Category: Art

Olga Babich won the Drawing Award in Jackson’s Art Prize this year with her work Forest. In this interview, she discusses taking her own reference photos, the perfect paper, and staying creative during difficult times. Above image: Olga Babich at her workspace     Josephine: Could you tell us about your artistic background? Olga: I’ve loved drawing since childhood and would often find myself copying illustrations. However, when it came time to choose a career, I didn’t consider becoming an artist or even a designer. I studied law and worked in the field for two years. Everything changed while I was on maternity leave – I decided to take an online watercolour course. The lessons were high-quality and engaging, and they gave me not only a solid foundation but also something even more valuable: the confidence that it wasn’t too late to start. I was 26 at the time. That’s how my path as an artist began. Since then, I’ve taken many more courses, workshops, and masterclasses, and spent countless hours practicing and learning on my own. Today, art is both my passion and my profession – something I truly love and am grateful to do every day.     …

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Lulu Weide won Hugo Barclay’s Choice Award in Jackson’s Art Prize this year with her work Never Been to Stone Henge. In this interview, she discusses finding inspiration in Swedish cliffs, the joy of working large, and allowing her work be rough around the edges. Above image: Lulu Weide in her London-based studio     Josephine: Could you tell us about your artistic background? Lulu: Something that I will always be grateful for is that I have never been discouraged from pursuing art by my family. Sure – I’ve been warned about the hardships of working as an artist, and witnessed first hand the norm of juggling multiple jobs in the creative world – but that conversation has always ended in encouragement to find a way to keep going, rather than a push towards a career more ‘practical’. My family are very creative; having a dad who runs his own Mod Menswear brand and a mum who breathes creativity, working as a Print Lecturer at London College of Fashion, I have grown up with a real sense of appreciating colour, fabric, print, and pattern. It sounds cliché, but I’d also say being born in London, raised in South East London, …

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Susan Stillman won the Acrylic Award in Jackson’s Art Prize this year with her work Tangled. In this interview, she discusses working on 10 or more paintings at once, living a well-rounded life as an artist, and returning to the same subjects over and over with fresh eyes. Above image: Studio portrait with October/Alexander     Josephine: Could you tell us about your artistic background? Susan: As far as I can remember, I’ve always thought of myself as an artist. I studied anatomy as a 15-year-old with the master, Stephen Rogers Peck, and went on later to study with Robert Beverly Hale at the Arts Students League. Figure Drawing was my first love, and I still return to it to recharge and reengage my observational skills. My high school art teacher, Dorrit Woolf, was responsible for my going to the Rhode Island School of Design for my BFA. After attending their summer program at age 16, I was sure it was the place for me. I chose Illustration as a major because it provided a rigorous foundation in drawing, and I also saw a path forward in supporting myself with my work. The most influential experience from RISD was my …

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Natasha Motaghi won the Amateur Award in Jackson’s Art Prize this year with her work Waters of August. In this interview, she discusses the challenges of balancing her creative practice with a 9-5, how her work is informed by her collection of overheard words and phrases, and stepping into the landscape of a song. Above image: Natasha in her studio     Josephine: Could you tell us about your artistic background? Natasha: I was fortunate to grow up in a creative household on the outskirts of Manchester. My dad, a passionate painter, introduced me to drawing and painting from an early age. Every weekend, the dining table transformed into a makeshift studio where he would work with different mediums, and I would join in; painting, drawing, or making something crafty. As a teenager, I carried this creative energy into my education, beginning with an art foundation course at Winstanley College – an experience I remain deeply grateful for. From there, I went on to study Illustration and Textiles at Falmouth University before completing my MA in Textiles at the Royal College of Art in 2023. My practice has always explored the intersections of textiles and print, shaped by my background …

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