What inspired you to create art and become an artist?
I have been painting and studying art since childhood, but I did not plan to become an artist. After university I worked as a graphic designer and I liked this creative profession. One day I came to an exhibition of a very talented woman artist, her art and the path of becoming an artist really inspired me. I realized how much I wanted to immerse myself in this incredible and free world of art. From that moment I had a dream of becoming an artist and a new stage in my life began
What is your artistic background, the techniques and subjects you have experimented with so far?
Thanks to my studies at the art university, I was able to try many types of art and different techniques. We had courses in drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking. Now I mainly paint, work in acrylic and oil and also plan to work in clay in the future.
What are the 3 aspects that differentiate you from other artists, making your work unique?
I think that every artist's vision is unique and everyone conveys their own ideas in their art. This is how I embody my own vision of beauty and harmony. In my art, I also explore the influence of nature on the human condition, conveying its power to energize and inspire. In addition, all my works contain plant motifs. Even if it is abstract, it is inspired by natural forms.
Where does your inspiration come from?
I get inspiration from everywhere. My perception is already geared towards finding interesting compositions and combinations of shades.
What is your artistic approach? What visions, sensations or feelings do you want to evoke in the viewer?
I like it when art fills, calms and pleases. I also like to convey in my paintings various states of nature that appeal to certain feelings. For example, a warm breeze in a flowering field or an overgrown pond flooded with warm sunlight.
What is the process of creating your works? Spontaneous or with a long preparatory process (technical, inspiration from art classics or other)?
The process of creating my works depends on their type. For example, I paint most of the works from the “Floral” series from life in a greenhouse. I paint landscapes most often from my photographs or sketches. As for my abstract embroidery artworks from the new series "Shades and Textures of Nature", I create them without sketches. They seem to appear on their own during the work process.
Do you use a particular work technique? if so, can you explain it?
In my paintings, underpainting is of great importance. I set the color scheme, texture, and mood on the first painting layer. Then comes the elaboration of details and refinement of forms.
When creating my abstract panels, I use mixed media, combining acrylic, embroidery and gold leaf gilding.
Are there any innovative aspects in your work? Can you tell us which ones?
While working on my series "Shades and Textures of Nature" I found a unique combination of techniques, mixing embroidery, painting and gilding.
Do you have a format or medium that you are most comfortable with? if yes, why ?
I prefer acrylic and oil, sometimes I use mixed media. I am not tied to a specific format.
Where do you produce your works? At home, in a shared workshop or in your own workshop?
During the cold season, I create my works in my home workshop. In the summer I often work in a greenhouse or outdoors.
Does your work lead you to travel to meet new collectors, for fairs or exhibitions? If so, what does it bring you?
For a long time, I was comfortable with the position of a reclusive artist, focused on creating art in my studio and rarely exhibiting offline. However, recently I have become interested in participating in fairs and exhibitions around the world. And little by little I am moving towards this goal.
How do you imagine the evolution of your work and your career as an artist in the future?
My next goal is to have more representation in the exhibition area. I also plan to delve into pottery to enrich my ways of expressing myself.
What is the theme, style or technique of your latest artistic production?
From time to time I practice painting from life in the greenhouse. Now is just such a period and my latest work glorifies the beauty of the garden. This is a meter-long painting "Blooming Garden" using acrylic technique. I was inspired to create it by Japanese art with its special love and attention to plants.
Can you tell us about your most important exhibition experience?
This spring, for the first time, I exhibited a new series of works with abstract embroidery. And for me it was very touching and exciting to receive a great response from the audience and excellent feedback. However, I think that this is just the beginning and an equally exciting and interesting exhibition experience awaits me ahead.
If you could have created a famous work in the history of art, which one would you choose? And why?
Japanese art inspires me so much and I would choose the iconic work of Katsushika Hokusai “The Great Wave off Kanagawa”. This work of art delights me with its dynamics, expressiveness and compositional design.
If you could invite one famous artist (dead or alive) to dinner, who would it be? How would you suggest he spend the evening?
I would love to walk through the garden with Claude Monet, admiring the pond with water lilies and flower thickets.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli
