Interview: Roland Fade

ALM Rowland Fade

Rowland Fade: Lone Wolf

I sat down with internationally acclaimed artist Rowland Fade – a self-proclaimed “lone wolf” who moved to Almuñécar in the 60’s – to chat about art, life and no regrets.

TSG: What are you currently working on?

RF: I’ve got a show in Octoberat the Cultural Center. I’ll be showing all sorts of different stuff – some still lives, that aren’t really still lives, but I can’t call them anything else! Some landscapes and quite a few works in mixed media – shadow boxes, which I like doing very much, actually.

In a way I’m sort of happier constructing things. It comes easier to me than painting. There was a lady in the 60’s in New York, Louise Nevelson, I love her work, she influenced me a lot when I was starting out.

TSG: Do you have a support system of other artists?

RF: I’m a lone wolf, haha. There are people who get together and all that, but I don’t like joining clubs or belonging to anything. . . It’s a lonely business being a painter, but I like to work alone.

TSG: What is the best advice you’ve received over the years?

RF: The best piece of advice came from a gallerist, who told me the difference between a good work of art and a mediocre work of art is one percent; it’s that one percent that makes something… [makes a popping sound].

TSG: If you were to meet yourself as a young man, what advice would you give him, knowing what you know now?

RF: Become a banker! haha no. . . I was very silly and wild, but I’m pretty satisfied with my life really. I’m very happy living here. No regrets.

TSG: Do you find living in Almuñécar inspires your work?

RFNo, I could work anywhere. I’ve worked in Cologne, in Germany, I’ve worked in Switzerland…I’ve worked all over the place. I could work anywhere [because] my work is conceptual.

TSG: If you were to envision something new here what would it be?

RF: Well, they’re working on it actually: a beach for the dogs. It’s 300 euros if they get you with you’re dog on the beach! There’s nowhere dogs can run. They’re not allowed in the park or anywhere in Almuñécar. They’ve just opened a doggy beach in Motril and I think it sparked off the Town Hall here, to do it, too, eventually.

TSG: Do you feel connected to the local community here?

RF: Yes, especially in the old town, where I live, because it’s the original Almuñécar. It’s very strange because I hear people up there say, “I’m going to Almuñecar tomorrow”. It’s a few steps down, but it’s a different world up there. It’s something that I’ve found that I’d forgotten actually, you find people are very neighbourly. I know almost all of them. Some of them have a cortijo up in the country so they’ve got fruit trees. They’ll knock on my door and surprise me

(Feature/Interview: Roland Fade, Artist, by Bridget Rose O’Haire)

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