Paul Ehlen is a highly regarded sculptor, not to mention our best selling! Here he tells us how he got started and what influences him in our five questions with.
5 Questions with…Paul Ehlen
1. When did you decide to become an artist?
I grew up watching my brother Len paint, learning from him really, but I think it was probably when I was about 18 or 19 that I decided to concentrate on it more formally.
2. Whose work influences you?
Loads! But particularly HR Giger and Brian Froud – both have an incredible surrealist element to their work which fascinates me. I also love the work of Edgar Degas and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
3. How long does it take to complete one of your sculptures?
It depends, anywhere from a couple of weeks to 4 months or more! I can have up to ten pieces on the go at any one time so it’s hard to say exactly how long any individual piece takes to complete.
4. What does a typical working day entail?
I start out by sketching what I wish to achieve before I even begin building any kind of structure. I spend a lot of my time mixing clays, applying it, sanding it back, airbrushing, painting, sanding it all back again! Creating a sculpture is quite different from painting I’m always chopping and changing things. Every day is different.
5. What do you enjoy most about your work?
I really enjoy the process itself, taking a 2D image and creating a 3 dimensional work, bringing it to life to create a tactile piece of work that you can touch and feel.
