by Erich
Status: 12.05.2023
You are the ‘Studierenden Kunstmarkt’ Artist of the Month for July 2023. Congratulations!
Thank you very much. I was really, really pleased to hear that!
Where and what are you studying?
I’m studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kolbermoor, currently in the second of three years of the diploma course in painting under Heribert Heindl, Helmut Geier and Nina Kohlmann.
Would you perhaps like to give us a brief insight into what you’re currently working on?
At the moment, I’m focusing on my series ‘Girl in a suit’. The series focuses on personal development, on drawing on inner strengths and on the empowerment of women.
What materials and techniques do you prefer to work with?
At the moment, I prefer working with acrylics on canvas. But who knows what else I might discover for myself :-)
Do you work in your studio, or, for example, ‘en plein air’ or from a model?
In a way, all three apply. I like to find inspiration outside my studio. That’s why I always have my sketchbook and pencils in my bag so I can quickly sketch scenes from everyday life. I then transfer these to canvas in my studio.
Who inspires you?
I love colours and the effect they have on us and our mood. That’s why I’m also a big fan of David Hockney. The colour combinations in his portraits and landscape paintings are brilliant and defining of the Pop Art movement of the 1960s. But I also find the works of Paul Gauguin very interesting, particularly his depictions of women in his South Sea paintings.
How do you choose your subjects? Do you always have a specific goal in mind, or is it more of an emotional process?
Thanks to the sketchbooks I’ve filled over the years, I never have the problem of not knowing how to fill a blank canvas. If anything, I have so many ideas that I don’t have enough time to realise them all! A great deal of feeling and positive emotion flows into my paintings, because I believe that the feelings the artist experiences whilst painting always find their way into the work. I want only the most positive feelings to be conveyed through me and my paintings.
Which themes have you been exploring for some time?
I’ve been exploring the themes of mindset in relation to mind positivity and empowerment for quite some time. That’s how the idea for my series “Girl in a Suit” came about. With this series, I want to portray strong and independent women who radiate courage and self-confidence. The title of the series itself alludes to this. For a long time, it was only men – men of standing and power – who wore suits. This series encourages women to be self-assured and to become aware of their inner strength. They are, quite literally, putting on the suit.
Who are the people you portray? Or do they exist more in your imagination?
Each of my women represents very different strengths and mindsets, which are intended to remind the viewer of their own every time. So they are not real, portrayed individuals, but rather stand as representatives of all women.
How has the use of colour
in your work
developed
?
How has the
use
of colour in your work developed? I think I’ve always had a preference for strong colours, particularly shades of pink and rose. Over time, my colour combinations have become bolder. I like to use complementary colours to create tension. But what matters most to me is the effect the colours have on the viewer and the feelings they evoke. .
How would you describe your style?
I’d describe my style as pop-inspired and colourful. If I had to categorise my style, it would be a mix of Pop Art and Post-Impressionism.
What do you do when you’re not painting? What do you get up to?
I love making things look lovely and, as well as painting, I enjoy DIY projects and breathing new life into finds from the flea market. To clear my head and let the inspiration flow, I do yoga and meditate.
Why do you often paint your figures with only a hint of a face?
A hint of a face is enough to give the viewer an insight into the figures’ inner state, whilst still leaving plenty of scope for their own interpretation, thoughts and imagination.
