Interview #4: Rishi Rian on collaging; "every human has a landscape - a beach, rocks, a city.”

16/06/25

Blue Bucket Of Gold is a free weekly newsletter from me, the musician Catrin Vincent. If you pay, I also offer long-form content, like interviews with your favourite artists, new music and songwriting prompts. This newsletter is a passion project; a deep-dive into the human psyche from someone whose life was transformed by discovering how art can heal. It started as a way to digest my favourite music, then turned into a vehicle for change, a beautiful way to understand myself and the world through writing. Please feel free to share and support in any way you can. Thank you for reading.

Hello dear reader.

I’m doing a series on art. Not many of us claim to be ‘artists’, and yet it permeates every part of our lives; as therapy, connection, communication…and ultimately, I believe, a mirror, a road back to the truth of ourselves. The power of art cannot be understated, and my mission is to connect everyone back to themselves, regardless of whether or not we feel we can use the title.

My mission is this:

everyone is an artist.

So I’m interviewing a few creatives to explore their process, and find the why. What draws them to their particular art practice? How did they start? What does it do for them?

This week, I’m interviewing and making art with creative Rishi Rian, actor and poet, known most recently for his role in the U.K tour of Murder On The Orient Express, Agatha Christie, directed by Lucy Bailey, and as ‘Dishy Rishi’ at poetry nights around London, including Storytime, where we’re both performing this Friday (tickets here)

- him, poetry, myself, songs.

And please follow and support Adam’s Storytime substack!

photo by yellowbelly

Rishi Rian ‘inspires poetry in everyone he meets’, as stated by a friend at his last Storytime event, where he read a poem about birds taking him to their nest. He’s the reason a poem appeared in my solo album. I’ve never met anyone quite like him; effusing care like beams of coloured light through a prism, refusing to walk past anyone in need, finding the people most in need and holding onto them, like he’s a buoy, or a life-raft. He’s definitely one of those souls you encounter bobbing out at sea after a long, long drought.

Today, we’re collaging, something Rishi is well-known for among his friends, often gifting them with his creations, as I quiz him on the process and what art means to him.

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*sifting through magazines*

C: Queen Elizabeth…

R: the first.

C: Art quarterly?

R: that’s nice, look.

C: Lake District. So, how do you start?

R: bottom.

C: the last layer?

R: with the bottom of the image. I try to make the background with ‘earthy’ materials.

C: why?

R: so it’s like a floor. *laughs*

C: So…this magenta one. Lava?

I’m drawn to magenta. Look at this guy?

*Catrin points to a Picasso-style man, appearing downtrodden, on the front of Art Quarterly*

R: he looks very sad.

C: he looks like he’s covered in ice cream.

R: anyway, I like expansive stuff.

C: do you have scissors?

R: I just rip it.

I don’t start with an idea. I just start doing it, then ideas come. So I always tend to have a sky and a floor, a mixture. And I like things that look similar.

C: I’m going for it. *rips*

when did you start collaging?

R: I went to an art class, because I was looking for inspiration. I went to one in Berkhamsted. I think that was the first time I did it. It was liberating. And this woman came, with lots of magazines. I had a lot of fun, and incorporated words.

C: ‘cause you’re a poet, aren’t you?

R: I make the images, then the words come.

C: part of me wants to rip holes in this bit, so you can see the magenta background.

R: you should - there’s no rhyme or reason. Just do what you feel.

C: is that what the lady said?

R: no, that’s what I said.

C: and you’ve made them ever since, haven’t you?

R: I enjoy it, it’s quite calming. I tend to put music on. Do you want to use the glue?

C: yeah. I’m making some weird star hole.

R: I did it on the train once.

C: while you were on tour?

R: yeah, I think I was going to Plymouth.

C: I’m already feeling really soothed by this collaging business.

R: people were really confused as to what I was doing. I ended up speaking to the lady next to me, and she’d left her handbag in Italy, or something.

C: did you include it in the poem?

R: no, I wouldn’t, she was right there!

C: I don’t even know what I’m doing.

R: you don’t need to know. It can change, as well - you can put stuff all over what you’ve already done.

C: I really like this background. Magenta! and when you look for words…

R: si.

C: in the magazines, what do you look for?

R: I don’t use words from the magazine, I write them. I just let them come to my head. Sometimes they make no sense, but I put them in anyway.

C: and when you glue - this is a technical question - when you glue, do you glue the edges?

R: yes.

C: as my instinct is telling me to…

R: I need to find a way to preserve my collages. They all fall apart.

C: you’ve got your big framed one!

R: when did I make that one…I can’t remember, now. But it’s got naked people in the wood, on it.

C: *laughs*

R: and I just liked how that looked. Lots of undergrowth on it, it was quite grounding. But I can’t remember when or why I made that.

C: and you put it in a frame.

R: I did, I had a random frame left over from clearing out the house.

C: what is it about recycling and collaging that draws you in? If it’s to do with recycling…that is quite presumptuous on my part!

R: that’s actually a leading question.

*both giggle*

I think it’s about mixing lots of different things with lots of different places. It’s very satisfying. I gave my favourite one to Bob Barrett (cast-mate in MOTOE).

Photo by Manuel Harlan

C: what were the words on it?

R: I have no idea, but I liked how it looked.

C: because you give your collages away, which is kind of nice. It’s like your art gallery is in other people. If that makes sense. Or is that wanky to say?

R: yeah, why not. I think there’s something nice in making something and giving it away. I don’t want to keep it for myself. I’d rather someone else had it.

C: I’ve decided already. This is going to be my tour poster cover. And whatever magazine this came from can come after me.

R: nah, if you make it very different, it should be fine. I guess it’s up to the photographers to chase. Magazines are stinky, anyway.

C: Rishi Rian: magazines are stinky. That’s gonna be my pull quote.

