ARTIST INTERVIEW: Daisy C Iles
Daisy Iles paints fruits. And tableware and meals under the sun, preferably eaten by the sea. Paintings that translate into everyday eating experience, often dismissed by it’s normality. She is a Scottish artist who captures the every day moments on paper. Or on canvas. Whichever she prefers.
For those who hold facts close to their heart, she achieved a First Class Degree from the Painting and Printmaking Department at the Glasgow School of Art in 2021 and was awarded the Armour Prize for her Graduate Degree Showcase. Currently living and working from Amsterdam she creates work which is often inspired by moments that happen around the table, full of food and people.
Your art has such a strong connection to food and dining—what first drew you to explore these themes?
I make work to communicate my experiences, and some of my happiest moments are when I am in my kitchen or sitting at a dining table surrounded by good food and people I care about. I capture moments through colour, form and texture, and it just so happens that most situations involving food are rich in these.
Here is my most recent list from my sketchbook: mint, red chilli, lemon, rug, send letter, rain, washing, vertical stripes.
What role does food play in your everyday life beyond art?
Food is, and always has been, incredibly important to me. Most of my memories stem from food and I think I could very easily write a food timeline of my life thus far. I can specifically remember what I ate every Saturday morning after my tap dancing class when I was 9, the snacks I enjoyed on Summer holidays when I was little which help me to differentiate between the different places and years, the dinners I made as a student when I first moved to Glasgow, a very indulgent ice cream order on a date at the beginning of my relationship and the time I tried my first Dutch Bitterballen when I moved to Amsterdam.
How do you choose the specific dishes, utensils, or dining experiences that become the focus of your work?
I work from memory and from observation, and I use drawing as a tool to capture specific moments of intimacy, enjoyment and repetition. I also sometimes work from lists.
Here is my most recent list from my sketchbook; mint, red chilli, lemon, rug, send letter, rain, washing, vertical stripes. I’ll choose a drawing or a list and I’ll start painting from them. I never really know what’s going to happen but that can be nice. It’s particularly nice when I feel like I have captured something special. I have an appreciation for interiors and what people choose to surround themselves with. If someone has a particularly memorable table cloth or candle stick-holder the likelihood of it ending up in one of my paintings is high.
Many people see food as nourishment or a social experience. How do you interpret food in the context of your art?
Food adds a richness to my art. I see it as an endless source of inspiration. Some of my most successful ideas have come from simple food observations such as cutting lemon slices and looking at the pattern they make on the chopping board. I record initial observations in my sketchbook and then play about with similar ideas.
Have any particular meals or dining moments left a lasting impression on your artistic vision?
I come from a large family so family dinners can be loud and chaotic. I particularly enjoy trying to capture the energy of these mealtimes. Equally, I also enjoy smaller, quieter moments where I can really take everything in.
If you were to describe your art as a dish, what would it be and why?
I would like my art to be a delicious ramen. This past year I have been studying on the Turps Correspondence Course with the Turps Art School and I have had a lot of time to seriously consider why I am making what I am making and what I hope to achieve in my new work. I primarily paint, however I am also a printmaker, and I enjoy making collages too. I would like to integrate the different parts of my practice and create work that contains all of these elements. And so, my goal is to eventually create a delicious ramen with clean flavours that work together in harmony.
How do you see parallels between the act of creating art and preparing a meal?
Everyone has their own specific way of working. I apply some of the same thinking from my studio to the kitchen. I am very organised and tidy, and I like to have a clear plan of action. However, sometimes I get swept up in the act of what I am making and I like to just go with it, similar to making a painting and taking a risk. I would say this often pays off more than it doesn’t.
Do you have a favourite dish or ingredient that inspires you the most?
If you were to look through my sketchbook you would see a lot of fruit and veg. I love creating patterns with shapes I see in them.
ARTIST PROFILE
Favourite snack
Whichever apple is in season, sliced, with a big dollop of smooth peanut butter for dunking my apple slices into.
Favourite drink
An icy cold Gin and Tonic with lots of fresh lime. However, the drink of my dreams that I’ll make if I’m feeling fancy or it’s a special occasion is an elevated Gin and Tonic made with Hills and Harbour gin, Franklin & Sons tonic and a thin slice of fresh Mango.
Favourite sandwich
I moved to Amsterdam this year and I’m lucky enough to have a really good Bagel Shop within walking distance from my flat. My go-to order is an everything bagel toasted with cream cheese and fresh sliced tomato. Very simple but so good.
Favourite thing to eat in the studio
I’m not a big eater in the studio as I mostly work with oil based materials which are very messy but you can always find me with a massive mug of peppermint tea (which also doubles as a great hand warmer in Autumn and Winter).
Favourite spice
Cinnamon. It’s Winter and I love porridge for breakfast when it’s cold. I add a sprinkle to my porridge with some cooked apple.
You can always find _ in my fridge
A Scottish Mature Cheddar. I make sure to bring some back to Amsterdam with me whenever I visit Glasgow.
