Countercurrent: conversations with Professor Roger Kneebone Adele Wagstaff in conversation with Roger Kneebone
May 3, 2025
Adele Wagstaff, a talented portrait artist trained at Newcastle University and the Slade School of Fine Art, discusses her artistic journey and the nuances of portrait creation. She speaks about the importance of anatomy in art and how intimacy emerges between artist and subject. Adele shares insights on the challenges of teaching art and fostering creativity among students. Additionally, she reflects on the emotional complexity of creating portraits and navigating the subjective nature of art competitions, illustrating the profound connections she forms through her work.
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Artist's Anatomical Study Anecdote
- Adele Wagstaff recounts her first encounter with anatomical studies in a medical school dissecting room to understand underlying body structure.
- The experience was shocking but deeply fascinating, enriching her artistic work on structure and form.
Variability of Human Anatomy
- Anatomical structures vary between individuals, especially soft tissues like nerves, which textbooks cannot fully capture.
- Both surgeons and artists must observe what is actually present rather than rely solely on expected anatomy.
Drawing What You See Exactly
- Always draw what you are seeing at the moment, not what you expect or know to be there.
- Use measuring techniques like pencil or brush comparisons to check proportions regularly.