Going Without Knowing: Geoff McFetridge on his leisure-centric approach to creativity

In the summer of 2012, Californian artist Geoff McFetridge’s show Around Us & Between Us took place at London’s Ivory & Black gallery. Among the large, block-colour paintings was one that everyone was talking about, a piece entitled A Proposal For A Glass of Water. It’s a beautiful image – stark orange fingers set against a block grey background, with the fingers behind the glass distorted by the liquid – a scientific visual trick we all recognise. Speaking to Geoff almost a year on, he admitted something intriguing – in the years it took to produce this specific painting he never actually held a glass of water and drew it. “It’s really funny because how long would that take to get a glass of water and do that? It would take about five seconds, right? So that made me realise what I’m interested in is convincing myself that it’s believable, that that is how a hand would distort if seen through water.” It turns out that Geoff had been subconsciously doodling that image for about five years, which he only realised when revisiting his sketchbooks hunting for something recently. “It’s the kind of thing that has no research. I don’t want to change my understanding of something, my mental picture. I mean I don’t know if the fingers behind the glass will have an even curve, or they’ll have a wobble, or they’ll have no distortion. It’s possible to draw something everyday in a way that, I believe, it’s never been drawn. And maybe some people would say that’s impossible, because everyone has hands and people have been drawing in this way for hundreds of years but I do think it’s possible.” Considering Geoff works on design and illustration commissions as well as being an artist, it’s pretty mind-blowing to find out his work relies almost solely on his own brain rather than external research. “A long time ago I was like, how do I make work that isn’t referring to anything that’s been made before, but still feels totally familiar? It comes out of living in this culture – it doesn’t matter if you’re living halfway across the world, there’s still things that we share.” Those who come to Geoff with projects know that – in an almost shamanistic way – he will be able to realise them in the way they want. “I know we’re thinking the same thing. The thinking in my work is so common, it’s like anyone could have thought of that.” Geoff’s reliance on his own mind for research is rooted in his lifestyle in Los Angeles. To say he’s outdoorsy is an understatement, and he cheerfully describes his frequent destinations – such as the mountains, the ocean or the desert – as “anti-museums.” “When I go to the mountains my favourite thing to do is hike; I hike where there’s no people. Just being in the mountains or being in a surf town, or if you’re in the water, being places where you’re basically void of culture is kind of interesting.” Of course it’s different for everyone; some artists turn to museums to seek out inspiration for a project, some rely on their dreams or thoughts they have while waiting for the bus. But to know Geoff utilises the landscape around him to produce his images is comforting. It makes you want to move to LA and cycle around with him in the sunshine. “In the morning I can go to my studio and then I can find myself deep in the mountains in only an hour on a bike, you know? That’s kind of incredible. It takes effort for sure, but I like that kind of effort.” If you’ve never been there it can be tempting to think of Los Angeles as an expanse of clogged highways, SUVs and A-list parties, but Geoff points out it’s got much more to offer. “You can find yourself in places that are the opposite of what you think Los Angeles is, where there’s nobody around and there’s nature and it’s quiet. It rewards you if you make the effort. If you actually go far out into the desert there are hot springs there! I always find that incredible. It’s not like you go to the desert and you’re like, ‘Oh it’s a bummer it’s just a bunch of trash and tin cans.’ No! You go out there and there is nobody out there and there really are hot springs!” There’s a popular perception of the artist shut away from the world, obsessively slaving over their work. So someone like Geoff who has a healthy balance between their work and their leisure time seemingly has something as precious as the elixir of life. It’s a rare skill, and it takes practice. Geoff relates a conversation he had with fellow artist Thomas Campbell while they were surfing together. “I was talking to him about surfing and creativity and that kind of stuff, like being in the water and how you feel when you come out, and he was adamant that surfing is just surfing. Surfing has nothing to do with anything else, and I guess that’s true. If you’re going on a hike you never want to think oh, while I’m up here, I’m going to get inspired. Thinking like that would just ruin everything.” Of course, there are times when leisure and work overlap. “Tonnes of the work I’ve done has been made on trips