An Interview With Alex Russell Flint

Painterly tradition and cinematic storytelling meet in the work of Alex Russell Flint, whose evocative compositions balance classical technique with subtle narrative tension. Working primarily in oil and charcoal from L’Ancienne École, his home and studio in rural France, the artist creates atmospheric scenes that feel both timeless and quietly enigmatic.

In this conversation with Hang-Up, he reflects on his early connection to painting, the importance of mood and symbolism in his practice, and the inspirations that continue to shape his work.

ARF: I always loved drawing as a little kid. There are 4 generations of artists in the family, and so I grew up surrounded by paintings and the idea that being a painter could be a career. I seemed to have inherited a love and facility for it, and by the age of 15, I knew that’s what I wanted to do.

ARF: The ‘twist’ is the tension I try to add to a painting to spice it up, leaving the viewer wondering what’s going on or what happened, and allowing them to come up with their own story behind it.

ARF: Often it starts with an object that sparks my imagination, which I’ll try to build an open narrative and composition around.

ARF: I’ve great respect for these time-tested, archival materials and techniques. I love the look, feel, and smell of them. It feels good to pick up the baton from the artists of the past and continue using them.

ARF: I’ll see an object or item of clothing that catches my eye and triggers the imagination. I’ll be thinking of colour combinations, abstract shapes, and the mood I want to convey. It’s mostly about the mood. I’ll work with a model, and we’ll try out different ideas, taking photographs, which I’ll then review to see if the mood I’m after has been captured.

The next stage is sketches and colour studies from life before drawing the composition onto a toned canvas and doing a monochrome underpainting, followed by full colour.

ARF: Inspiration is all around — pleasing, eye-catching colour combinations from nature, art and natural history museums, fashion and interior design photography, and movies. Mostly visual, but music and novels also spark something when they evoke a feeling within me.

ARF: I studied for many years in a small, remote village in the Loire Valley with an American art teacher called Ted Jacobs, who had moved there after a lifetime teaching in NYC. It was a shock to the system studying in the middle of nowhere at the age of 20, but I slowly grew to appreciate the quiet beauty of the area.

When I stumbled across L’Ancienne École, I wrote to the owner, artist Pierre De Chevilly D’Humilly, and asked if he’d ever considered selling it to me. A few years later, he finally said yes, and we’ve been great mates ever since, with him even being a witness at my wedding a few years ago.

With huge rooms and four-metre-high ceilings, L’Ancienne École has served as a backdrop to many of my paintings over the years, and is large enough to create mise-en-scènes within. Decorating it became a passion, which led me to scour the brocantes in the area in search of props for paintings. Living in a fairly remote part of France means operating under certain constraints, which forces you to be creative.

ARF: One of my favourite photographers is Tim Walker. I’ve always envied how he works with the best fashion designers, models, locations, hair and make-up artists, and other creatives to help him achieve his amazing imagery.

I guess my dream would be to experience something similar, having access to haute couture dresses from incredible fashion houses and designers, and creating paintings around them.

ARF: I’ve never been busier, and I’m enjoying painting as much as I am right now. I’m excited to be working with the team at Hang-Up and am currently working on a series of new paintings to be shown there.