Lou Graves is a lifelong Glasgwegian, illustrator, and artist, with a body of work encompassing two decades. You are invited to step inside his work. Perhaps this will be your first insight into the real world – or perhaps you have seen it before?

See Lou’s work as part of our annual summer open call exhibition, Melting Point. While days grow long and shorts shorten, Six Foot Gallery is delighted to host twenty nine artists exploring art as an alchemical process; the heat of summer as an artistic catalyst, plus our Sextet listening station is back with twenty-one new pieces for you to spend some quality time with.

Hi Lou! How did your artistic journey start?
I started drawing as a kid with crayons, and just never stopped.

How did you arrive at the theme of your work?
It’s like a diary to me. I’m bookmarking memories that feel important personally.

Can you walk us through your creative process?
Inside of nightclubs, I take terrible, blurry photos whenveer I think the lights are ‘Good Colours’. Then, once I sober up, I try to make sense of the image on canvas.

How do you overcome creative blocks?
Intentionally drawing something bad has always been a good way to get over creative block.

Are there specific advantages or challenges associated with working in your chosen mediums? Have you experimented with other mediums or techniques?
I choose oil paint for it’s slow drying time because it puts no pressure on me to finish things quickly. It’s relaxing being able to finish working one day, and know that the next day the paint will still be wet and I can continue with no problem. However, the slow drying time means I have to plan in advance. There’s a painting I’d hoped to submit to this show, but couldn’t because it still isn’t dry!

What emotions or reactions do you hope viewers experience when they see your artwork?
Familiarity. I hope people will see my paintings and be reminded of fun or important times in their own lives.

What advice would you give to artists who are just starting out?
Dont worry about making something look good yet, just get a bad version of it on paper first.

Will your next project be a continuation of your current style or are you experimenting with something different? Can you share a glimpse of your next project?
The painting of the bar is a preview of my next project. I do poster art for a local nightclub, and we are planning to work together creating a whole show highlighting and celebrating our local night life.

Find out more about Lou’s work on Instagram or his website. Melting Point runs at Six Foot Gallery until Thursday 9th July.