© Conor Mccreedy

CONOR MCCREEDY: Blue Blood

At just 25 years old, CONOR MCCREEDY is already building an army of followers. With a cheeky homage to Yves Klein, piercing eyes and a wild feline way with the world, the South African born artist was the youngest artist in history to have a solo exhibition at the National Arts Club in New York.
Conor’s has even created a specific type of blue pigment, referred to as “Mccreedy Blue”. A solo exhibition of Conor’s work was recently on view at the Charles Bank Gallery in New York.

To view more of Conor’s art please visit: www.conormccreedy.com

 

Interview by Daniel Scheffler

Starving Child. oil, olive oil, pigment on canvas © Conor Mccreedy

TELL ME ABOUT A CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE THAT SPURRED YOUR CREATIVE ABILITY?

I have always been an untamed child with a vivid imagination, leaving a whirlwind in my wake, however the minute I was given a paintbrush with coloured paints the transformation was miraculous. There was calm in me. Without doubt, being able to create my own colour spectrum was the childhood experience that spurred my creative ability.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT BLUE THAT DREW YOU TO USE IT?

Blue is a natural colour. For me it holds special symbolism to the African ocean and sky. I associate blue with intelligence, unity and stability; it calms and conveys a confidence in me that no other colour can. The blue palette is endless, Indigo, midnight blue, navy, Prussian blue, slate, royal, sapphire, sky blue, cyan, cobalt, corn flower blue, azure, cerulean, egg shell, steel blue and of course ‘Mccreedy Blue’. Mixing blues allows me to create mystical and spiritual qualities in my artworks, whilst it also adds excitement and calmness to my canvas.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR AFRICAN ROOTS AND HOW YOU HAVE FELT MOVING TO THE US:

My roots are very much embedded in the African soil and I believe if you are born in Africa, it never leaves your soul. But the excitement of living in a place like Manhattan is just exhilarating and adds a different dimension to my creative spirit.

Untitled. pigment, acrylic on wood panel © Conor Mccreedy

WHEN YOU DAYDREAM, WHAT MOST FREQUENTLY FLOATS THROUGH YOUR MIND?

Ideas as to what I will be creating next.

HOW DO YOU ACCESS YOUR CREATIVE SPIRIT?

It’s not something that I can access at the click of a button, like switching on a light. It’s more like the creative spirit accessing me. It can take over at anytime, in the middle of the night or on safari in the African bush, walking on the beach or sitting having a coffee at Cafe Cluny, or an even better cup for that matter at Cafe Minerva in Manhattan. I just get the urge to create and paint. It is the only thing that chills me!

HAS REJECTION EVER AFFECTED YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?

Rejection is good, its part of the process

 

WHAT’S NEXT? 

What’s next is what’s next.

 

To purchase the limited edition print by Conor featured below, click: here.

 

© Conor Mccreedy


 

D.S. 2012

 

 

 

Published: May 1st, 2012

Previous in this series:

IAN RUHTER: Time Traveler



One Comment

  1. […] Imaging Trust shoot that took place at Horizon Horseback Adventures with artist and entrepreneur Conor Mccreedy and top models Lee-Ann Roberts and Zanele […]

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