Stella Vine Quotes

Stella Vine is an English artist, who lives and works in London. Her work is figurative painting with subject matter drawn from either her personal life of family, friends and school, or rock stars, royalty and celebrities. She has worked in various jobs, including as a waitress, stripper and cleaner.

In 2001, she was exhibited by the Stuckists group, which she joined for a short time; she was married briefly to the group co-founder, Charles Thomson.

In 2003, she opened her own gallery Rosy Wilde in East London. In 2004, Charles Saatchi bought Hi Paul can you come over I'm really frightened , a painting by her of Diana, Princess of Wales, which provoked media controversy, as did a subsequent painting of drug victim Rachel Whitear. There was a dispute with the Stuckists, who said they had influenced her work; Vine said they had not.

Later work has included Kate Moss as a subject, as in Holy water cannot help you now . In 2006, she re-opened her gallery in Soho, London.

The first major show of her work was held in 2007 at Modern Art Oxford. In the same year, Vine provided clothing designs for Topshop. Wikipedia  

✵ 1969
Stella Vine photo
Stella Vine: 36   quotes 1   like

Famous Stella Vine Quotes

“I didn't think anyone really liked what I was doing and I literally have the bailiffs at my door.”

Richard Alleyen, "First blood to Saatchi as a star is born", http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/02/24/nsaat24.xml The Daily Telegraph, (2004-02-24)
On her situation before Saatchi's purchase.

“I like to watch old films. Meet Me in St Louis, Cul-de-Sac and Buffalo 66 are some of my favourites.”

Williams-Akoto. "My Home: Stella Vine, artist" http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/property/my-home-stella-vine-artist-517456.html, The Independent, (2005-11-30)
On her favourite films.

“I would never ever amount to anything without him. That’s what he told me.”

Billen, Andrew. "I Made More Money As A Stripper..." http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article445303.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2, (2004-06-15)
On her ex-husband Charles Thomson.

“I’ve lived on my own since I was 13 and not been to school and brought a son up who’s now 18 and run theatre companies and bought a butcher’s shop, learnt guitar by myself, taught myself to sing and that sort of stuff.”

Billen, Andrew. "I Made More Money As A Stripper..." http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article445303.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2, (2004-06-15)
On teaching herself to paint.

“I have always been drawn to the beauty and the tragedy of Diana’s life which I hope I’ve captured in this new series of paintings. I wanted to show her”

Kallaway, Stella Vine's Latest Exhibition http://www.kallaway.co.uk/pdf/Stella-Vines-Latest-Exhibition.pdf Modern Art Oxford, (2007-07-14).
On her connection to Diana, Princess of Wales.

“I always wanted her to say, "I love you, I’ll stand by you, you are very important to me," but she never did. She loved me inside, but I didn’t feel it.”

Catherine Deveney, "Stripped bare", http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=288312004 The Scotsman, (2004-03-14)
On her mother.

Stella Vine Quotes about painting

“When Alexander McQueen bought the Kate Moss painting, she was really being persecuted. I can't remember the exact timing, but I think it was before the cocaine, when she was just having a hard time with Peter. I think that was when he bought that. I was really pleased because he was such a huge supporter of her. It was so terrible what was happening to her.”

Honigman, Ana Finel. "Stella Vine in conversation with Ana Finel Honigman" http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/blogon/2007/07/stella_vine_in_conversation_wi.php, Saatchi Gallery (2007-07-25)
On her Kate Moss painting bought by fashion designer Alexander McQueen.

“I like strong/vulnerable interesting women, and then sometimes I like painting beautiful men, like Kurt Cobain, or Mr Darcy.”

"Stella Vine's The Waltz at Museum of New Art" http://www.detroitmona.com/stella_vine.htm, Detroit Museum of New Art, (2006-09-15.
On the subjects she paints.

“I will look through 200 photographs of Kate Moss and there will be just one that I connect with for some reason, maybe because of the composition or something in the eye… Something touches me and I know I have to paint it, in the way a child knows it wants something.”

Eyre, Hermione. "Stars in her eyes" http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20070715/ai_n19372031, The Independent on Sunday (2007-07-15), retrieved from findarticles.com
On Kate Moss.

“Perhaps the people I choose to paint are often objects of derision celebrity is a bit of a put-down term, isn't it? But to me they are my world.”

Eyre, Hermione. "Completing my new show was the only thing that saved me from suicide" http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/stella-vine-completing-my-new-show-was-the-only-thing-that-saved-me-from-suicide-457090.html, The Independent, (2007-07-15)
On the celebrities she paints.

Stella Vine Quotes about people

“No, it doesn’t mean anything, does it? People occasionally ask for your autograph or say, ‘I saw you in the paper’, but that doesn’t mean anything at all.”

Billen, Andrew. "I Made More Money As A Stripper..." http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article445303.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2, (2004-06-15)
On fame.

“I identify with people like Diana who just want to be loved by everybody. If somebody doesn’t like me I find that very upsetting.”

Catherine Deveney, "Stripped bare", http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=288312004 The Scotsman, (2004-03-14)

“All those people who derided me did me a favour, because now I don't care what anyone says about me. I feel I am now able to be a really powerful painter, to take on the mantle of the US male expressionist.”

