Collect ART

JULY 2023 VOL 28

Summer
Issue Seasonal
Edition

INGREDIENTS:
Gjert Rognli, Elizabeth Hindle, Luciano Caggianello, Irakli
Keidia, MAD Riande, Frances-Ann Norton, Something Like
Art Maybe, Léna Bogyay, Joshua Obara Norwood, Tiziana
Rasile, Mahnissa Maneerut (Queen B, Mandi), Savina
Ražnatović, Jennifer Friedman, Elizaveta Velikanova

SOMETIMES MADE WITH HANDLE WITH REQUIRES

FRAGILE LOVE CARE IMAGINATION
 On the Cover:
Part of the 'What nature knows' by Gjert Rognli
Part of the 'Philosophical quarrels' by Luciano Caggianello
CONTENT:
05 Gjert Rognli

11 Elizabeth Hindle

16 Luciano Caggianello

21 Iraklı Keidia

26 MAD Riande

30 Frances-Ann Norton

36 Something Like Art Maybe

42 Léna Bogyay

49 Joshua Obara Norwood

53 Tiziana Rasile

58 Mahnissa Maneerut (Queen B, Mandi)

66 Savina Ražnatović

71 Jennifer Friedman

77 Elizaveta Velikanova
Summer Issue | Seasonal Edition | July 2023 | Tbilisi, Georgia
Gjert
Rognli
The force of nature is at the heart of Gjert Rognli`s art practice, he works in a wide range
of media including film, photography, sculpture, and performance. He often draws in
references from his affiliation with Arctic Northern Norway, to light, darkness, and the
seasons, and the artwork floats between surrealism and mythology. Rognli has received
numerous international awards for his work with photography and film and had many
exhibitions at home and abroad, among others at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
With the photography project «What nature knows» Rognli draws in references from his
affiliation with Arctic Northern Norway, to light, darkness, and the seasons. He transforms
ordinary landscapes into an enigmatic places to be and takes us on a visual experience
in the evening and the atmosphere of the night. In the project, he immerses light
installations in water and creates harmony where there is a conflict between the
elements. He illuminates nature with LED lights and luminescent material.

05
Can you elaborate on how the force of nature influences your art practice and how it is
reflected in your diverse range of artistic media?
I have an indigenous background, in my childhood, I grew up in the Arctic North and got to
experience shamans healing people by using nature as a force and as a source of healing. This
has given me a different kind of interpretation of the surroundings and point of view in life.
How does your affiliation with Arctic Northern Norway inspire your artistic expression,
particularly in relation to the themes of light, darkness, and the changing seasons?
In Arctic Northern Norway, where I come from, it is completely dark in the winter, and in the
summer the sun shines around the clock. There is a lot of magic in watching the northern lights
dance across the sky in winter, and the full moon lighting up a dark winter day. These are strong
contrasts and have given me the inspiration to use light in several ways in my works. This type of
nature experience has created legends and stories that are linked to my Sami cultural heritage, a
way of life, and closeness to nature that benefits me today as a source of inspiration for my
works.
Could you discuss the interplay between surrealism and mythology in your artwork? How
do these elements come together to create a unique artistic narrative?
Surrealism gives you the opportunity to interpret the art in your own way as a viewer and gives
me great freedom as an artist to break up known structures that can be important to find
something else in the world we live in. Mythology is the same way, it is not tangible, but gives us
the opportunity to think our own ways. Surrealism and mythology give me the freedom to not be
bound by anything unless I choose it myself.
Can you tell us about some of the international awards you have received for your work
with photography and film? How do these accolades contribute to your artistic journey?
It has been a blessing that my art has struck a nerve in recent years, I, like many other artists, find
it difficult to be seen in a world with many talented artists. Back in 2020, I made the film "Life is a
two-way dream". To this date, it has won 74 international art and film awards, and it contributed its
message to the environmental conference in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt in 2022. Same as the
photography project "What nature knows" that you show here in the magazine. A project that won
several important photo awards from world-leading photo competitions. These art projects have
given me tremendous energy to create new works, right now I am in the final phase of a new
photo and film project.
What significance does it hold for you to have exhibited your work, including at the Louvre
Museum in Paris? How did your artwork resonate within such esteemed cultural
institutions?
Getting the opportunity to exhibit works at the Louvre in Paris was like having the best dream at
night, waking up with a very good feeling. This opportunity has meant that the projects I work on
may be observed and analyzed in a different way than earlier in my career. It also offers the
possibility as a stamp of quality, but as I see it, there are no laurels to rest on. I work with art
because I love it, and I create art regardless of what happens career-wise.

07
How do you approach working with different artistic media, such as film, photography,
sculpture, and performance?
Each of the media gives me challenges on different levels, which I like. It challenges me to
continuously stand outside my comfort zone, it is necessary to drive me forward. Because there
are no laurels to rest on as I see it. The film creates dreams, photography creates fantasies, the
sculpture creates something tangible in life and performance creates all this and a little more, as
the other three media are always included in my performances. This is a simple explanatory
model.
What themes or subjects do you often explore through these mediums?
I approach each of my projects with great creative freedom, I let everything be a "mess". I can
start a film project and think about how the end should be, and when I figure it out, it can often
provide the answer to how the start of the film will be. The sources of inspiration are everywhere,
a word, a sound, and a beautiful event in nature.
Are there specific recurring motifs or symbols in your artwork that reflect your artistic
philosophy and conceptual framework? If so, could you tell us more about them?
Something that has followed me on the road as a performing artist is the waterways up in the
Arctic North. Streams meandering through the landscape. When I was a child, I saw a
healer/shaman use water from a stream to heal a person, it did something to me. I really
wondered how this is possible. And time/life is like a stream. You cannot touch the same water
twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. It presents how short and magical
time life is.
How do you aim to engage viewers through your artwork, and what emotions or
experiences do you seek to evoke in your audience?
I want to elicit a sense of wonder about life through my works, as well as give an experience of
the possibilities that lie in the wonderful gift of life. Although at times it can be hard to be human in
a world with globalization and polarizations that go in many directions.
Looking ahead, what future projects or directions are you excited about exploring in your
art practice?
I work as a multidisciplinary artist, with photography, film, sculpture, and performance. What I am
working on now is to tie these media together even more than I have done before. In the photo
project "What nature knows" I built light sculptures in nature and I lowered some of the sculptures
underwater. I want to interweave these media even more closely to see what potential lies there.
Where are you from and how does that affect your work?
The understanding of where I come from and how I work is perhaps visible through the answers
to the other 10 questions. But I can say something about using one's biggest weaknesses or
biggest shame as a source of creativity. In your greatest weaknesses also lies your greatest
strength, the power to change. It is like, in HC Andersen's fairy tale, The Ugly Duckling, a
transformation takes place that turns out to be the best, this from a difficult starting point. This is
something I have used to find my style as an artist and my place in the world.

