Fashzilla Magazine
Where do you find inspiration?
It all started when I divorced after marrying way too young. When I found myself in a position where the carpet was ripped from under me, I could finally start all over again. I realized that I could rewrite the story of my life.
Many would argue that it does not have to take a life-changing occurrence to choose to live differently. That one can enjoy what was about to happen to me within a marriage as well. Still, I genuinely feel that this significant occurrence is precisely what I needed to wake up. I needed to realize that life can be more than just going to work and coming home to watch tv while watching your dreams dwindle away.
My desire for security and stability quickly fizzled when I realized that it was all a lie anyway. If a life you build can fall apart this quickly, it isn’t genuinely secure, now is it? But instead of being overcome with fear, I found myself completely surrendering to the unpredictability of life, not from a position of being a victim of circumstances but from a space of overwhelming excitement and complete awe.
I realized that even after everything that happened, I was still here. And as I was sitting with my cat in a small room that I rented, which I aptly named my shoebox, I began to fall in love with the richness of the experiences I encountered. I grew into this outgoing person who enjoyed life and connected with strangers. I made many new friends and found myself in the most bizarre circumstances because I was open to it! I fell overwhelmingly in love with life and saw every day as an adventure!
I started asking myself, where else have I been holding myself back? And I remembered how attracted I was to the occult since I was a child. It’s always fascinated me, but it was forbidden to study it because I grew up in a religious household. So I decided to buy my first tarot deck.
I remember looking at all the different cards lying before me, being fascinated by how the fool’s journey is mapped out in so much detail. Each card described the fool’s experiences on his journey to spiritual awakening and, therefore, all the adventures we can experience as well.
There are moments where you come across the magician and step into your inner power, and there are times when you meet the hermit and realize that nature is breathing with you. The deck describes times of deep pain and of splendid ecstasy. Because of my willingness to experience it all with a heart wide open, I started drawing inspiration from the deck in my work.
I also enjoy going into nature, especially the desert. When you’re in a desert, there is almost nothing to look at, and you, therefore, have no choice but to look into yourself. I also mimicked this with my earlier works, where the static figure stares straight at the viewer. I think this can make a lot of people uncomfortable.
But just as the fool is uncertain of what is to come, I choose to remain open to other sources of inspiration that are yet to find me on my journey.
When is your favourite time of day to create?
I don’t have a specific time of the day that I enjoy creating but instead work in cycles. I usually start in the morning and often paint for 18 hours while forgetting to eat or do anything else. Once I’m in the flow of creating, I don’t allow anything to stop me until I have nothing more to give. This is usually followed by a day or two when I rest and do other work.
Which art trends inspire your current work?
I really love the maximalist decor, and I enjoy drawing inspiration from color palettes of maximalist interiors for my work.
How has your style changed over time?
When I first started sharing my art online, I painted things that I felt would be accepted by everyone. My paintings were finely rendered images, and there was not one element of experimentation and play. Although this phase did help me progress my technical skills, I was miserable creating most of these artworks because I didn’t feel aligned with myself.
2020 was the year my entire world changed! I finally decided to create art around topics that interested me. The frustration of limiting my self-expression became more significant than my fear of rejection. I began creating images of shamans and deities. Some of my art covered topics around unleashing one’s inner power and listening to your intuition. This was the year when my art truly transformed. I fell in love with painting again, which I think is evident in the work I created at this time. There were even hints of impasto paint popping out between the neatly flattened layers!
The following year, I started experimenting with incorporating elements that correspond with the energy I aim to convey in my work. I began to make my own pigments, and I started using them according to what they represent on an energetic level.
The question of why paintings are still valid in a world where photography and digital drawings can create the same thing faster was constantly at the back of my mind. It was also a big topic in the university’s studios when I studied fine art. In working with energy by using the elements from the earth, I could finally create something digital work can not.
I still work with energy in my paintings by creating unique oils for each painting. I love sharing every detail of my process on social media because being transparent with my collectors is very important to me.
While imagery by itself is already so powerful, I want my art to be more than that! My biggest desire is for my art to serve as amulets, energy magnets, conversation starters, and portals to go back into oneself. Something that goes far beyond what meets the eye.
The idea with these paintings is that you get to charge the artwork with your intention, similar to how you’d charge a crystal. The energetic correspondences are already there, but it’s up to you to direct that energy in whichever way you see fit.
Does art help you in other areas of your life?
Yes, it definitely affects my entire life. Shortly after finishing my studies in art, I stopped painting for a whole year. This was the longest that I’ve gone without painting. I became obsessive over random things. I constantly moved the furniture in my apartment, as an example. Not painting at all made me feel restless, and it felt like the urge to create was trying to come out in various ways.
Creating art helps me to process my inner world. I become more aware of the thoughts that run through my mind and the sensations produced by emotions that rise and fall within my body. It’s one of my favourite forms of meditation.
What motivates you to create?
Since I’ve received my first painting set when I was 4 years old, I’ve been enchanted by painting! I’ve always had this inner need to create, and my life is colourless without it. I just have this inner knowing that this is what I need to do.
What do you think is the best way to develop your art skills?
The only way to build your art skills is by constantly practicing and making mistakes.
If one would try to improve his technical skills, observational drawing and taking art classes can be very beneficial. While experimenting with various techniques and media can help to broaden your creative vocabulary.
What are your plans for the future?
You can follow my journey on Instagram to experience upcoming projects first-hand. I don’t want to ruin the surprise!
Where can one purchase your piece?
You can visit my website obsidianodyssey.com or contact me on Instagram with the handle @obsidian.odyssey
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