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Karina Bania, Night Sky Over Texas |
Today I'm inaugurating a new Blue Locket feature: artists talking about their inspiration. Karina Bania paints expressionistic, beautiful canvases. She documents her creative process and (and her young daughters' artwork) in her poetic, beautifully photographed blog, Curate the Day. Here she shares—with so much depth and consideration—her thoughts on creativity, art, solitude, and the passing of time. Also, I love seeing the common colors, shapes, and themes in her own paintings and in some of her favorite pieces of art. Karina, thank you so much for your lovely, inspiring words!
1.
What inspires you?
Everything serves as a source of inspiration for me. The way the
sunlight hits the floor, being in nature, a good conversation, a
messy studio, the way my kids approach a blank canvas, all inspire my
work and, more importantly, my life. I read a lot, so titles of books,
the images a few simple words can create, poetry, or odd language,
can spark a whole series of paintings. Fashion is also a big
influence, the lines of a dress, color combinations, magazine
layouts, and runway looks, have all translated into art.
Throughout my life, my main influences have been Eastern philosophy,
dense urban life, empty spaces, imperfections, the play of light, and
our relationship to everyday objects and rituals.
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Karina Bania, Meet You in the Middle |
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Uta Barth, Time Series |
2. Who are your
favorite artists? My
lifelong loves are Cy Twombly, Basquiat, and Rauschenberg. I love Uta
Barth’s work; it’s transfixing. Helen Frankenthaler, Christopher
Wool, Landon Metz, and Ethan Cook are my current sources of
inspiration. I love pictures of Picasso’s life, he was a true bon
vivant. Ruth Asawa’s work, in particular her crocheted
wire sculptures, are incredible. The
simplicity and lines of ceramic artists like Lucie Rie and Paula
Greif make me melt, as well as the land art sculptures of Andy
Goldsworthy.
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Jean-Michel Basquiat, Ascent |
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Ceramics by Paula Greif |
3.
Can you name some favorite works of art?
My
favorite works of art have a lot to do with seeing them in person and
where I was in my life when I saw them. Standing in front of
Matisse’s Dance for the first time was life changing. I didn’t
know the scale of the work and I experienced the feeling of being
brought into the painting. That feeling made me look at art
differently and really understand the equation
of art object + viewer = art. It
was profound. Being surrounded by a body of Rothko’s work is
transforming. In particular, Rothko’s No.
61 (Rust and Blue) is one of
my favorites. I love anything I can
get lost in. I’m always moved by Cy Twombly’s Triumph of Galatea
and Joseph Albers Homage to the Square. And I will never pass up
seeing Basquiat’s work or a Warhol.
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Mark Rothko, No. 61 (Rust and Blue) |
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Cy Twombly, Triumph of Galatea |
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Joseph Albers, Homage to the Square |
4.
Where do you do your best work?
In solitude. I talk about this a lot, I need silence and time alone
to think and hear inspiration. When my mind is singularly focused in
the moment, like while driving, lying in bed, sitting in the garden,
or reading, ideas come to the surface. Most of the time, they are
unrelated and indirectly inspired by what I am doing. I usually jot
them down in the moment. Later,
while creating, I am pretty ritualistic. I have an art studio at my
house where I work. I like the studio
warm, with the same music on that I have listened to for weeks on
end, so I am not thinking, I am not retracting at all, I am simply
receptive, relaxed and able to create.
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Karina Bania, East Side |
5.
What scares you? Time
scares me. Specifically, the shortness of life and the length of
things I want to experience. When this anxiousness arises I try to
remember that depth, which is probably the most important aspect of
living, is only experienced in the moment and then I try to live
fully now. Also, beginning, sometimes, scares me. Not wanting to
experience that gap between my ideas and the quality of what I am
able to create in the moment. But I know the only way to close that gap is to keep working, so I
continue knowing that nothing is permanent. It can always be painted
over and something good always comes from the process of creating.
yay! love her, love this feature. You know I love the quizzes :) xx
ReplyDeletethanks Jessica!
DeleteNadya, thanks so much for having me! The questions were great and it made me get clear on my creative process and where I draw inspiration. I love these interviews so I will definitely be following this column. xx
ReplyDelete