From a childhood spent exploring art exhibitions and finding treasures in antique stores, Seth McBride has developed a deep connection to the visual arts, and painting in particular. McBride's work stands out for the unique way it captures everyday human interactions and his work invites viewers to create their own stories, allowing them to connect with the art on a personal level. In this interview, you'll get to see what ignited his artistic flame, explore the therapeutic nature of his work, and learn about the daily practices that fuel his motivation and growth. We hope you find it insightful!

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Explain the allure of art in your life. Why art, among all other mediums of expression?

I’ve always been drawn to the visual arts, painting in particular. I enjoy a silent expression that allows the viewers to build their own storyline when observing. A single image can encompass a multitude of differentiating feelings and emotions unique to the person taking it in and this is the beauty of art. I try to embody this with every painting I create and leave it wide open to interpret through viewers’ eyes.

Can you recall a pivotal moment or experience in your early life that ignited your passion for art?

Growing up, my mother always took my brother and me to art exhibits, museums, and galleries. She also took us antiquing and always encouraged us to find something to bring home to decorate our rooms. One specific memory sits at the forefront and plays a pivotal role in my love for art. There was a particular show where an artist built large installations out of trash he found throughout his life. 

 

These huge, mural-like pieces were made completely out of junk and trash and I recall standing in awe at the large-scale work. I wondered how one person could have the vision and foresight to create something so big yet so detailed and meticulous. It really stuck with me and inspired my life of making art and hopefully, one day going as big as that artist did.

In what ways do you find art to be therapeutic, either for you as the creator or for your audience?

Most artists will agree, that creating art can be rather stressful, especially if you are a perfectionist. The ending result is a much different feeling. Seeing a finished painting is beyond therapeutic for me and is a feeling that I have yet to replicate. As far as being therapeutic for the audience, I aim to create paintings with open-ended stories. Having the freedom of an open storyline allows the audience to think beyond the picture in front of them and engage in whatever emotion they choose to connect with.

Describe five steps you are taking to ensure your continual growth and development as an artist.

✧ The first and most obvious way is by doing as much painting as my life allows. 

✧ Then, finding a balance between work-life and dedicating time to bettering my craft is the most important for me.

✧ Beyond that, I am constantly watching videos about painters’ lives and their bodies of work.

✧ I spend time observing art whether it's at galleries, museums or through social media.

✧ Lastly, I get easily inspired and I learn immensely from physically seeing the process of other artists.

Discuss your strategies for staying motivated and continually finding inspiration in your artistic practice.

As I said before, I am easily inspired. Translating that into my artwork is the challenging part of the process. I am an avid people watcher and just from running a simple errand, I see multiple interactions that I would love to capture in a painting. When traveling with my wife I try to take as many photos of interesting moments in time that can possibly be replicated in a painting. I also enjoy the more modern approach of scouring the internet for obscure references that I find funny, engaging or just enjoyable to look at. The internet is an endless source of inspiration!

Elaborate on the creative process: is it an outpouring of the soul, a free flow of the mind, or a combination of both?

My creative process pretty much starts and ends with the reference photo. Once I find a reference, I usually know right away that I want to paint it. It may or may not turn out the way I had hoped but I am always inspired right off the bat. Once I start putting paint down, it is a free flow of my mind, skills and application.

Share your sources of inspiration. What are your primary sources of inspiration? Do these come from personal experiences, observations, history, nature, or other artists? Can you give specific examples of how these inspirations have manifested in your work?

Normal human interactions are my main source of inspiration. Although I enjoy looking at cityscapes and interesting landscapes, I have found a lack of interest in painting them. I like to capture mundane moments in life that would normally be neglected in a memory. These moments I get from my own photos, others’ old photos, internet posts and by viewing paintings. Seeing a beautiful painting of something I am captivated by gives me inspiration in the form of motivation and excitement to create something of my own.

How do you envision the evolution of your art in the coming years?

I foresee my art evolving more and more into a recognisable signature style. Every painting that I finish, I see more of myself and my personality shining through. This past year I started painting larger and my goal is to keep that progression moving upward. Along with a larger scale, I want to incorporate more series instead of one-off paintings to really give a solid structure to my portfolio.

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We're grateful to Seth McBride for letting us into his creative world, and we hope you enjoyed this journey as much as we did. We always appreciate artists who find beauty in the ordinary and transform often unnoticed moments into beautiful visual stories. Seth's dedication to exploring his craft and to self-improvement is inspiring and we can’t wait to see what new directions his art may take in the coming years. We encourage you to stay up to date with McBride's work by visiting his Artit portfolio.