09
Elizabeth
Hindle

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Elizabeth Hindle is an Interdisciplinary Fine Artist living and working in the UK. Elizabeth
is a Fine Artist, Artist Educator, and one-half of the collaborative duo Ridge & Scrase.

Elizabeth graduated with a Fine Arts degree in 2012 and has regularly exhibited in both
the UK and internationally since then. Elizabeth is primarily a painter, although her
practice has spanned multiple disciplines through the years and continues to challenge
genres. Elizabeth describes herself as an abstract expressionist and relies heavily on
emotion and the concept of her inner self to influence her work.

Elizabeth's most recent paintings are dynamic abstract works focusing on the use of bold
color and geometric shapes juxtaposed with texture and expressive charcoal overlays.
The use of compressed charcoal is heavily featured in her work, influenced by her early
studies of abstract drawing and expressionist mark-making.

Elizabeth is a disabled, neurodivergent artist who identifies as queer and non-binary,

which she reflects upon and uses as a positive drive within her work.

11
How does your interdisciplinary
background inform your approach to fine
art?
Coming from an interdisciplinary background
is generally a positive drive within my work
because it means I have multiple skills and
visual experiences that I can draw upon when
working through a process. By approaching
my practice with an interdisciplinary
background, I’m opening myself up to wider
opportunities when it comes to fleshing out the
scope of an idea. For example, my most
recent paintings are heavily influenced by my
contemporary drawing practice, which creates
a unique space from which the paintings can
emerge.
In what ways do you challenge traditional
artistic genres through your practice as a
painter?
This is tricky to answer because I think in the
contemporary art climate the concept of
‘tradition’ in art is becoming more and more
fluid as time goes by. However, when it comes
to my painting practice, I think the uniqueness
of my work lies in the marriage between the
harsh geometric shapes and the spontaneity
of the charcoal over the top. My work
frequently straddles different mediums,
genres, and visual identities; for example, in
the wider art world, many abstract works
seem to be either very fluid or very rigid,
whereas I’m going for something in-between.
How does your reliance on emotion and
self-concept shape the creation of your
abstract-expressionist works?
I’ve always been a very introspective person
and have always felt my emotions fiercely,
and art has been my means of expression for
this. I like to use my work to both express and
examine myself like an outsider looking
12
in with inherent curiosity. I’m drawn to abstract
expressionism because it feels to me like the
purest way to communicate emotions that
otherwise defy words; it’s a language through
which I can transform my experiences into
something that a viewer can identify with, and
hopefully utilize as an outlet for their own
emotional experience.
Can you discuss the relationship between
bold colors, geometric shapes, and the
overall visual impact of your recent
paintings?
Experimenting with geometric shapes wasn’t
something I planned and I actually surprised
myself when it came about. When I’m feeling
an extreme emotion or experience – for
example listening to an emotional piece of
music - I begin to see abstract landscapes in
my mind and journey through them, and that’s
where the geometric shapes came from. The
use of color came after – believe it or not,
most of my earlier work was confined to black
and white! But with these paintings, I
deliberately wanted to use vivid colors to
really hone in on the atmosphere of emotion
and heighten its experience within the
painting itself.
Steady Ground
Acrylic & compressed charcoal on canvas, 51x76cm, 2023
Where are you from and how does that affect your artistic life?
I’m originally from Reading, which is a town just outside London, though I moved to Norfolk just
over ten years ago and have stayed here since. My childhood was pretty tough and we were very
poor, but that taught me to be resilient and to be creative with how I approach my artistic practice.
Growing up I was inspired by my art teachers and therapists who showed me how to use my
creativity as an outlet for emotions, which I’ve carried with me ever since. Now I’m living in
Norfolk, I’m constantly inspired by the vibrant culture here; there are so many wonderful artists
making work here and I’ve been thrilled to collaborate with many of them.
What can you tell us about the influence of abstract drawing and expressionist mark-
making on your use of compressed charcoal?
During my time at university, I began to experiment, I love the unconscious spontaneity of mark-
making and the emotional movement that can be captured in a single flick of a pencil, and it was
this spontaneous expression that I tried to carry through in the charcoal on my recent paintings.
Within these works, the paint itself is left deliberately matte to leave space for the compressed
charcoal, which then picks up the texture over the color and gives the final, main gesture of the
paintings. Although it’s the last step in the creative process, it’s actually the final application of the
compressed charcoal that gives each painting its character.

13 Ahead of the Horizon - Gouache & compressed charcoal on wood, 28x42cm, 2022
How does your identity as a disabled,
neurodivergent artist intersect with
your artistic process and the themes
explored in your work?
I have several disabilities which have a
profound impact on my artistic practice;
in particular, I experience several mental
illnesses which fluctuate in severity and
often drive the emotion behind my works.
I’m also autistic and in many ways, I see
this as a kind of superpower because I
think my mind works quite differently from
others and allows me to explore sources
of creativity literally everywhere!
However, because of this, I do really
struggle with social communication, so
my paintings act as a kind of language
for me – a way for me to connect with Violet - Acrylic & compressed charcoal on canvas board, 28x28cm, 2023
other people and share an emotional
experience with them.
Can you identify any recurring motifs
or themes in your work?
Menace - Acrylic & compressed charcoal on canvas board, 28x28cm, 2023
The biggest theme throughout my
practice is definitely the emotional and
introspective aspect of my work. Each of
my pieces starts with an emotional
experience and I pour myself into it from
there on. Sometimes that emotion comes
from a place in my inner self and
sometimes it’s an emotional reaction to
an external event, person, or physical
landscape (for example my recent piece
Insignificant Freedom was an emotional
response to the experience of scoping
Mars one night in the winter sky). But my
process always starts with an emotion,
even if that emotion is just pure curiosity;
I can’t make a piece of work without an
emotional investment.

14
How does your experience of exhibiting both in the UK and internationally contribute to
the development and reception of your art?
It’s always a privilege to share my work with a wider audience and there’s something really
powerful about it – for me, it’s a way of connecting with other people on a really profound level.
What I have found fascinating is the cultural differences in how a piece of work is received;
viewers in America have shown a very different response to my work than viewers here in the UK,
for example. I definitely learn from every exhibition and in particular, I love collaborating with other
artists; it’s a special feeling to create and share work with a fellow creative.
In what ways do you use your queer and non-binary identity as a source of inspiration and
empowerment in your artistic practice?
Growing up queer - especially within a homophobic environment - forces you to reflect hard on
yourself and examine your identity under a microscope; you have to be really, really sure of who
you are to find the courage to embrace a queer identity. However, truly embracing these aspects
of myself helped me celebrate the other aspects of my identity, particularly my creativity. It helped
me break out of the molds of societal expectations, and discover my inner voice, and that in turn
has led to my works becoming bolder and more colorful. I’ve recently begun creating work directly
reflecting upon my sexuality; my paintings Violet and Menace are a colorful, energetic celebration
of my lesbian identity, and were really cathartic to create.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals as an interdisciplinary artist? How do
you envision your artistic career unfolding in the future?

I’ve got a few things lined up for

the rest of this year including some
really exciting collaborations which
I’m excited about. I’m also
currently sourcing funding to set up
a gallery show while keeping
focused on developing my painting
practice and expanding the scope
of my abstract works. Really I just
want to keep the momentum up on
my practice and share it with as
many people as possible.

Insignificant Freedom
Acrylic & compressed charcoal on wood,
50x50cm, 2023

15
Luciano
Caggianello

Without memories - Digital work, print on DiBond Aluminium, 90x90x1cm

16
Luciano Caggianello was born in Siena in 1959, is an artist and designer who began his
activity in the 1980s interacting with different professional fields: Advertising, Illustration,
Graphics, and Design (industrial and car design). At the same time, he embarked on a
path of artistic research which, after initial and assiduous frequentations at the Academy
as well as studies and ateliers of Turin artists, led him to evolve various representative
and visual themes, allowing him to also validate an articulated national and international
exhibition itinerary, such to make him now a recognized and historicized artist.
He is also accompanied, in this path, by the publication of some books (“Intermediario
Immateriale” 2003, “Parole Altrove” 2014, “Aporia e Metamorfosi dell’Arte” 2019,
“Fenomenologia del Quotidiano 2020, “Pubblicità .jPig” 2021)which serve as an aid to
reflection and deepening of one's conceptual and philosophical research.
In recent years, his recognition has essentially become a work of prevalent perceptual
and conceptual synthesis that re-elaborates all the didactic, cultural, and intellectual
interactions also coming from his various training fields (from Applied Industrial Physics to
Architecture, to the Visual). Furthermore, this approach, by identifying the artistic
objective of thematic-conceptual planning and experimentation inserted between
concrete "poverty" and digital art, turns out to be much more related and relevant to
concepts of presentation than representation. He lives and works in Turin.

Philosophical quarrels - paper, 50x50cm

17
How did your diverse professional introducing the concept and dichotomy
background in advertising, illustration, between value and cost. In this context, the
graphics, and design influence your artist is recognized as talented only when the
artistic journey? cost is high, while instead I believe that the
Saying background means talking about "value" is the main essential element.
experiences. The more detailed and extensive Therefore I consider all the experiences that
the latter are, the more effective the have allowed me to express my worth as
possibilities of translating thought into memorable.
objective concreteness. I've never been How do your books serve as tools for
intimidated by wanting or having to deal with reflection and deepening of your
different sectors because everyone has added conceptual and philosophical research?
methods, depth, concepts, and tools to What role do they play in your artistic
produce new and interesting elaborations. practice?
Can you share some insights into your More than books, it is writing, as a whole, that
artistic research and how it has evolved interacts and becomes an essential
over the years? What were some observatory of my work because it allows me
significant turning points or influences in a profound elaboration of thought. The word is
your development as an artist? never the same, it is elaborated, indicates,
The turning point was triggered when I imagines, suggests and it is precisely these
stopped thinking of art as a purely aesthetic or parameters that I adore and try to translate
scenographic component and the cornerstone into the creative sphere as well.
of my research is based on wanting to
understand life itself which speaks of its
existence and its duration. Life is also the ties
we struggle to break, the roots we don't want
to cut, the words we don't want to stop saying.
Sometimes it is also gestures that will not
allow us to return, but what will be saved will
not be what we have protected but what we
have changed. This is the promise at the
bottom of the heart, kneaded with our flesh,
always precarious between opposing and
opposing extremists.
Your exhibition itinerary has taken you
both nationally and internationally. Could
you tell us about some of the highlights or
memorable experiences from exhibiting
your work?
For an artist to talk about highlights or
memorable experiences also means

18 The spaces of conceptual poverty - Acrylic, putty, rope on canvas, 50x40x3cm

How has your multidisciplinary training, cannot say whether the city really influenced
from applied industrial physics to my career, but neither can I prove the
architecture and the visual arts, informed opposite. Since psychology claims that places
your artistic approach and the themes you reflect people, we embrace this thesis without
explore in your work? denying it and say that the city has provided
I think it is an osmotic process, in fact, some credence, although I think the deeper
educational and professional training influences are determined by contacts and
influences an activity in an internal and exchanges with enlightened minds.
indirect way. The result of this mechanism is Are there specific recurring themes or
the intellectual aspect that determines the ideas that you explore in your artwork?
path, the themes, and the global approach to How do you approach these concepts and
one's way of making art. I think that the translate them visually?
greater one's intellectual gradient, the better In general, there are no recurring, main or
the possibility or ability to be profound and specific themes. I am interested in all themes
decisive. (visual, conceptual, social, environmental,
Can you discuss the significance of the intellectual, historical….etc.). The approach
perceptual and conceptual synthesis that and translation towards these arguments take
characterizes your recent works? How do place through thought which is the only real
you strive to create a balance between the discriminant in my creative approach.
concrete and the digital in your artistic
practice?
It is a difficult and articulated topic but I will try
...Ce ne sont pas des cigarettes
to be very brief. I try to find a summary Digital work, print on DiBond,
Aluminium, 90x90x1cm
because I feel that being too verbose is not
performant. I acquired the ability to be
synthetic through advertising experience while
writing allows me intellectual accommodation.
The balance between concrete and digital is
determined through the works themselves in
the sense that each one is born with its own
eloquent specificity. You just have to be
careful in collecting and interpreting this
aspect.
How does the city of Turin, where you live
and work, influence your artistic process
and the themes you engage with in your
artwork?
Although Turin was the place that
incontrovertibly saw the birth of a generation
of great artists linked to poor art, I honestly

