From my studio: Tomás Castaño

I was born in 1953 and live in Santander, I'm happily married, 37 years now sharing more successes than failures. I worked in banking, in the savings sector, for 35 years, combining both activities. These days, although times are very hard, I live by and for art without setting myself any goals, enjoying the moment with my family.

When and why did you start painting?

I had a leaning towards drawing from when I was very small, but a birthday present at 17 put me in touch with my first brushes and my artistic career started from there.

How do you think a gallery and its artists should help each other?

The relationship between gallery and artist is a difficult one. I understand the cost of keeping a space going, but the artist having to cover every expense (rent, abusive commissions, shipping…) doesn't make the relationship any easier, especially when in most cases they stop caring about promotion once their financial expectations are already covered. A real gallerist has to love art, support and believe in the artist if they consider the artwork has the quality required to hang in their space, and set commissions according to the gallery's standing. Most artists are willing to accept high commissions with no rent, since that's a guarantee that the gallery keeps a certain level of quality and has a list of clients who are loyal to the art it shows.

What advice would you give artists who are starting to show their artworks?

Following on from what I've just said, plenty of patience and persistence, given the difficulties and obstacles they'll come up against in getting their artwork to the public. Today, hanging an artwork in a physical space means an outlay that many young artists can't take on. There's a lack of public spaces and of support from institutions to promote art, they should take a lesson from neighbouring Portugal, to look no further.

How did you sell your first artwork? Is there one you feel a stronger connection with?

I don't remember it well, I think it was in 1973-74 at an exhibition in Torrelavega.

There's always some artwork you identify with more or feel more fondness for, in my case there are several, I could single out two: Buganvilla and a very recent one, Toro bravo.

What is art for you? What part does it play in your life? Do you make a living from art?

It's a hobby, one I now give all my time to, that lets me travel and meet people, but I don't live off it, I've had a profession, which I'm now free of, and it allowed me to keep in touch with the brushes all this time.

What are your sources of inspiration? Do you identify with any other artist?

I'm inspired by the old quarters of cities that have managed to preserve their old architecture, and mainly by the shopfronts of the traditional businesses of the period, which make us think about the customs, traditions and way of life of those who came before us. For several years I've worked on the theme of the urban landscape.

I've never looked to an artist as an influence on my painting, although with my series Tabernas, tascas…del viejo Madrid people have linked me to the new Madrid realism of the master Antonio López, placing my roots in that artistic current. I'm not trying to be identified with any other artist or movement, I'm trying to be recognised for my own style.

Have you had an exhibition recently, what can you tell us? Do you have any project in mind?

In May I had a solo exhibition at Galería la Espiral (Jerez de los Caballeros), and at Laotra Galería in Zaragoza in the first half of June, and perhaps the most important project is a touring show, Landscapes and memory, around different corners of Ireland, which opened in April in County Cavan and is now waiting to be presented in Dublin.

Could you recommend us:

• Artistas contemporáneos: Guennadi Ulibin, Kike Meana, Golucho, Carlos Saura, Javier Torices.
• Museo: Recomendaría a quien se encuentre de viaje por Barcelona que no deje de visitar el MEAM (Museo Europeo de Arte Moderno) el mejor arte figurativo de Europa.
• Un artista: José de Ribera (El españolito) y más contemporáneo, Antonio López.
• Una obra: Vieja friendo huevos  de Velázquez.
• Un libro: Fuacata de Raúl Ortega, quizás porqué la portada está ilustrada con una obra mía.
• Una película: Braveheart.

Thank you very much, Tomás.

We invite you to visit Tomás Castaño's gallery and read the review we wrote about him on Artelista.