Bust Portraits : Polly Baker
Brighton based artist and teacher Polly Baker creates vibrant colourful pieces that transport you somewhere sunnier on a grey English day.
From oil paintings to pun-filled cards her work is varied and brilliant and we particularly loved the print she created with Surfers Against Sewage raising awareness of the plastic pollution in our oceans. Polly shares some Cornish gems, perfect to visit if you too are staycationing this year, as well as some of her favourite artists!
Tea or Coffee?
Coffee
What’s the first thing you do in the morning?
Roll out of bed, put the kettle on and try to empty the dishwasher by the time it finishes boiling.
Do you collect anything?
I have 9 pairs of doc martens, but I usually find them on eBay. ( I don't know if 9 pairs is a lot, I reckon some people have hundreds.) I also can't stop buying Posca pens. I think I have every colour they make.
We love the vibrant colours in your work - where do you draw inspiration from?
I like to think of my work as "places I'd rather be" or some sort of magical alternate universe, the greyer the day is outside the more tropical and multicoloured my work becomes. The lockdown this year actually spurred me on to make more happy, colourful work as it was such a depressing time otherwise!
We have discovered some of our favourite artists through you - whose work are you currently admiring?
I love the work of Rosa Roberts, Becky Blair, France Lise-Mcgurn, Tom Hammick and my University friend Christabel Forbes who I'm planning a show with at some point in the not too distant future.
Where are you hoping to explore now things are reopening?
I was so excited to go back into the charity shops when they reopened, all through lockdown I really missed trawling them for unusual bits and bobs. If you look hard enough they are great for fabrics, vintage clothes and cheap art materials!
You studied at Falmouth University and what with everyone staycationing this year we’d thought you be the perfect person to ask for tips on what to see and do
I lived in Falmouth for 5 years and it will always have a place in my heart! Falmouth is great for all sorts, there's a new gallery there called Morgan's which looks excellent and I really want to go when I'm next there. Oh and Cor Gallery opened last year and has some great artists there as well. It has great places to eat too, too many to mention, but notably The Wheelhouse for seafood and Small Ships for drinks.
Elsewhere around Cornwall, Henry's campsite in Lizard is a total gem of a place. It's also worth exploring the coastline around Mawnan Smith as there are some adorable little beaches there where you can be away from the crowd. I used to spend a lot of time at Trebah gardens & Glendurgan gardens so hopefully I can revisit them this Summer.
Finally Flambards at Halloween for the Masked Ball (sort of one night festival with amazing dressing up, everyone goes all out.) Only on once a year so probably not great for this Summer, but ideal if you fancy a festival type event in the Autumn!
The Bare Necessities
Favourite food :
Crunchy peanut butter
Favourite podcast :
Desert Island Discs
Lockdown indulgence :
Watching all of The OC again from the beginning.
The Hustle & Bustle
Favourite city :
I live in Brighton and I do like it ...you have a bit of everything; sea, city life and the rolling downs all on your doorstep.
Best meal you’ve ever had?
The first time I ever had a bao bun I had dreams about it after.
Favourite view :
The views from and around Pendennis Point, Falmouth
Painting In Isolation
“I am trying to paint anything around me that cheers me up. I’ve been painting a lot of plants lately — they brighten up the room when you have to stay indoors. Planting seeds on my window sill has been a refreshing reminder that in dark times there is a new life.”