19
What is the role of thematic-conceptual
planning and experimentation in your
artistic practice?
The planning is an important element because
it reflects the methodology and without this
parameter, it becomes difficult to approach
any activity. On the other hand, regarding the
presentation-representation aspect since I
have decided to highlight all the conceptual
parameters I do not insist on wanting to
demonstrate that I know how to draw.
Obviously, being born as an illustrator and
designer, I'm capable of doing it (and I think
very well too….) but I think this phase has
passed because it seems that people want to
be amazed by the drawing but personally I
don't find it interesting (at least in the artistic Sunflowers metalworkers
Digital work, print on DiBond,
sector….). I've always thought that those who Aluminium, 90x90x1cm
can't convince people to try to amaze them. I,
on the other hand, want to "convince" without
surprising and therefore induce and trigger a
The beauty of circles
conceptual reflection. Digital work, print on DiBond,
Looking forward, what are you currently Aluminium, 90x90x1cm

exploring or experimenting with in your

artistic practice?
I continuously explore and research without
ever becoming fossilized. If something about
my intellectual career or my operational
activity does not convince me, I leave the path
and develop new strategies. I only think of the
work and the concept that accompanies it,
trying to determine it through the best and
most appropriate definition. I don't even
fossilize on exhibitions. They can all be
beautiful but maybe even all useless.
Exhibitions are just a way to export one's
thoughts even if I aspire more to art history
books than to fleeting performances or
narcissistic exhibitions.

20
Irakli
Keidia
Irakli Keidia resumed his work at the end of his sports career. He was always fascinated
by the artistic space, but his work in this field became a priority in recent years, especially
in 2017.

In 2018, the author's debut personal exhibition called "Find Your God" was organized in
the territory of Rooms Hotel, where the author presented 30 samples of his graphic works
and three objects. The works were made with ink on a cardboard sheet and the objects
were made of plastic. From the exhibition, 50% of the works and two objects were sold,
which had a positive impact on the future of the author's creations.

The foundation of the author's next project called "Anunnaki Project" was laid in 2019.
The source of inspiration for this project is the theory of ancient astronauts, which the
artist discovered and learned in Sumerian mythology.

The author also created and published the graphic novel Anu (illustrated book). The work
consists of 120 pages of text and up to 400 illustrations, whose name is Anunnaki.

The book is the first part of a trilogy. Currently, the artist is working on the second part of
the trilogy, with the presentation of which the artist plans to publish his newly created
works.

Gate - Ink & gouache on craft paper, 50x1400cm, 2023

21
Birth - Ink & gouache on craft paper, 70x50cm, 2023

22
How did your transition influence your
creative journey?
The sport had a kind of meditation for me.
Today I realize that I never played basketball
to win. I was just enjoying the process. I feel
the same way about art, the process is
important to me, so nothing much has
changed
Can you describe the inspiration behind
your debut exhibition "Find Your God"?
The name "Find Your God" is equivalent to
"Find Yourself". I think God looks through our
eyes. That is what led to the stopping of this
name.
What techniques and materials did you
utilize in creating your graphic works and
objects for the exhibition?
I prefer ink and gouache. All thirty works at
the exhibition were made on a sheet of clay.
As for the objects, they were processed with
plastic wood and iron material.
How did the success of your debut
exhibition impact?
To tell the truth, I was surprised when so
many works were sold. I saw that the new
hobby could become a source of income, it
gave me the incentive that still works.
Tree of life - Ink on craft paper, 50x70cm, 2017
Could you delve into the concept behind
your project "Anunnaki Project" and the
role that Sumerian mythology played in
shaping its foundation?
Lately, I have been very fascinated by the
theory of ancient astronauts that I found in
Sumerian mythology. The very word Anunnaki
means those who came from the sky in
Sumerian, and my whole project revolves
around them.
What motivated you to create and publish
the graphic novel "Anu"?
At first, I was searching for those who came
from the sky only in paintings. One day I
wanted to write my own script about them.
The graphic novel is made of the synthesis of
that text and illustrations.
23 Taurus - Ink on craft paper, 70x50cm, 2017
Can you elaborate on the themes and
narrative explored in the first part of the
trilogy, and what readers can expect from
it?
"Anuma Elish" is the name of the collection of
Sumerian tablets on which the history of the
creation of mankind is presented. Not only
history, but you can also come across the
reason and the creator beings themselves.
This really got me
How does the graphic novel medium allow
you to express your artistic vision and
storytelling in a unique way?
In the process of writing, I discovered a side
of myself that was unknown to me, which
gave me almost endless energy and
motivation for this project.
What insights or discoveries have you
made during the creation of the first part of
the trilogy that has influenced your work
on the second part?
In the process of creating the first work, I
realized that I really want to do this. As soon
as the first text was finished, I resumed work
on the second book. As I mentioned above,
this has always taken the form of meditation
and therapy for me.
Metamorphosis - Ink & gouache on craft paper, 90x120cm, 2021
Can you provide a glimpse into your
upcoming works?
As for the presentation, it could not be held for
the first book due to the pandemic. I think the
second book's publication will coincide with
the exhibition of new works, and we will
probably have to talk about both works there.
Where are you from and how does that
affect your artistic journey?
I was born in the city of Zugdidi in Samegrelo.
Regarding the origin, as I searched, my family
tree originates in Egypt. In the letters of an
inquisitive gentleman, it is mentioned that
there was such a city Kerdia in Egypt, from
where King Erekle settled the family of one
physician and granted him nobility. I don't
know how true it is, but I like this story
because from childhood I was fascinated by
the primary machines called Pyramids.
24 Kingdom - Ink & gouache on craft paper, 120x90cm, 2021
Machine learning - Ink & gouache on craft paper, 120x90cm, 2021

25
MAD Riande
Madeleine Riande currently works and lives in Brooklyn, NY. Riande works in
installations, video, sculpture, performing, and kinetic art to question how the brain works
through trauma as repressed events are ignored to consciousness. flashbacks and
nightmares are diffused images from trauma. all memory is partly fiction. Riande works
with the study of biological processes of the brain and how it is plastically transformed
from experiences. how the brain evolves through society and technology. “We are
cyborgs'.' Riande attended the Savannah College of Arts and Design (Savannah, GA) for
a BFA in Industrial Design and Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, NY) for a MFA. her work has
been exhibited at Rubelle & Norman Schafler Gallery (Brooklyn, Nyc), Workspace Gallery
(manchester, Connecticut), satellite art fair (Miami, Florida) CCI- centro cultural
internacional, galleria Mateo Sariel, Galeria Habitante (Panama City, Panama), among
others.

