The art of Maria Bell-Salter: sensation, memory and art history

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Maria Bell-Salter, artist and Regional London chairman for the UK’s Art Fund charity, talks to Frances Follin

Frances Follin:  Did your interest in art develop from a young age – do you come from an artistically gifted family?

Maria Bell-Salter:  For as long as I can remember I’ve always been interested in art. We lived in New York until I was 10 and although my mother began her own abstract painting much later, my parents’ interest sparked an early enthusiasm in me for collections and museums. Often, after I played in Central Park, my mother would take me to the Metropolitan, which besides its famous art collection had an interactive area for children to experiment with colours and shapes, which I found fascinating.  She always made sure we didn’t stay too long so it was a treat to return and see more.  Once in a local gallery we even met the eccentric Salvador Dali; he was absolutely charming and all I could do was stare at his amazing handlebar moustache…

FF:  Where did you train?

MB-S:  I trained by looking at art, and mostly by looking at nature and light. Gradually I learned to work with my materials to achieve the effects I wanted.  My academic studies are actually in the history of art. I have two MAs, one in French through Middlebury College, Vermont and the University of Paris. I wrote my thesis on the rise of figuration in French contemporary artists Jacques Monory and François Rouan.  The other MA, in art history, was on 19th-century painting. Despite my previous studies and love of the French Impressionists I focused on the Pre-Raphaelites, researching how William Morris’ early views on art influenced his later politics. 

FF:  What do you consider have been the most important influences on your work and on your development as an artist?

MB-S:  I’d say my development owes itself to studying the history of art rather than fine art. I wanted to learn about and see good visual art that can stand the test of time and has the capacity to express ideas.  What influenced my own expression were paintings by artists such as Monet, Sisley, Manet, Degas and Van Gogh, and also the meaning that landscape can convey through the artist’s interpretation – just think of  Monet’s ‘Nympheas’ or van Gogh’s Starry Night and how they speak to us.

My paintings look to Impressionism in that they are atmospheric and dependent on the play of light and the truth of their locations.  I’m strongly influenced by the sensation and my memory of the subjects depicted. This could be the atmosphere of a vineyard, light brushing lavender-covered hills in Provence, the cool shades of an English garden border or the untamed wilderness of the Scottish highlands.  I choose to draw on the positive, but even my exuberant flowers have a depth of mystery and shadow. 

FF:  Combining your work as an artist with what must be a demanding role at the Art Fund must be very challenging. How did you become involved with the Art Fund and what does your work for the Art Fund involve?

[Editor’s note: The Art Fund is the national private fundraising charity for art.  It gives millions of pounds every year to buy great art for museums and galleries across the UK and campaigns to save art that should be in British collections from going overseas]

MB-S:  I became aware of The Art Fund when I came back to settle in London after living in Paris.  It was introduced to me by a cousin who had been a member of the same events committee when it was originally formed, and whose grandfather Lord Crawford was the first chairman of The Art Fund (from its founding in 1903 until 1921).

As Regional London chairman, my volunteer role is primarily one of fundraising as chair of the London Events committee.   This involves planning and overseeing about 100 members’ events a year – events such as curator-led tours of exhibitions, lectures, private views, behind-the-scenes and guided visits to museums, galleries, historic houses, corporate and private collections to help raise funds in aid of our grant-giving programmes. The work is stimulating but can also be quite demanding and it’s important to find a balance to allow time for my painting.

FF:  Do you find that it is helpful for your work in the Art Fund to be a practising artist yourself?

MB-S:  I think it helps to develop a versatile programme of events and being involved with The Art Fund keeps me up to date with what is happening in the art world.  Working as a painter can be solitary and I find it a good balance to search for new venues and connections or to see what is currently on the art scene. 

The Art Fund is an exciting organization for the future of the arts in the UK too, in my opinion it’s vital that developing artists have access to museum collections of high quality and learn by seeing the best original pieces of art from past and present. 

FF:  What sort of people buy your pictures? Do you stay in touch with purchasers or advise them on hanging?

MB-S:  On the whole, the people who express an interest in my work have a feeling for nature, landscape and a sensibility of colour, and come from all walks of life.  I can’t really say what kind of person buys my pictures but among them are former Cabinet ministers and diplomats, owners of sports teams and even an Australian mining magnate.

These things too can occasionally be matters of accident, or a chance referral. For instance, during my exhibition in June at the Mall Galleries, Princess Michael of Kent paid a surprise visit to my show after opening an adjoining one and it was a pleasure to see how positively she reacted to my paintings.

Especially when it comes to commissions, some purchasers have become friends – and when selling abroad I’ll ask for ‘visiting rights’.  I believe a client’s response has to be personal, where to hang is their choice but it does tend to be in their living rooms and some buy several. 

FF:  What achievement are you most proud of? 

MB-S:  It’s hard to choose as my work is quite varied – I do landscapes, seascapes, and interiors, but if I must select I’d say a commission of 30 paintings for the Three Forks Ranch, a luxury resort in a beautiful part of Colorado.  They have a marvellous collection of Western art, including pieces by Russell and Remington, and asked me to paint landscapes of their 200,000 acres for the new Lodge and Spa being built for fly-fishing guests and skiers, depending on the season.  It was wonderful to work ‘en plein air’, painting the aspen, rivers and mountains.  I also painted aerial views and had the unforgettable experience of going up in their helicopter to take photographs of the ranch.

FF:  Your paintings have been shown in a number of venues abroad – does that involve a lot of travel for you personally?

MB-S:  Travelling has been a big part of my life, and the opportunity it gave me to explore new environments and experience different cultures opened me up to seeing things that enriched me as a painter.

As for where my paintings have been shown, I lived in the States and having decided to be a practising artist rather than only lecturing on other people’s art, I began to exhibit my paintings and found that there was a demand for them.  I then moved to Paris where I had a studio for seven years. My paintings mainly of the French countryside were successfully represented by galleries in the prestigious Avenue Matignon and Rue de Seine.

FF:  What are your ambitions for the future?

MB-S:  I’d like my paintings to be seen by a wider audience, as over the last few years I’ve worked mostly on private commissions.  I’m looking forward to planning my next show and turning my mind to introducing some abstract elements into my work.

FF:  Thank you for talking to Cassone, Maria – we look forward to seeing what you do next.