Eyre, Hermione. "Completing my new show was the only thing that saved me from suicide" http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/stella-vine-completing-my-new-show-was-the-only-thing-that-saved-me-from-suicide-457090.html, The Independent, (2007-07-15)
On criticism.

“The art world is really exactly the same as the sex industry: you have to be completely on guard, you will get shafted, fucked over left, right and centre. And you will also meet charming, wonderful people like a rainbow at the end of the day.”

Source: David Smith, "Art? It's like the sex trade", http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1759321,00.html The Observer, (2006-04-23) : On the art world.

Stella Vine Quotes

“I wanted my work to be seen for free in a public space, I want to be up there with Pollock and de Kooning, one of the big boys.”

Kennedy, Maev. "Will these tragic celebs bring art a new audience?" http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/news/story/0,,2126195,00.html, "The Guardian" (2007-07-14)

“I do have a very, very big problem with someone who saw me coming and exploited me as a mascot.”

Billen, Andrew. "I Made More Money As A Stripper..." http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article445303.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2, (2004-06-15)
On her time with The Stuckists.

“I felt I didn't belong to either family.”

"Debt, Diana and homesickness" http://www.journallive.co.uk/culture-newcastle/theatre-in-newcastle/2004/06/08/debt-diana-and-homesickness-61634-14312773/ The Journal, (2004-06-08)
On changing her name to Stella Vine.

“My background has been pretty abusive, nothing extreme, mainly psychological. There have been a few times when I have been slapped by partners and I have slapped back. I have enormous sympathy for those affected by violence. We need to progress beyond violence towards women and not cancel it out by saying women are also violent towards men.”

Mansfield, Karl. "The 5-Minute Interview: Stella Vine: 'There have been a few times" http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n15873617, The Independent, (2005-11-28)
On backing the Amnesty International charity.

“I felt like a social worker a lot of the time.”

"Debt, Diana and homesickness" http://www.journallive.co.uk/culture-newcastle/theatre-in-newcastle/2004/06/08/debt-diana-and-homesickness-61634-14312773/ The Journal, (2004-06-08)
On stripping.

“On Christmas Day I'll head off for a couple of laps around the Serpentine, or a trek around the whole of Hyde Park. Or I'll walk right across town, with Curtis, my son Jamie's bull mastiff”

"My Christmas" http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/dec/08/christmas-saving-money-celebrities, The Guardian, (2008-12-08).
On how she spends Christmas Day.

“A common misperception of me is that I am a victim. I am not a victim. I am just honest about how things affect me.”

Mansfield, Karl. "The 5-Minute Interview: Stella Vine: 'There have been a few times" http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n15873617, The Independent, (2005-11-28)
On a common misperception about her.

“Even in the most horrendous situations there is always something to smile about.”

Mansfield, Karl. "The 5-Minute Interview: Stella Vine: 'There have been a few times" http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n15873617, The Independent, (2005-11-28)
On her philosophy for life.

“My working hours are not that conventional. I often get up about two in the morning and do a painting, and then I'll have a bath, and then I often feel very hungry around 4am, so I'll go into Soho and have a meal somewhere like Balans. That's what I love about living here - there's always life around me.”

Williams-Akoto. "My Home: Stella Vine, artist" http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/property/my-home-stella-vine-artist-517456.html, The Independent, (2005-11-30)
On working in London.

“I'm looking forward to being old, to be able to accept what I am and become self-sufficient. Mid-forties is a good age and it's not too far away.”

Mansfield, Karl. "The 5-Minute Interview: Stella Vine: 'There have been a few times" http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n15873617, The Independent, (2005-11-28)
On age.

“I think there is a total equality for me between painting a literary figure or Kate Moss or my Mum or a dog or a bird. To me, they are all absolutely equal.”

Honigman, Ana Finel. "Stella Vine in conversation with Ana Finel Honigman" http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/blogon/2007/07/stella_vine_in_conversation_wi.php, Saatchi Gallery (2007-07-25).
On the subjects she paints.

“I had been painting Kate Moss for a long time, both before the time of her crisis and during it. I felt very strongly for her - she's a hard-working mum and it seemed as if suddenly the world turned against her. Holy water cannot help you now is painted in very warm pretty colours…”

Williams-Akoto. "My Home: Stella Vine, artist" http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/property/my-home-stella-vine-artist-517456.html, The Independent, (2005-11-30)
On painting Kate Moss.

“This is a dark painting with a bit of violence because I was very affected by Diana's death. I cried all day because I liked her, warts and all. Most of all I liked the way that she wanted to be loved and didn't mind admitting it.”

Richard Alleyen, "First blood to Saatchi as a star is born", http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/02/24/nsaat24.xml The Daily Telegraph, (2004-02-24)
On Hi Paul Can You Come Over, her painting of Princess Diana.

“I hope that whoever stole it, stole it because they loved it, and not because of all the hype.”

Lomax, Cathy. Lost Kitten http://cathylomax.blogspot.com/2004/07/lost-kitten-its-been-very-eventful.html, Retrieved 29 January 2009.
On the painting Kitten (2004) which was stolen from Vine's solo exhibition Prozac and Private Views at Transition Gallery, London in July 2004.

“Books are my one luxury.”

Williams-Akoto. "My Home: Stella Vine, artist" http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/property/my-home-stella-vine-artist-517456.html, The Independent, (2005-11-30)
On reading.

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