''My memory, trauma, and my experience are the essence of my artistic work. I believe
that, although memory is built from real events in the past, it is also strongly fed by
imagination. Flashbacks and nightmares are diffused images from trauma. All memory is
partly fiction. Through my artistic processes, I have managed to bring events that
remained repressed and ignored to consciousness. My work acts as catharsis in me.

My artistic work includes knowledge from diverse disciplines, it integrates the

technological, the philosophical, the poetic, the political, and the social. I find a particular
interest in the study of biological processes of the brain and how it is plastically
transformed from experiences.

My work states how trauma works through your brain before and after and the process of
rewiring one's brain to become a new organism, which I call a cyborg.

In my work, the materials must have a sense and a meaning. I become the anthropologist
behind my materials. In it, it is possible to find a wide diversity of materials and
processes. Usually, a kinetic element or found objects are involved.

The imagery in it is a staging of assembled materializations of my memories.''

26
Lo Tengo en Mis Manos, 2022,
mix media (aluminum (the brain), electronic mechanism, acrylic), 14” x 14”.

27
CIRU-JIA, 2021, mix media (thread, electronical mechanism, resin) , 10.5"x10.5".

28
 Visual Cortex, 2021, photography.

Me Traumas el Cerebro, 2021, oil, collage, clay and resin, 36"x50".

29
Frances-Ann
Norton

Torque

The image is Modernist abstraction.

Colour palette is 1962 pantone.
Tangerine, mint green and chocolate brown.
The jeweller – a young version of my mother, is in the shot.
Cropped so that the necklace she is working on, a geometric torque is held up.
Her face framed but blurry in the middle distance.
Her Quant, Sassoon bob a bit of a straw mess, as ever.
Her eyes hidden behind Binomag Loupe Binocular glasses.
It is all very Space-Race.
In the ether I can hear the blow-torch hiss and burn blue,
emitting the smell of natural gas and rubber.
Touch again the gritty surface of the bench, the Peg,
the suede drop cloth glinting with gold.
She, frame within frame, is remembered in this moment, in this time.
Destined for the Sunday Colour Supplement.

30
The Washing Up Can Wait

The pots and pans sit in greasy plies, as Sister Many-Furs of Grimm’s tales fame
Rolls up her sleeves and get to the washing up.
How diligently she works in her rags, knowing all the while that really, she has a walnut shell.
Inside is a dress of moonlight, a dress of the sun and a dress of starlight.
With these costumes she has all kinds of plans.

Parties to go to, people to meet, a future to forge towards, in freedom.

Escapes to hatch and execute.
Her walnut in hand, her disguise in place she melts into the background of the kitchens.
Biding her time, thinking things through, Seeing the lay of the land.

Absconding from an incestuous father was step one.

Getting a spot by the fire, a job and some cash stowed away that was step two.
Even if it is just washing up at The Palace.
She is an independent woman, with means and motivation of her own.

The washing up is a place marker,

a means to an end.
Standing by the skink for two, four, six hours washing up after a palace feast.
George Orwell did it,
for the price of freedom.
The Torn Veil: A Brönte Gothic sestina

In a small out-house, down a set of slippery sand stone steps, Black

ripples eddy around the great Water
wheel. The sheds and buildings shown little love
in this dank backwater, the pit gulps sullenly behind a veil
of choke weeds, convolvulus and nightshade, deep
under the mill. The eternally turning Other.

In a corner stands a girl, one and another

All Celtic curiosity concertinaed up, stamped down and bound in black.
Mourning satin for an Aunt who left her unloved and deep
Distrust as she was disposed of like a Moses bundle in the water.
Hard work and solitude have marked her young life and kept her thoughts behind a veil.
But here she hopes. This wild place, these moors, may turn from trap, into love.

She is not alone, there is a man. A brooding, troubled soul, capable of love?
The wheel turns and the spinner spins her story of another.
Wife, the ghost bride, the mad woman in a torn veil.
The shuttle flies and the pattern grows on the loom next to the pit of Black.
And the wheel, turning, turning as Arachne’s silence is spoken by the water.
And the clack, clack of the loom with secrets deep.

This man’s troubles run lay-line deep

Bound by marriage to a lost woman, she has forgotten love
Mis-remembered who she is, her home-land far over the water
She curses and plots to burn and destroy the Other
The one who has her locked up in the attic, Black
Is her hair against the stolen bridal veil.

Shocking is the scene, the bed on fire, standing in the flames a naked woman in her veil
This is madness indeed, this is everything she knew cut through deep.
Ebbing purple blood, soaking into the bedding, staining it Black
Ah me, have I forgotten my lines in this horror. Where is the ardently desired love?
The horizon of freedom? It is curtailed by this consuming Other.
The circle of fire scintillates around his soul, un-damped by water.

The wheel turns, and she feels her-self drop like a stone into the water
Rent asunder and torn is the veil
Replayed conversations and images of the other
Flood back to her as she skinks deep
Under the water, caught in the wheel of love
The pressure, the asphyxiating cold as the world goes Black.
You have an extensive background in both poetry and contemporary ceramics. How do
these two artistic practices intersect in your creative process, and how do they inform and
influence each other?
I see art, poetry, and music as part of the same creative impulse, just different platforms of
expression.
Could you share more about your experiences as a poet, including the readings you've
given at literature festivals and the publications you've been featured in?
I have given poetry readings at Kendal Poetry Festival, Ilkley Literature Festival. I have led poetry
writing workshops at Leeds Arts University, The Brigantia Project, Batley, developing art practice
with graduates – teaching ekphrastic poetry; writing with the psalms at Alton Castle Retreat
Centre, and canticle writing workshop with a Franciscan community.
As a contemporary ceramic artist with thirty years of experience, how do you approach the
creation of your ceramic sculptures?
Narrative and storytelling are the inspiration for my figurative ceramic sculptures, I hope to create
dialogue and engender relationships and community with my artwork, in ceramics or poetry.
Your artistic practice extends beyond poetry and ceramics to include drawings, paintings,
religious Byzantine-inspired icons, quilts, embroideries, and folk fiddle playing. How do
these different artistic disciplines contribute to your overall creative expression?
My father was a jazz musician and a jeweler and my mother was a goldsmith and loved icons, for
me art and music, poetry, and spiritualities are expressions of my faith, and my ethos as a
Franciscan, we love God and his people, mountains, and seas, animals and plants. I love
textures, and colors and am able to move from embroidery and quilt-making to make the home
beautiful to music which gives people joy to poetry which makes people feel and think.
Your artwork has been exhibited internationally, and you've had many commissions
throughout your career. Could you highlight a particular exhibition or commission that
was significant to you and share the story behind it?
When I had my daughter I wanted to capture the amazing experience of being a mother, growing
a child in a loving relationship, and giving birth. I researched Venus figures from the British Isles
and Europe and found the mother form to be a universal symbol of love, sacrifice, and giving. I
created a series of venus figures in porcelain, they have been exhibited in Korea where they won
an Honorable Mention, In the US and Berlin.
As an academic art education writer and speaker, what topics do you focus on in your
research and presentations?
My doctoral research investigated how art students might use critical thinking as part of creative
art practice. I trailed a poetry group and diary club to engage my art students in criticality, this
became very popular with the students who gained confidence and enjoyment of writing as a
result. Using creative writing to talk about art is a subject I very often speak about at conferences.