R: no! I actually don’t think that.

C: *pointing towards a man sitting up very straight at a garden table* I really wanna put this man in my collage…so, why don’t you put people in?

R: it ruins it. I want the images to speak for themselves.

C: and you get the magazines from charity shops?

R: yes, always.

C: is that what the lady told you to do?

R: no, she got them from the shop. But they’re a lot cheaper from charity shops. And you get more interesting stuff. I’ve got art quarterly, and then Go Outdoors magazine. Which is perfect for me. Look at that, a beach, look!

C: and I love the way you rip it.

R: it feels more authentic to me. When I made it the first time, I couldn’t be bothered to use scissors.

C: whenever I’ve made art, or music, or whatever, I’ve often found that limitations produce the most interesting results.

R: yeah, I can believe that. As in, it makes a structure?

C: like, if you had everything you ever needed, you wouldn’t know that ripping looks more interesting than using scissors.

R: it is more interesting. And then you can make mistakes.

C: I found that in music. That when I got everyone to record for my solo album, when people made what they thought were mistakes - I thought that was more interesting.

R: I think it’s because you’re a generous artist, as well. I don’t think everyone has that mindset.

C: am I generous? Are you a generous artist?

R: no.

C: no?! I think you are.

R: I’m not a very good consumer of art, I get quite frustrated. I don’t get where that comes from. I just make art and expect others to enjoy it.

C: I read something the other day about expecting people to consume your own art without consuming others, and I thought about that, and I thought it was quite true.

R: I think I’m a bit like that. I don’t like it, you know, it’s -

C: I think that’s most people. When people have finite time, people prefer to use that time to make their own art. Because we don’t have enough time. What do you think?

R: I think there’s just not much energy, for everyone.

C: I actually think it’s quite classist to say ‘you have to consume art to make art’. Catrin Vincent pull quote.

R: ha!

C: something I never got as a writer, for a while, is that reading is so important. I think that’s why so many people don’t make art.

R: time.

C: yeah.

R: confidence.

C: or that you have to be extraordinary. How long does it take you?

R: I like to spend…

C: I’m feeling like the quicker choices I make, the better it’s going to be.

R: yeah, don’t overthink it. But the thing is, it doesn’t have to be good. I do get stressed towards the end.

C: do you need it to be perfect?

R: yes.

C: how do you combat perfection in poetry and art? whether it’s acting, or poetry?

R: I kind of rebel against myself and do something that’s not very good to cope with the anxiety.

C: do you think that’s why you’re an artist, as a rebellion against yourself?

R: um…can’t say I follow. Can I have the glue stick, please?

C: can you see why people think I’m really intense?

R: what about Vincenzo? have you asked him that question? I wanna see what he has to say.

Vincenzo Grande is my guitarist. You may have seen him in Another Sky videos.

C: shall I text him?

R: it’s a way to escape yourself, for sure. Or a way to escape and get in touch with other parts of yourself. When I write, I have this other character that comes through.

C: tell me about this character.

R: a very frustrated person, very awkward. Gets disillusioned very easily, but then actually has a lot of care.

C: *playfully* do you think that’s just you?

R: I think that’s a version of me, for sure. Nasty.

C: nasty?!

I'm drawn to all the animals. I want to put the bees in. I’ve put a bird in. But for some reason, putting more than a bird in…feels wrong. And then this is too brightly coloured, I think.

R: I agree. That’s just my taste. I like to keep palettes quite similar.

C: what do you think about my questions?

R: I like them. I’m not sure I have the mental capacity to give good answers.

Collaging is such a delicious process.

C: Rishi Rian: collaging is a delicious process. Pull quote. You’re so good at this!

R: what does it mean to be good at this? Yours is lovely. I did do one with birds actually, no, illustrations of bees. I also like combining visual art; paintings and photos.

C: your own photos?

R: no, magazine photos. I still need to get my film photos developed, actually, I finished the roll. There will be all sorts of photos on there.

C: I need to get all my film photos developed, as well. I haven’t had money.

It’s so satisfying when everything fits in collaging, like puzzle pieces. I think I’m going to go quite minimal.

*quiet ripping, Rishi hums*

R: are you leaving the back exposed? that’s nice.

C: crimson! yours is so nice!

I love making meaning out of everything. The word ‘another’ has come into my life quite a bit.

R: where else has it appeared, apart from Another Sky?

C: there’s always ‘another’, there’s always something after, you know?

R: do you think that’s quite optimistic?

C: I’m always an optimist, I think, more than I realise.

R: yeah, I like that.

C: there’s a lot of boats coming up, look, I’ve got two on here, now.

R: you like the sea.

C: I love the sea. I didn’t realise how much I love animals.

R: why do you think that is?

C: I don’t know, I seem to adore them.

R: they’re sweet, aren’t they? they’re reassuring. I’m allergic to one of these magazines.

Catrin laughs.

R: my hands are itching. Ask Vinz if he gets allergic to magazines.

Vinz responds to my text.

‘I think, first and foremost, an artist just is, just exists, if you know what I mean. They just come into the world as an entity, and everything else is a consequence of themselves. So being an artist is always a rebellion, in a sense. We wouldn’t be artists if there weren’t things imposed on us. Arthur Miller said something along the lines of, ‘an artist’s job is to remind people of what they choose to forget’. I think that encapsulates what I’m trying to say better. A Russian poet said, about being a poet…ah, it’s hard to translate, but they said, ‘what two different people can see, from two different perspectives, a poet can see at once’. What two people can see, a poet is able to connect them. For something that to most is only accessible separately, a poet can connect that. Thank you for this question. Really got me thinking. Thank you Rishi’ - Vincenzo Grande

C: yeah, my approach, is that I don’t want to put much else on this, what do you think?

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