Paul Hodges by Margaret McIntosh

In this discussion, Paul Hodges talks with Margaret McIntosh and reflects on one piece within his Café series and about his inspiration, mediums, and life drawing of the artwork, as well the effect of Melbourne lockdown as a result of Covid-19 restrictions.

Paul Hodges has worked in the Arts Project studio since 1998 and has presented numerous solo and group exhibitions. His work is held in the National Gallery of Victoria (as gifted by Stuart Purves) and in private collections throughout Australia.

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Margaret: Let’s talk about one of your café series — can you tell me about this work?

Paul: It started with a picture out of a Monet book – or one of those type of artists – from the Arts Project Australia library. I remember one of the staff artists, Lyn Young, inspiring me to do a café series, which I started from a picture in the book. I was using watercolours at the time, and I remember wanting to do something with perspective.

Margaret: The image looks a bit like Four Beans, the café next to Arts Project Australia. 

Paul: Oh yeah, it is Four Beans! A café next door to Arts Project Australia. I sat in Four Beans, and they let me draw. I probably spent an hour in there.

Margaret: And the people in the image? 

Paul: They’re just random strangers. It was hectic in the café that day. I think I visited another café up the road as well in Westgarth and did some drawing there too.

Margaret: Let’s talk about your process. Did you also work from photographs? I also noticed this particular piece, compared to others in the series, has a different colour palette. The other café series images are brighter while this one stood out to be more muted. 

Paul: I didn’t use photographs! With this one, I started with ink and then took it back to Arts Project studio to add the watercolour. I really liked using purple and yellow. 

Margaret: It’s interesting at a time to look at the artistic depictions of people in cafés because it’s something we’re all missing. You were saying before this interview that you miss making big paintings because you can’t be in the APA studio. I’m sure other artists can relate to that.

Paul: Yeah, that’s right — we can’t even sit in a café! I really miss the studio, too.

Margaret: I just remembered this work was on consignment with Dutton Gallery for the Outsider Art Fair in New York. It’s funny thinking of a Melbourne site-specific image being all the way over in the States.

Paul: Oh, gee whiz! Yeah, the artwork must have been in an exhibition! Yeah, it’s pretty funny.

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Originally published in Love from the Studio: a series of interviews and articles bringing audiences behind the scenes of Arts Project Australia. Edited by Tahney Fosdike.

Banner image is a detail of Paul Hodges, Not titled, 2019