33
Your artwork has been featured in various magazines and art books. How does it feel to
have your work recognized and published, and how has this exposure impacted your
artistic career?
It is always a thrill getting my artwork or poetry published. I love sharing my words and visual art
with people and through social media where I promote the publications I receive many
encouraging responses. This encourages me to continue making and writing and brings me
happiness.
Could you elaborate on your involvement in international conferences and your
contributions to academic journals and books on art education? What are some key
insights or perspectives you've gained through these scholarly engagements?
I have come up with a 5-point manifesto that represents my findings based on 152 participant
responses and my own practitioner research. In order to develop critical thinking with art students
we need a. Dialogue, b. Liminal Spaces, c. Recognizing the whole person, d. Scaffolded stages,
e. Encourage confidence.
In your interdisciplinary practice, do you find that there are recurring themes or concepts
that tie your various artistic pursuits together? How do you navigate the different mediums
and disciplines to maintain a cohesive artistic voice?
Edvard Munch after a lifetime of painting was able to arrange his artworks in what he called a
‘Frieze of Life’ a thematic grouping of his work. With 30 years of hindsight, I can see certain
subjects that re-occur. The figure, the decorative arts, iconography, geometric pattern-based
visual arts, storytelling, folk tales, and folk art. These things I circle back to and each art form I
use will key into these themes. I hope my Frieze of Life would be a collection of stories that speak
about my experiences as a woman, an artist, and a creative.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals as an artist and writer? Are there any
new projects or directions you are eager to explore in your poetry, ceramics, or other
artistic endeavors?
I have published academic texts, I would really like to publish my PhD as a final step in that
process. My artwork is developing in new directions, I have so many experiences and stories I’d
like to create a poetry collection based on European folk tales, which I would illustrate too. I want
to visit Papua New Guinea and listen to folk tales and stories and visual arts from that place I
have a feeling this would inspire a whole new vein of creative work.

34
Stone all the flowers

The year of the art school tutorials.

The difficult woman you are to me, and the difficulty I presented to you.
The year of my recovery and your husband’s death.

Your husband fails and worsens through the days of our trimesters together.
As he weakens and declines, I grow incrementally stronger.
As if terrible fatalistic scales of balance, set and reset.

Do not cheat her. Give her a full measure of time and experiences with him
Pressed down, shaken together and overflowing.
She, in the face of all this decay
Chooses to destroy flowers with stones.
Until their purple hearts stained the cartridge with their elemental pigments.

She cuts the flowers only to waste them in the parching sun.
It is the cycle of being and unbeing, the grass withers and the flower fades (Isiah 40:8).
She decides to press her flowers till their lungs burst on fine cotton Lawn.

Flower torture continues all summer at a scale unknown.

Vast swathes of meadows of flowers fall.
A thousand at one side of her, ten thousand at her right hand, (Psalm 91).
mown down, with her scythe of doom.

She greedily gathers the quiet fast lives into her hands.
Takes their lives as easily as shutting a book.
Turning off a machine.
Leaving the room and turning out the light.
I too am but a breath on a summers morning.
My days fleeting as a shadow across the sun (Psalm 44:4).

As summer wears into golden-close-autumn,

Her husband wilts and droops, becoming cloudy
losing his colour, his stork becomes gummy
and stops drinking,
it is all too late
even freshwater cannot revive him or save his life.
His tainted water is drained and he is sent back to the earth from which he came.
While I become myself again.
Remembering the time of the stoning of the flowers.
 Something Like Art Maybe
Zoe’s practice directly disrupts the reality a photograph of postcard
presents and creates a new image, not by the use of pen or paintbrush, but
by piercing through the material with needle and thread. The photographs
and postcards most employed by the artist are vintage finds, repurposing
the memories already created to produce something new.

I couldn't be an artist - Embroidery on vintage photograph, 2023

The works utilize the traditional practice of hand embroidery, whilst subverting the archaic
stereotypes this brings through using an untraditional methodology. Altering the
materiality of the items creates interesting challenges and a unique experience, both for
the artist and for the viewer. Through this, the artist hopes for viewers to recognize the
practice as a powerful, dynamic, contemporary art medium as opposed to an amateur
feminine, hobby. Since graduating from university in 2019, Zoe has continued building
confidence in her art practice, which is reflected in her work. She continues to grow her
online profile and began selling her pieces worldwide online in 2020.

36
Can you tell us more about your process of
disrupting the reality presented in
photographs and postcards through
needle and thread?
During a trip to Berlin with a university in 2017,
we visited a flea market and found boxes upon
boxes of old photographs. I wasn’t sure yet
what I wanted to create with them but I really
wanted to purchase some and explore that
later. Once I got back home to the studio, I
knew I didn’t want to cover too much of what
the images were already showing, but add
something to them. I had embroidered a few
pieces onto clothing before, and felt this would
be a new, interesting practice to explore and
began embroidering female nudes onto the
photographs in interesting places, such as
sitting on the table in a photograph of a group
gathering.
Vintage photographs and postcards play a
significant role in your work. What draws
you to these particular materials, and how
do you repurpose the memories
associated with them to create something
new?
By using found photographs and postcards,
I’m able to give them a new purpose. I love
that I have no control over what the images
portray, I have to work with what I am
presented with, figuring out what I want to
create and how to make it work. It’s interesting
to see what people have chosen to
photograph or which postcards to purchase for
themselves without knowing them or the
stories behind the images. I love that although
I create a new narrative, each viewer may
perceive a different one completely, giving the
pieces whole new stories.
The use of hand embroidery in your work
is a traditional practice, but you aim to
subvert stereotypes associated with it.
Could you elaborate on the challenges and
unique experiences that arise from altering
the materiality of these items and pushing
the boundaries of embroidery as a
contemporary art medium?
I enjoy the challenges and the unique nature
of embroidering onto these materials as I revel
in the intricacy and care they require to
produce successful and untarnished finished
pieces, particularly as some of the
photographs are such small canvases. This
can definitely not always go to plan, and
sometimes the fragile nature of the vintage
photographs and postcards can result in the
pierced holes tearing through to one another.
The practice certainly requires adaptability,
being able to potentially repair some pieces,
or adapting the piece to work with a different
photograph or postcard.
Consume - Embroidery on vintage photograph, 2023

