JONATHAN CHERRY: What did you want to be growing up?
PAUL FITZSIMMONS: A football player or something to do with Sharks.
JC: Who or what is inspiring you at the moment?
PF: At this moment I am concentrating on going traveling so a lot of time is going into getting money, its been a nice change from university, but I have not really had any time to turn my ideas into anything.
In terms of artists - everyone in and around the Brighton University photography course, so many cool people in such a small building. In particular, Pezhman Zahed and Tom Calvert I think both of these boys in particular are doing something very original, also Paul Butkus work is amazing.
Graduates like Sam A Harris, Alex Catt and Olivia Poppy Coles made me looking at things differently with photography and I think the fact they were only a year above me made me work harder.
I just come across Sam Irons whos work is quality, some really intresting stuff. Also Elliot Holbrow its cool to see someone making work around my music scene and just doing what they want to do.
JC: What are you up to right now?
PF: Working too much, got a one way flight booked to Melbourne on the 26th of November. I don’t own a camera at the moment so not been able to do much photography wise.
JC: Have you had mentors along the way?
PF: Lots and Lots, my old college teacher - Martin Toft, everyone at Brighton in particular Jim Cooke and my Final year group,
JC: Where are you based right now and how is it shaping you?
PF: Jersey, its been good to put photography on the side for the last few months .
JC: One piece of advice to photography graduates?
PF: I am one so I would say don’t rush into things, because thats what I’m doing.
JC: Is it important to you to be a part of a creative community?
PF: Yes and no, some people do better on their own or just with the people around them, I think a lot of artists are just pretentious and don’t have anything good to say. But you can’t beat discussing work with people on the same page as you.
