Interview | Patricia Casanova: the colors of the stones

What inspired you to create art and become an artist? (Events, feelings, experiences...)

In recent years, I’ve been inspired by what is definitely subtle, specifically the colors of the stones from my old Tandil mountains with their mosses and lichens.

What is your artistic background, the techniques and themes you have experimented with so far?

I graduated from the Centro Polivalente de Arte in Tandil.
I’ve taken advanced courses with professors and artists from Tandil and Buenos Aires: Prof. Ignacio Crespo (Education for Creativity), Sensei Kazu Takeda (Zen and Sumi-E Painting), etc.

What are the 3 aspects that differentiate you from other artists, making your work unique?

There is only one important aspect in art: honesty.

Where does your inspiration come from?

What I know is where it doesn’t come from: it doesn’t come from trends or market demands. It doesn’t come from other external societal requirements. Yes, it is clearly nourished by my environment and emotions, but when my antenna is up, I’m not exactly sure what happens.

What is your artistic approach? What visions, sensations, or feelings do you want to evoke in the viewer?

Peace, enjoyment, pleasure… I suppose it can be summed up as harmony. Or that which is the finest, the thinnest part of the subtle. Regarding the ugly, aggressive, and bad, sadly, I believe there is too much of that in everything else. I try to aim for the opposite of that.

What is the creation process of your works? Spontaneous or with a long preparatory process (technical, inspiration from classical art, or others)?

I start by playing, creating textures with shapes and gestures using pigments. Then I see what the painting tells me.

Do you use any particular working technique? If so, can you explain it?

It’s always the same as I described in the previous question.

Are there any innovative aspects in your work? Can you tell us what they are?

I never force my work; instead, I let it flow naturally. So, I trust that changes just happen, with the different things that attract me.

Do you have any format or medium you feel more comfortable with? If so, why?

Depending on the years, different mediums: first oils used with a watercolor technique, very transparent. Later I integrated acrylics. Now I also use mediums that I used in the beginning: pastel, ink, various textures, gold, silver, or copper leaf, and more.

Where do you create your works? At home, in a shared studio, or your own studio? And in this space, how do you organize your creative work?

I would love to have a very large studio... For now, my workspace is integrated into my home. This is also convenient: if my antenna is up, there’s no need to leave.

Does your work lead you to travel to meet new collectors, attend fairs, or exhibitions? If so, what does it bring you?

I haven’t moved my work much.

How do you imagine the evolution of your work and your career as an artist in the future?

I think it’s time for me to start making moves in that direction, since I haven’t done so until now. It was quite crazy that when the internet was just starting, I had quite a presence on social media at that time, and my paintings were known in Spain and Turkey, for example, but not in my country or city. It’s time to activate.

What is the theme, style, or technique of your latest artistic production?

The sea, the work in the photos.

Can you tell us about your most important exhibition experience?

!!! I suppose the ones that are coming now... But my first solo exhibition at a gallery in my city in 1997 was incredibly important for me.

If you could have created a famous work in the history of art, which one would you choose? And why?

Turner, any of his works. He was the first great abstract artist (not the very figurative ones), but those that are all background with minimal human figures that were even unnecessary. Or the Anatomy Lesson.

If you could invite a famous artist (alive or dead) to dinner, who would it be? How would you suggest they spend the night?

I suppose Gauguin. While he had his complicated moments, he also had a great time in the Islands. In the end, I think his life wasn’t as tortured as others. And I suppose he must have been a fun character. I would spend an evening with food, drink, and lots of conversation, maybe in the Islands.