Creator Peter “Snopix” Higgins had no idea he’d still be creating in 2015 when he started his creative journey in 1976. Having no formal training just the desire to create and being influenced purely by the world around him, he has gone on an almost 40 year adventure leaving him rich in wonderful works of art. From pen and ink hand coloured drawings (1976 – 1984), airbrush and stencil tee-shirts and paintings, acrylic paintings (1985 – 2002) to digital photography, digital photo images, Photoshop and Illustrator images (2002 and onwards)
A:You have been creating pieces for over 25 years, how did you start?
PH: Well almost 40 years ago I found myself in the possession of some spare time, so rather than just frittering it away doing nothing I had the idea to buy some paper and pencils and try my hand at drawing, something I’d enjoyed doing at school, but never had the time for up until then. Where this idea came from I’ll never know but it certainly had a real influence over the rest of my life, because now I can’t imagine my life without waking up everyday with some creative idea rumbling around my head trying to get out!
A: Your work uses digital photography and Photoshop. Tell me more about your practice.
PH: It was when the idea of a website/on line portfolio was put in my head by a friend in 2002, they’d started this web design course and needed a project to complete it. This sounded like a good idea to me, but after several attempts at coming up with a design that we were both happy with, I decided to do the course myself so I could control the whole thing. This was a decision that would change my creativity forever because as a part of the course I was introduced to Photoshop and then Illustrator and then digital photography. And the world of digital art exploded into to my head and it was like we were made for each other and I’ve been lost in it ever since!
As for my practice, well the one thing I found out when I started using Photoshop was there are no parameters with it. Whereas most people use it for it’s primary use to manipulate and enhance their digital photos, I was encouraged to use it in a more creative way and realised that the only limitation was your imagination and of course how well you knew the software. Well I went on to learn all a could about it, so now when I us it I have no set practise, I just love to go and play to see what happens and not be tied to any one thing.
And the name “Snopix” comes from my nick name of over 40 years “Snoopie” and pix for pictures.
A: What or who inspires your work?
PH: I can’t say there is any particular artist that has influenced or inspired me, but I do like to look at other artist work. What I have always tried to do, is come up with my own original images and be influence by the world around me, by what I see and hear from it.
A: You have also written a book about your travels and work, how does you writing influence your artwork or is it the other way around?
PH: My book is like the cherry on top of everything I have tried to do in my life and if I die tomorrow I can do it happily, because at least I’ve put on record the story that changed my life forever and the writing of it really was the hardest thing I have ever done in my creative life!
It’s a novella called “I”LL BE DAMMED” and is available at amazon.co.uk and is the story of when I first had the idea to try to express myself through creativity when I was living on a houseboat in Amsterdam Holland in 1976. It is quite a story which included much more than just the beginning of my creative life, and it took me over 30 years to some up the courage to write it, but now that I have as I said before I can die a happy man!
A: What achievement are you most proud of?
PH: Well that’s easy because, it’s all of my creativity which has become like the best gift ever and illuminated my life forever, and I hope will linger after I’m gone!
A: What do you have planned for the future?
PH: Well 2014 into 2015 the next stage of my creative life has begun which is to raise my profile and bring my work to a larger audience, and having my details published in Aesthetica magazine and it’s blog is part of it. My website/work have also been found by an Italian publisher EFFETTO ARTE who honoured me in March this year with the Sandro Botticelli award for the Original Creative Search which I was very happy to receive. They will also be showing some of my work at the Louvre Carrousel Salon of Art in Paris this year in June on the 12-14th. And I hope also be showing my work in Palermo and Venice later this year.
My work also reach Japan in May 2015 when it was shown by The Global Art Agency at the Tokyo International art fair. They will also be showing my work at The Miami Art Expo in June and at the Amsterdam Art Fair in August 2015. And I also have an image on display at the Muse Gallery in Portobello Road in London at the moment. I have been offered a years representation by The Amsterdam Whitney International Fine Art Gallery in Chelsea New York which I am very excited about!
With much more to come I hope!
Examples of all of his work can be seen at www.snopix.co.uk. To see his listing in the Artists’ Directory in Aesthetica Magazine issue 65 pick up a copy at www.aestheticamagazine.com
Credits:
1. Masquerade – digital photo image. Courtesy of the Artist
2. Release – Image courtesy of the Artist
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