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Andrew James is one of our two new member artists, elected in June A self-taught painter, Andrew tells us about his unconventional path to becoming a full-time artist - his influences, his work ethic, how he feels about now being a New English Art Club member, and his brush with a Beatle But of course, as everyone knows, that's just not the way things work.

Even though I've had no formal training whatsoever, I have always sought out information and ideas from a very wide spectrum of sources within culture. It is, after all, around us in great abundance. Ultimately though, the art of growth and success appears to be the ability to select ideas and concepts that stand up to proper analysis and testing.

I do feel however the space and freedom I've enjoyed has been a wonderful thing - a gift to allow a preference for, and trust in my inner voice. I have two very simple concepts or guides that I've tried to live by: Trust your inner voice and never give up! The goal of being creative has always been to the fore in my awareness of who I am, therefore I should try to live up to that recognition.

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For me, mindset over medium counts most of all; it doesn't have to involve paint. Being free to think spontaneously and make things with a sense of playful enterprise is — and has always been — of the greatest importance. As for other forms of employment, they've nearly always involved lowish wages and getting my hands dirty. In the wider sense, I'm much more influenced by individual artistic creations, even details of works, rather than grand legacies or careers.

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No one body of work can represent to me a complete artistic influence, consistently and inspirationally relevant from beginning to end. Routine is a rather pejorative term these days, but I do believe regularity is hugely important. I recall Flaubert having said, 'You must be natural and regular in your habits as a bourgeois in order to be violent and original in your work'.

I'd be very inclined to say there's great insight behind those words.