Self-portrait, Christopher Webb

3 Questions: Artist & Curator in Conversation

1. Describe your working process as an artist. 

Most of my ideas come while I am running or boxing. Ideas end up in a notebook. Notebook doodles become watercolour sketches which become more controlled watercolour paintings. At this point, once I have decided on imagery which will express my ideas I use words/source materials from speakers/writers that I place randomly on a stretched canvas. Once this canvas is prepared, the writing is completely covered with oil paint.

2. What was your source of inspiration for your work in the exhibition? How did the act of art-making help you in reflecting on/responding to the pandemic as an artist? 

This work is part of an ongoing exploration of spirituality and morality. Spring of 2020 allowed for uninterrupted stretches in my studio and prompted me to commit to this larger scale piece. It was during this time, my friend and frequent collaborator Rev. Dr. Lennett J. Anderson preached a sermon based upon biblical scripture, Acts 16: 19-31, titled, "It's not the time to quit." His text is used in the background of this work. One of the unwritten comments he made was, "…my downtime is my prep time for my primetime!" These words served as inspiration to not allow the pandemic to be an excuse to stop, sit and wait, but as an opportunity to rise up, work harder, and repair the foundations of my life with the intent of creating a better future.  

3. How do you think visual art helps us understand the complex world around us? 

A visual work of art creates a curated point of view and idea. A piece or body of work has the ability to challenge a viewer to consider only what is directly in front of them. With my work, I generally try to make the paintings accessible. In this way the viewer can utilize the imagery as a simple starting point to further explore the more complex themes and ideas within a particular piece.