What inspired you to create art and become an artist? (Events, feelings, experiences…)
For me, it has always been this way: Painting is a feeling of freedom, weightlessness, and flying. I was a very spirited and lively child, full of life energy and initiative. I always dove spontaneously and quickly into all sorts of adventures. At 14, the desire to paint arose in me. In school, I sketched during lessons instead of following the teacher. Even then, I was deeply engaged with the female form. As a teenager, I copied a lot of old masters. The sensual depiction of the female ideal of beauty by Rubens greatly inspired me. That was my first inspiration. My parents said, "Wow- what great pictures!" They decided to further encourage my creativity through private lessons. Most teachers were inspiring and taught me a lot. Handling painting became a daily naturalness for me. After school, and later, after completing my studies in urban engineering, as well as various attempts to find my way in life, it became clear to me what I must do in my life: Only in painting do I find peace, inspiration, and satisfaction; that is my calling!
What is your artistic background, and what techniques and themes have you experimented with so far?
Curiosity was and is the most important basis for my artistic creation. I have tried different techniques and various motifs. It was a years-long journey. Initially, I experimented with mural painting, icon painting, and fresco painting. I was on an eternal journey - in search of myself - as an artist. It was only when I came to Zurich in 2010 that I realized: I am standing in front of the mirror and thinking, "Life is me – life is a woman. Through a woman, life is created - without a woman, this world does not exist." That was the actual beginning of my artistic creation.
What 3 aspects distinguish you from other artists and make your work unique?
That's hard to say… I think every artist is creative and unique in their art. Every artist thinks that their art is the most beautiful and something special and unique. I think - my dynamic and energetic use of form, the choice of colors in mostly orange tones, and the special brush technique with which all my pictures are created, is what gives me my own place among many.
Where does your inspiration come from?
My paintings emerge from my deepest intuition. Women often see the world with different eyes than men. Especially in art, the female perspective is enlightening, inspiring, and simply beautiful. For centuries, women have been at the center of art: as objects - as muses. The female body, the female soul, the uniqueness of women - that inspires me. No matter where I am: traveling, in a restaurant, with friends, or elsewhere - I am always searching and observing beautiful things around me. I have been inspired by the art of Niki de Saint Phalle (a French-Swiss modern artist). Her "Nana – Figures" - faceless, colorful, and large-scale female figures – still fascinate me today.
What is your artistic approach? What visions, sensations, or feelings do you want to evoke in the viewer?
Clear contours and contrasts, as well as an interplay of organic and geometric forms, accompany my work. My themes are portraits, the female body, and the female soul. My works should be varied for the viewer and let the gaze wander through the image. Through different painting techniques combined in each image, their interplay should work on its own and bring the viewer closer to my signature style. The viewer should oscillate between the familiar and the novel and embark on a journey with the image, with me.
How is the creation process of your works? Spontaneous or with a long preparation process (technically, inspiration through art classics or others)?
My paintings are conceived in my mind. I don't work with models - rather, I see faces, listen to stories from friends and acquaintances, and process that in my paintings. Often there is a symbiosis of what I've heard, my own life experiences, my feelings, and my imagination. Faces and bodies emerge from memory and form the basis for a theme, which then crystallizes piece by piece. Not always what was the starting point emerges - the images grow in a process and in the end, something is created that sometimes surprises even me. Stories, memories, and impressions then merge into something new… That is what drives me forward. Again and again, the fascination of what emerges from the original thought - from the draft - in the end. I process in my paintings, so to speak, the impressions that come through me and other people. My paintings should - despite all the dynamics and energy - also express inner peace and composure.
Do you use a specific working technique? If so, can you explain it?
For me, it is important to create a distinctive technique. This is my signature – it should be my hallmark – my own trademark, so to speak. I work exclusively with oil paints. I use a special brush technique where I form the paint for the main part of the works – for the main statement - into small circles or dots with the brush. Through their different shades, I shape the corporeality/three-dimensionality, and they create the main image like large pixel points. As a result, a plastic relief is created. In contrast, there are graphic ornaments of exact hair-thin lines, applied with very fine brushes, on a smoothly applied background. The pictures consist of several layers of paint. It is a very time-consuming and labor-intensive process...
Are there innovative aspects in your work? Can you tell us what they are?
I would describe my technique as innovative – and perhaps also my approach to each work, with its own statement.
Do you have a format or medium with which you feel most comfortable? If so, why?
In principle, I prefer to work with large formats – and only with oil paints. Why? – I can't explain that. Oil paints: Because their properties best suit my work and my technique? Large formats: The spatial effect of large formats, the visibility of large formats?
Where do you produce your works? At home, in a shared workshop, or in your own studio? And how do you organize your creative work in this space?
I work from home in a separate room – my small studio. This is MY special place where I can think, try things out, and experience inspiration... My dream would be to have a dedicated studio with plenty of space and light – with more room and possibilities, where I can be chaotic and free.
Does your work lead you to travel to meet new collectors, for fairs or exhibitions? If so, what does it bring to you?
Traveling and art often mean surprises, adventures, and unforgettable experiences. You can find art everywhere. Curiosity about something new is a very important aspect of my creativity.
How do you envision the development of your work and your career as an artist in the future?
I try to be active in the international art market. What does the future bring? Everything is complex - it's difficult to give an answer.
What is the theme, style, or technique of your latest artistic production?
I have just finished the painting "Artistic Labyrinth". The theme: The labyrinth is the framework in which everyone can find an artistic direction in their own individual way.
Can you tell us about your most important fair experience?
I think it was my first art fair, the Scope Basel. It was the first time I was at an international fair with my own paintings, and it was unique for me! The atmosphere was international with galleries and artists from all over the world. I was very impressed!
If you could have created a famous work of art history, which one would you choose? And why?
There are so many artworks, all with different artistic contents, with different techniques, with different backgrounds, created by different personalities. I cannot create any of these artworks in such a way that it becomes what it has become. An artwork only becomes an artwork through the personality of the artist who created it.
If you could invite a famous artist (dead or alive) to dinner, who would it be? How would you suggest spending the evening?
I would invite Joan Miro. I would ask him about the meaning of his symbols, about his motivation and inspirations, and talk about his leaning on his colors blue, red, yellow, and black on the tradition of the Bauhaus.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli
