SEAN VICARY

Sean Vicary is based in Cardigan in West Wales and makes work at his home and out in the rural locations that inspire the work. He is an artist whose practice encompasses animation, painting and printmaking. He studied painting at Newcastle Polytechnic but became attracted to the possibilities of animation whilst experimenting with techniques in his fine art practice.

Sean balances his artistic practice with commercial work, through his company Tinderfarm, and he also teaches animation.

He supports his personal practice through commercial work. He founded creative agency Tinderfarm with programmer Steve Knight to brand their commercial work. They also collaborate on art projects, including The Nightmare Room commissioned by the 2012 Blinc Digital Arts festival in Conwy. Sean has collaborated with numerous musicians including composer Richard Lewis and and folk musician Ceri Rhys Matthews. Exhibitions include Lament (2012), supported by Animate Projects, Small World Centre in Cardigan, and Arts Council Wales, at Oriel Davies Gallery, Newport, and The Nightmare Room at the Mission Gallery, Swansea, in 2013.

STATE OF PLAY

Being based in a rural area, Sean finds it key to be proactive; to both keep in touch with what’s going on in the artworld and to seek out new commercial opportunities. He has found social networking to be fundamental to communicating and making new connections.

ADVICE

“Since my student films in the mid-nineties the animation world has changed, so that it is ubiquitous, it is everywhere and is taken for granted.”

“I’d always loved the idea of animation. When I saw Svankmajer’s Alice on Channel 4 it blew me away. And then I discovered the AnimateTV films. Seeing this artists’ animation work opened a door for me that was life changing. I realised that I wanted to make that type of work.”

“I wouldn’t be able to make my work in the city. It’s not about the city. It’s definitely shaped by being in a rural space.”