Art – specifically painting and graphic art – helps me to notice beauty. One could, of course, say that the world is a source of inspiration, but that isn’t always true. I seek that inspiration within it. I look for something to latch onto.
And it is this process – the search, the artistic expression, the realisation of my own feelings – that brings me satisfaction.
All my creative work reflects who I am, and every piece has its own value and significance. Of course, I would very much like my paintings to be of value to others as well.
What topics do I work on?
A sense of peace – that feeling of solitude which is akin to meditation, contemplation and a sense of one’s own presence.
I like landscapes because we’re both there and looking in from the outside. It’s a first-person perspective; it’s like saying, ‘Look through my eyes’.
Most of my landscapes are painted from life, and I really love that sense of being immersed in reality – when you don’t just see it, but breathe it in, feel it with your skin and capture those sensations.
Childhood
Sometimes I feel a longing for times gone by; it is genuinely hard for me to accept that so much has been lost or will be lost.
But I do not like nostalgia at all: it brings such overwhelming sadness. I want to create works about childhood that do not evoke sadness, but instead take us to a sense of relaxation, rest and childhood safety, when the world is vast and the only problem is finding out what that interesting, colourful beetle is called.
A still life with dried flowers is my ‘Memento mori’ in my work: a reminder that life is a ‘wonderful gift’, with much love, friendship and wonderful people, and that it is short. Naturally, there is also sadness and pain, but the world changes and we are part of it.
We can leave a lasting mark – beauty is eternal if we cherish it.
Flowers
There is a garden at my parents’ house. The flowers that grow there include lilies, roses, peonies and many different annuals and other perennials. In summer and autumn, my mum would often bring me cut flowers in the morning for still lifes. My husband also brings me flowers to make me happy. So, as I see it, ‘flowers’ are ‘love in the language of nature’.
I don’t know a single person who doesn’t enjoy flowers and blossoming trees.
Flowers are the epitome of beauty in form.
I love animals: their appearance, movements and behaviour. Yes, I may avoid some of them and be afraid of them for my own safety. But in general, I love almost all of them, from little spiders to elephants.
Cats, dogs, birds, fish, tortoises and snails often feature in my work – basically anything I could draw from life.
And I suppose this, too, is my way of expressing my gratitude for the wonders of nature.
As an artist, I really want to remain true to myself and, of course, for my work to mean something to others, whilst also providing me with an income that allows me to continue practising my art.
