Hikerdelic Inner Circle: Darren Nisbet
Hailing from Glasgow but now a Stockport native, Darren draws - whether it's a five second phone doodle or a full-scale chaotic and colourful painting he makes marks to represent the snippets of life that inspire him and talked with us about being responsive as an artist as well as Stockports beautiful juxtapositions.
What's a good start to the day for you?
A good start of the day for me consists of a good selection of music to set me up for the day. Then a strong coffee that fuels me to creatively play around in the studio, whether that be carefree doodling in my space, messing around with ideas or catching up with fellow studio members.
Tell us about your phone drawings and how they help in your overall creative process?
My phone drawings are a natural evolution of my sketchbook and an important part of my creative process. It lets me instantly record a creative response whether that be a self-reflective one or one that is inspired by my surroundings. I would consider the drawings as an important creative output that captures an instant moment in time. Creating a piece of artwork that I consider more than just a sketch.
Are you working on anything new?
At this moment in time, I am working on a new series of phone drawings for a large-scale installation that I have titled ‘A Passive Place’. I am also working on a series of paintings that have evolved from my phone drawings, with the intention to explore and create a more chaotic colourful visual language. I have been working with pencil for a while now and as a painter it is really rewarding to return to a medium that brings an element of resistance and chance to my practice.
What is it about the architecture in Stockport / Manchester that draws you in?
Stockport for its retention and pride in its architectural history and glorious redbrick. I also love the many layers to the town structurally and how people navigate and spend time in each space. Manchester for its bizarre juxtaposition of old and new and how this clashing of structure creates a constant flux of energy when wandering its streets.
What do you love most about the community around you?
What I love most about the community around me is that it never fails to inspire me. Stockport is an amazing place full of great characters and brilliant conversations. It’s never mundane weather chat, people have a laugh and aren’t afraid to talk about big subjects and most importantly don’t take themselves too seriously. It’s a place where people make things happen and feed back into the community.