14 October 2015
This article describes the way my art style has been developing through the years, adapting to my life circumstances, and how the art made my life similar to what many would call with a name Freedom. This text was first published in the catalog of the exhibition Art – the Follower or the Leader, held in July 2015.
Personal and professional development of Vesna Opavsky
After my studies, when I was hired for a full-time job and started spending most of the day in the office, in front of the computer screen, with indoor light… I had to abandon traditional graphic techniques such as lithography, etching, engraving… Getting to know possibilities of digital art better, have found the way to create the safe floral and herbal environment, that can make up to me hours that I was used to spend freely in nature, outdoors. Art and creativity helped a lot, and it could be seen in my visual art expressions:
The year 2003
Life circumstances: Fourth year of spending every day in nature of Topcider forest in Belgrade, where the graphic department of Faculty of Fine Art was located.
Art expression: Nature motifs, especially leaves, trees and forest elements, were my inspiration from the beginning of my art practice. In the beginning, I was presenting them with a simple line drawing. They were some kind of confirmation of what I see.
The year 2004
Life circumstances: Fifth year of studies made me aware that I should leave my faculty and the forest soon
Art expression: Long walks through the forest become even longer and made my style richer for new, more complex textures. Background of the artworks was not white anymore, but more and more covered with the semi-transparent layers. As a witness of the spring sun coming through the branches, in the new phase, I’ve added a rhythm of light and shades. In my monochromatic drawing, I’ve first added the yellow color.
Years 2004-2005
Life circumstances: Final year of studies and first contact with digital printing technique
Art expression: At first new technique brought me a bit of roughness. sharp lines and strong colors. Maybe not the style, but motives have clearly reflected nostalgic memories of nature. As it can be seen, on first digital works my style was almost posterized, a little bit clumsy, but also undoubtedly showing affection for nature, with the hands touching the trees and growing together with it.
Years 2005-2007
Life circumstances: Sunlight and green color have been replaced with indoor light and cramped office space.
Art expression: I was writing poems and diary for decades then, and my new profession has included copywriting, so language was taken even professionally. Making my handwriting a part of the new art series I've provided even more textures to my art forests. I was still using text for its visual effects, more for its readability and meaning. Aside from the handwriting rhythm, there is a rhythm of more and more small areas made of overlapping of the motives. Hands are fading, but the textures are richer. Poems included are about the disappointment caused by losing contact with nature. Besides the drawings, I am starting to use digital photography in the artworks.
The Year 2009
Life circumstances: Master project art exhibition “Windows to Nature“
Art expression: Personal and professional improvement of using digital software came just in time when I started to be separated from both regular art practice and natural environment. But knowing of Photoshop was the thing that allowed me to make my longing for trees visible, what made me feel better. Making my art more and more complex was directly caused by my growing need for replacement natural scenes.
In my work, I significantly increase the number of layers I use – drawings, photos, and even scanned materials collected in the forest, like leaves, small branches, blooms, ground, that add more and more textures to my pieces. Those compositions are based on contrasts in light, color and sharpness level. I am using colors from the forest. I’ve put the digital frame, like a symbol of digital culture that is all around us. It is also a kind of watermark to this collection. The frame contains complete details about each original file.
Years 2011-2013
Life circumstances: I had reconciled myself to being separated from the trees and fresh air, and bringing a small digital camera with me is a cry for the few moments spent in the park on my way to work.
Art expression: In this phase, the advantage that I give to the photos over the drawings is noticeable. Bigger, less diverse, motives, and also more daring colors present segments of magnificent nature. Due to my absence from nature, I was searching for the most convincing creations. Many exhibition visitors relate those graphics to impressions of sounds and scents.
The Year 2013
Life circumstances: Presentation of the doctoral art project “Art as a Keyword” and certification as a Media trainer for internet communication
Art expression: Digital techniques are suitable for connecting such opposite things as inner needs and surroundings. With emphasizing the texture I felt as close to nature, as possible with my current lifestyle. Word cloud came naturally with my professions, both because it’s semantical value, but also because of his rhythmical shape, that suits my art style and visual research. From my Internet Consultant's experience, I could have told Word Cloud was the best way to express concisely even complex things. I was wondering if art message transfer could be optimized if viewers attention lasts at least a little bit longer. Apart from constant visual elements, I was using – texture, harmony, gradation, and transparency, in this project I could have recognized my permanent interests – element from nature, digital internet culture and text.
Conclusion
Art is an ideal cure for a busy and stressful life. For art, we have to stop and think. I will continue trying to unite art and everyday life, instincts, and habits, emotional and intellectual, irrational and rational, natural and digital. My art contains my complete life and it is about fears, hopes, and achievements.
Creativity and art can follow us through life, but if we let them lead I am sure, they can show the right way to us.
Check my recent works.
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