37
Couch Car - Embroidery on vintage photograph, 2023 Whitesands Bay - Embroidery on postcard, 2023
Since graduating from university, you have The national lockdowns provided an
been building confidence in your art opportunity for you to participate in online
practice. How has your work evolved and exhibitions and feature in zines. How did
developed during this time, and how has these experiences contribute to your
this growth been reflected in your artistic artistic development, and what did you
output? gain from being part of these virtual
Taking part in shows and zines has motivated showcases?
me as an artist to fully reflect in writing on the Being at home for such long periods of time
pieces I have made. I find this to really help really allowed me to focus on my practice and
with future work by looking through my think about how my pieces could work within
portfolio and identifying the most successful both physical and virtual spaces. It was
pieces. My technical skills consistently exciting to see my work printed in the zines or
improve as I continue to create and through on the online platforms and it was so
shows, research, zines, and life, my subject rewarding to see others appreciate what I was
matter gains breadth. I enjoy creating works creating. I find these experiences can be very
that vary in the content matter, from serious motivating for generating new ideas and
commentary to humor or nostalgia. further building confidence in my work.
Building an online presence and selling
your pieces worldwide is an important
aspect of your artistic journey. How has
the online platform helped you reach a
broader audience, and what role does
customization play in your sales process?
Social media has allowed my work to reach so
much further, it’s amazing for me to be able to
post my pieces from the United Kingdom to
customers across Europe and the United
States. It’s remarkable to think that some of
the first photographs I bought from Berlin have
traveled with me to the UK, and then to new
homes with people who may live anywhere
from Croatia to Tucson. With custom pieces, it
is such an honor for someone to place that
trust in me, and it is always interesting to work
with them to create a piece they love.

Okay - Embroidery on postcard, 2022

39
It's impressive that your work was featured
in the Worcester Open 2021 exhibition and
a group exhibition at Fronteer Gallery in
2022. Could you share some insights into
these exhibitions and how they have
influenced your artistic career?
I found these exhibitions to be very fulfilling,
and it is a fantastic experience seeing how
others curate the exhibitions and where your
work fits into it. The Worcester Open was
quite special as we had emerged from
national lockdowns, and I chose to embroider
not on photographs or postcards but on
receipts from small hospitality businesses in
the city, highlighting the variety, quality, and
importance of supporting them. The viewings
for these events were such positive
atmospheres and it was great to have the
opportunity to be in a room filled with other
creatives, something I hope to experience
more of!
In your art practice, how do you navigate
the balance between preserving the
nostalgic qualities of vintage photographs
and postcards while simultaneously
creating something new and
contemporary?
Piercing through the images with needle and
thread allows the thread to act as a metaphor,
breaking the line of direct representation to
create something entirely new. I use
embroidery thread as my pencil marks or
paint strokes, deliberately piercing through my
images whilst keeping them intact. The
balance comes naturally through the contrast
of the photographs/ postcards to the
embroidery, adding something new to the pre-
existing and generating a new narrative of the
image.
40
Your work challenges the perception of
embroidery as an amateur feminine hobby.
How do you hope viewers will engage with
and interpret your pieces, and what
message do you want to convey about the
power and dynamism of this art form?
Employing hand embroidery allows me to
embrace the medium’s traditions whilst
subverting the outdated connotations of
domesticity and femininity; the hand-sewn
element of the work presents a slower, human
process in a very technological world,
providing the works with a much more
deliberate and personal feel. The practice is
pliable, lending itself to functionality and to a
powerful art medium, and I hope a viewer can
see embroidery and textiles’ place within
contemporary art.
Looking ahead, what are your future goals
and aspirations as an artist? Are there any
new techniques, concepts, or themes that
you are eager to explore in your
embroidery practice?
One area I am really enjoying in my practice
at present is my work on medication leaflets. I
have been reinforcing these with cards and
embroidering phrases onto them to highlight
stigma and unhelpful attitudes towards mental
health. I also hope to start returning to some
larger works alongside the small pieces,
which may take the form of using multiple
photos together as one canvas. I aspire to
continue growing my audience, showcasing
my work more, and gaining traffic on my store
so I can send more of my work to their new
homes!
I could have made that - Embroidery on postcard, 2023

41
Léna
Bogyay

Zöld Csillag

Oil on canvas,
123x61cm, 2022

42
Léna Bogyay is an interdisciplinary artist from Hungary. She is completing a dual-focus
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting & Drawing and Jewellery & Metalsmithing at the
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and working towards her BFA show in December.
Bogyay has received several scholarships for artistic merit, including the highly
competitive Ware Family Arts Scholarship Fund Award in 2022. She has taken part in
group exhibitions at UW-Milwaukee, including the Sophomore/Junior Scholarship Art
Showcase in 2022, the Crossing Over Exhibition in 2021 and 2022, the Makers!22 and
Makers!23 contemporary craft exhibitions in 2022 and 2023, and the 49th and 50th
Annual Juried Shows in 2022 and 2023. Her statement ring, “Industry Standard”, was
featured at Kessler’s Diamonds for their annual Sparkle Scholarship Showcase in
February 2023, and is on its way to an exhibition in Northern Ireland, held by the
Association for Contemporary Jewellery UK. Two of her self-portraiture works have been
published in UW-Milwaukee's literary magazine, Furrow, in May 2023, and some of her
work is kept at the Special Collections of the UW-Milwaukee Golda Meir Library.
Learning the nuances of the human
experience and the paths of our psyche
defines ‘growing up’. Understanding our
role as human beings on this planet in
relation to the sentient creatures we share
it with both reinforces our superiority and
humbles us; civilization would not exist
without the aid and exploitation of those
we deem as simple flesh-and-blood
machines used as a means to an end.
The creatures we rely on––pets, games,
livestock, working animals––have a deep
spiritual connection with our human souls
through millennia of cohabitation and
collaboration. We personify them and
project onto them our emotions, desires,
and attitudes, and, as if we made a pact
with them, they became vessels and
vehicles that exemplify the qualities that
define the human condition. A
combination of unlikely imagery from the
decidedly beautiful to the intriguingly
gruesome depict memories of childhood
interactions with animals that exist in
transcendent spaces, images, and
sequences in the mind, one that is as
close and visceral as it is distant and
intangible.

