Tom Breach + Danny Smith

Tom Breach lives in Oxford and has Asperger’s. Tom has strong drawing skills alongside an interest in cartoon and comic book forms. His drawings create strange scenarios where morality and social norms are suspended. His work often features elements documenting the geography of his upbringing in South London alongside fantasy elements.

Danny Smith lives in Oxford. Danny has diverse and long-standing interests in performance, film, photography, and painting and drawing. Danny has clear artistic intentions: to show independence and demonstrate emotions associated with change and personal empowerment. Danny identifies pride in being a role model for other disabled people seeking an independent life. His work in painting, photography and video has been exhibited within the UK and internationally.

Jennifer chatted with Tom and Danny from Shadowlight Artists about their art and where they would like to have it seen, the studio they attend, and what they'd like to say to curators who might not want to share their work due to them being disabled.

Jennifer: Can you each introduce yourself and say how long you’ve been coming to Shadowlight Artists for?

Tom: I’m Tom and I think I’ve been with Shadowlight for, how many, about 5-6 years I think now. Yeah, about 6 years. 

Danny: My name is Danny, and I have been here about 15 years. 

Jennifer: Danny, if someone asked you what Shadowlight Artists is, what would you say to them?

Danny: I would say to them that Shadowlight is about people with talent, with art. What they are is human beings.

Jennifer: And what do you both like about going to Shadowlight Artists?

Danny: Ah. Yeah, I like it because it is talent with art. It is kind of a mix I think. It is like people who are all different, people with Alzheimer’s. They are amazing what they do. What we do is teamwork and our work got chosen for Oska Bright. Oh Oska Bright, that’s exciting! Yes, so I think I won an award for best film. Wow. Yeah, I am part of the Oxford Filmmakers. 

Jennifer: Tom, what do you like about going to Shadowlight?

Tom: Hmm. Expressing what my interests are through pictures and expressing views upon things

Jennifer: Tom, what sort of things do you like to do in your art?

Tom: More drawing than painting, maps usually and sort of cartoon sketches. That’s usually what I do. 

Jennifer: And what are they maps of? 

Tom: It could be anything… streets, buses, train stations. I have done a few different ones based on different areas.

Jennifer: And Danny what about your art?

Jennifer: How does it make you feel when you’re doing you’re painting?

Danny: Happy. I do feel it picks up my mood, a good mood. 

Jennifer: And Tom how does it make you feel? 

Tom: Sort of calming, and also it can also distract me if things are a bit dull and boring in-between. And sometimes, sometimes I do it for projects and other times to sort of pass the time. 

Jennifer: How does it make you feel to see your work exhibited?

Danny: I think we should take it out to the whole of Oxford, to show what we are. And we are a group of, the artists, and there’s like people who can go online and look at what we do you see. And when we have a workshop and stuff, we like to bring a new artist in. 

Jennifer: And Tom what about you?

Tom: Hmmm. Sort of, sort of interested to see how the crowd is reacting and whether they either like it or not. Either way it is still interesting. 

Jennifer: Tom do you like to talk to people when you’re in an exhibition about your work?

Tom: Hmmm. Sometimes. If I am in the mood to see, to ask what people think, then I will ask them. And if they ask me to explain what it means, sometimes I am in the mood to explain it and then other times I’m like well what do you think it means, you work it out!

Jennifer: Danny, do you find it easy talking to other people about your art or do you find it difficult?

Danny: I am getting used to it, but the thing is, as I have a stutter, some people come up to me and say you can’t talk and laugh, and they make fun out of me and my art. But if I get annoyed, I just aim it at the paper and I just draw the one person who is picking on me and I would draw me and it would say “You can’t talk” and the other person would say “Yes I can talk and I am the artist here. You can’t mess me around.”

Jennifer: Is there something else you’d like to do with your art Danny?

Danny: Well I’ve got Downs Syndrome, the artist like me. I’d like to teach young children with art. Get them to do art. It’s important how they are feeling. And I’ve got nephews, so I get big paper out to do art. 

Jennifer: Why do you think it’s hard for artists like in Shadowlight to have their work shown in bigger galleries Danny?

Danny: I know people what I know, they can be shy and nervous, and they can’t do that, that sort of thing. It’s like though, having patience. 

Jennifer: Tom, why do you think bigger galleries don’t often show the work of disabled artists or artists like from Shadowlight artists?

Tom: It is because they are bias, and the prestige. I honestly don’t know why. Well that’s fine. A lot of the big galleries are pristine and snobbish.

Jennifer: Tom, if a curator was to come to Shadowlight, what would you ask them?

Tom: Grill them on, well I don’t know whether I would grill them, but I would still ask them why they don’t show, or why they haven’t shown our sort of artworks in the past, by disabled artists? Yes. And then see what they have to say from there. 

Jennifer: And Danny what would you say to these people?

Danny: If you will be rude and negative about my art, I will be like ‘out’ [clicks fingers] and also I like to be wise – if you don’t like my art and are whingeing about my art, then if they ever look at me, I’m going to go ‘out my face’ [moves palm from face to point outwards]