, posters and stationery, whilst my original artworks have been displayed in several galleries throughout the UK.
During my training at art school my favourites from the old masters included Giacometti, Degas and Mattisse. I was also greatly influenced by Rothko, and his ability to achieve light and texture through colour. Contemporary artists I admire are Mary Fedden and Mary Newcomb.
As a former illustrator and textile designer I am also greatly influenced by fashion. I like to visit trade fairs to keep up with trends in interior design and see new work by other artists and illustrators. Additionally I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively to many far reaching parts of the world where I absorb different styles of design and colour combinations which I can then bring to my work.
I have always loved painting animals, especially cats, as they have such multi-faceted personalities, which can be expressed simply through the use of texture and form. I am not interested in making political statements or shocking people. The most important result of my work is to create an image that gives other people pleasure, whether that should be in a simple childish enjoyment of form or in a more subtle emotion evoked through the abstract use of colour and texture.
Some ideas come at the most inappropriate times and I have to jot them down while they're fresh. I always have my sketch pad sitting next to me as I work, and this way I can continuously refer to it and develop a theme before actually painting. Next I decide on my colour palette which may come spontaneously or involve creating a mood board with pictures of various objects I cut out of magazines.
I usually work on stretched canvas or board with acrylics or oil bars. The beauty of acrylics is that they are so immediate. I can achieve a host of textures by scratching and marking and finish a painting in one day. However I am presently using oil bars for my new collection of paintings. I love the fluidity of them. I blend and smudge them in by hand. I also use brushes and oils to achieve finer details and thinner areas. The result is a lustrous, vibrant feel on canvas unmatched by any other medium. They do take an age to dry like any oil based medium so I like to work on two or even three at a time. This also enables me to build layer upon layer to add depth and texture.
Once I have sketched the form of the painting and decided on the colour palette I treat it like an abstract piece of work to balance colours and textures. I gain a lot of pleasure in discovering new ways of adding texture to my paintings. When I worked as a textile designer I learnt how to achieve different finishes by printing with scraps of material and using a variety of implements to scrape, scratch and mark.
Usually I know when a painting is finished. I do like to assess and reassess days later and make final tweaks if necessary. I find it very hard to be fully satisfied with every piece I produce and I guess this is what keeps pushing me forward and striving to produce better work. Every new canvas is a means of developing as an artist and will hopefully bring more pleasure to those who see my art.
My mood often changes between paintings and sometimes I need a really upbeat song so I can sing along and even dance whilst working on some pieces!
I usually start with a blank canvas in the morning and try to complete a painting by the time my husband returns home from work. He is my biggest critic and I always value his opinion when trying out something new.
I usually get up around 8.30am when my husband leaves for work. I make myself a small breakfast with a strong cup of tea and follow my cats into my studio. They take up their usual positions lounging on the window sill or sitting in my 'in tray' while I open my post, read my e-mails and plan my day. I like to work with some kind of background noise but it doesn't have to be music. Most mornings I listen to radio 4 and Woman's Hour.
Often there are breaks for household chores such as cleaning and shopping which can be a welcome distraction from artists block. About twice a week I will pop around to a friend's house for tea or meet for lunch so that I get some human contact which can be very refreshing when you work from home with only cats for company.
Working to a deadline is not imperative but it definitely helps me to focus and apply myself which is a necessity as a freelance artist. I think my years as a textile designer has also had some influence over my time keeping, but the great thing about working for oneself is knowing I can take a break whenever I want (I can always make up the time later).
I finish working at around 6 o'clock to start on dinner and feed the cats but if I am truly inspired, dinner waits or turns into a take away! In the evening I like to relax with my husband and we catch up over a nice meal and a glass of wine. I am looking forward to that again when our baby is born in March! It's alcohol free at the moment!
If I have a brain-wave or feel inspired I will get out my sketch pad even if its half way through a film or my favourite TV programme. Sometimes a great idea occurs when I think I have switched off. It's important to get it down on paper so I don't lose it.
