I recall looking at the sunset, it was beautiful, I stared in awe like I had recognized something in the sunset that was in me as well, I did not question why.
As I walked into the studio, I was greeted with so much joy by Kristin and her lovely husband Josh.
I looked around and there they were. Monolithic in size, with ancient grandiose that pulled me indefinitely.
They stood there powerfully radiating mystery but felt somewhat familiar.
As I stared at them, I began to get the same feelings that I had felt from looking at the sunset, except this time I did dare question why...
Q: What was the basis awareness of this work? What led to this body of work?
I wanted to be left alone to do work and I wanted no one to pick on me, and I thought “ I should make that into work".
I was staying at Kenny’s house watching his cats, he has a big yard where I had a lot of time to just relax. I had these thoughts, “Don't look at me, just give me money leave me alone but think of me fondly and don't leave me out”
That's exactly where I was in life, and where i was in the world.
Q: How did the process of the series impact you? Any insights?
Because these paintings are wrinkled, every vertical line impacts the others.
I have come to a new level of drawing because of working on these paintings.
In Kitsch paintings they talked about painting is all about light but because these paintings are black of black things
in a way, they are more only paintings of light because the only thing that falls on these black things is light.
These are just shapes catching lights without that theres nothing, so its only a painting of light which I thought was hair raising!
Q: is there anything specifically that you would want the viewer to get? or do you want them to answer it for themselves by themselves?
I don't want to leave them out.. but I hope they don't get angry at me for these paintings.
These paintings are for people, they are for painters and non painters,
they are paintings for the universe.
They are like spells to give me space but the focus isn't just on me.
The journey was for myself.
I love paintings more than most things except nature but maybe even more..
I see the world through paintings, i look for masterpieces I look for something that is almost unbelievable.
A painting can end up being a charged artifact, like something miraculous that exists.
An artist's intention matters at one level but the object itself is something else.
It can be imbued in some type of consciousness like a blueprint.
That's what I want to do.
To cast a spell that gives me more room in life, to be alone but also be able to follow my bliss to follow my work.. to be lost in art.
I want to make something with a soul.
I want to make an artwork that is awake, that is sentient.
These paintings are the experiences of this feeling, they are not an illustration. They are the experiences themselves.
Q: why black?
It just seemed right, it felt like the color of the feeling.
If you burn a black candle, it negates energy.
Black because it was a feeling.
Q: Will you continue to work this way? Or will you leave it behind?
I want to sell them! (as she laughs hysterically)
I want to do a pink one.
I don't know what i will do next but i think i will fill the entire studio with 10ft paintings
all pink, the base color will be pink.
I will do classrooms, I'm gonna paint places maybe you’ll be in there.
As a woman, and as a former girl, pink.. i just can't resist pink.. it’s just so pretty.
Most girls biologically respond to pink at least like 90%.
Even if they deny it, they still do respond to it!
Pink is so charged because it is so loved and hated, it seemed like something Interesting to investigate.
I work more on a project basis more than most artists, kind of like a conceptual artist but with paintings.
Q: You say you love painting, what's your aim when it comes to painting?
Just to pass time, why not?
When i was 19 i had a more clear idea of things i felt like there was a lot of bad in the world and hurting going around and i felt like everything except art was damaging and i also felt weirdly alienated from a lot of things. Then I turned to art.
I felt like I could do good with art.
To create these objects with consciousness.
I thought maybe these artifacts that I created charged with so much love would make a impact in the world
but now i don’t know.
it’s just a part of me, its like breathing now.
I like to think that art could change the world.
Putting the intention for something to be good in the world in the painting would work like creating a new magic crystal that would impact the earth and its inhabitants.
If you build a good composition, it’ll grow.
Put it away for years then take it out again it'll still be alive.
But a bad composition will drain out, die out.
If its built right, it’ll be glowing regardless of where it is.
Deep thanks for Kristin and her amazing work, you can find more of it at http://www.kristincalabrese.com/artwork.html