43 I Am Coming Home - Oil on loose canvas, 91x61cm, 2023

Can you share with us your artistic journey
and how you developed your interest in
both painting/drawing and
jewelry/metalsmithing?
I found comfort in expressing myself through
painting and drawing as I explored my
interests in art and horse riding, which
developed at around the same time. Art gave
me an identity that I defined on my own terms
and had control over. In high school, I tried
metalsmithing for the first time, and I loved
how technical and careful the process made
the artist and how practical these skills are for
any other field in the arts. Where painting is
chaotic and unplanned most of the time,
jewelry-making is precise and requires a
structured workflow, and I need both in order
to be flexible and open-minded.
How has your dual-focus Bachelor of Fine
Arts program influenced your artistic
practice and the way you approach your
work?
I started my dual-focus degree in my second
year of university after I took a metalsmithing
and jewelry class for the first time since high
school. The two disciplines – metalworking
and painting and drawing – trigger different
modes of thinking in art-making. Painting and
drawing and other 2D media encourage the
artist to think about color theory and
compositional harmony and engage the
abstract thinking present in codifying thoughts
and emotions. Working in metal is like
engineering to me: I have to be familiar with
the metal I am working with, how it behaves
under certain conditions, and the correct order
of processes of creating a piece of jewelry or
metal sculpture. I believe in being as cross-
disciplinary as possible as an artist (or really,
in any aspect of life, and in
44
any career or job) because there are skills and
techniques you learn in one field that you can
apply to another to find creative solutions and
innovate new ideas. An art career focused on
only one specialized skill or talent, at least
while the artist is starting out, is a very fragile
and quite a monotonous one, too.
Could you tell us more about the
scholarships and awards you have
received for your artistic merit? How have
these acknowledgments impacted your
artistic career?
Winning the Scholastic Art Awards for the first
time in 2018 was the first time I realized that I
am pursuing the right path and that I should
take this seriously. I now attend a local
university where I have gotten scholarships for
artistic merit since I got accepted, encouraging
me to stay in the field and consciously focus
on making something better with every work.
The most effective kind of relationship
between students and faculty is one where
there is mutual respect and an
acknowledgment of talents and skills and a
good work ethic. Now, I work as an
undergraduate research assistant for a
professor who teaches arts and engineering, a
job I was referred to by a professor that
thought of me as a suitable candidate because
he saw that I was willing to go above and
beyond in my work. I have since coordinated
entire exhibitions, made rather unconventional
works of art entirely different from my
academic discipline, worked with international
artists, and I am currently the lead on planning
and executing a brand-new large-scale
project.
Your participation in various group exhibitions at UW-Milwaukee is impressive. Can you
discuss the themes or concepts explored in these exhibitions and how your work
contributes to them?
Thank you and yes! My first exhibition at UW-Milwaukee was titled “Crossing Over”, which
highlighted emerging artists at the university, especially those who have experienced ‘crossing
over’ between cultures, identities, and situations that shaped who they are as individuals. For a
few years, these were my guiding questions: “How does this show my cultural identity…what even
is my cultural identity, as a Hungarian, put into visual symbols?”. I experimented with this topic
and worked on it for a couple of semesters and exhibited works with this theme in several shows.
But there is not much of an audience here for that. I could either make something for the crowd or
fully embrace my interests in an authentic way and not in a way that is forced for the sake of
'deep' meaning and narrative. It is now time to make very bizarre work. I realized, maybe just in
time, that I do not need to prove to anybody my culture or where I come from, nor do I need to
show it in watered-down, viewer-oriented, widely-accepted symbolic representation. That will
come along as I create work that ‘feels right’ and finally give myself the time and the permission to
re-investigate those things in life, art-related or not, that I was so interested in as a young child
without the filter that is the fear of judgment and the need to explain myself.
Self-Reliance -Ink and oil on paper, 56x76cm, 2022

45
Your statement ring, "Industry Standard," art, the theory of inherited memory, and my
was featured at Kessler's Diamonds and is love for horses inspired this. I am researching
on its way to an exhibition in Northern and reading about a variety of topics to help
Ireland. What inspired the design of this with my thesis: comparative psychology,
particular piece, and what significance epigenetics, animal-human relationships
does it hold for you? throughout history, horse-human
I made this project in late 2022 as a final relationships, the role of horses in modern
project for an advanced metals class. The society, the meaning and significance of
prompt was “locket” and I was to make a animals in art, whether animals can
container that had a hinge opening. I am not experience trauma in the way we do, whether
sure where the idea for putting a large piece of there are any answers that art and visual
raw bone right on the knuckle came from, but I codes can provide for us for the question of
was at this wonderful point in my creative how we can understand what animals think, et
practice where I embraced the bizarre and the cetera…and of course, more research on
surreal. The original idea was to make a pill artistic techniques and theories. I really love
container that sits directly on the hand for thinking about these things. As for how this
emergencies, such as headaches or will look visually in painting form, jewelry form,
hypertension caused by the stress of work. and clothing form, I don’t know yet, but
The weight and size of the ring would also definitely more interesting than anything I’ve
prohibit the wearer from using their hand ever produced before.
comfortably to simulate a situation where an
individual who makes their living by physical
work is suddenly unable to due to an injury or
health condition.
This work was transformational. I was able to
set a real diamond on a ring in a custom-made
setting, make an object with a material and
techniques I was entirely inexperienced with,
and had to bridge the grotesque with the
elegant. I believe that in order to begin
designing or making any piece of art, you
have to be a bit ignorant and somewhat
unskilled in what you are about to do, because
then, you have no parameters of technique
and design telling you what is not possible.
Are there any specific themes, concepts
that you are currently exploring?
Yes very much so! My job as a research
assistant, my interest in all different media of

46 Trophy - Oil on canvas, 142x114cm, 2023

Being published in UW-Milwaukee's
literary magazine, Furrow, must be
exciting. Can you describe the self-
portraiture works that were featured and
their connection to your artistic
expression?
The two works published in Furrow are "Self-
Reliance" and "Zöld Csillag", the final projects
for two classes I had in the Fall 2023
semester. One class was an advanced
painting class, and the other was a figure
drawing class, and the prompt for both final
projects was self-portraiture. I let color and
lighting dictate the narrative. Painting and
drawing myself repetitively forced me to see
myself from a third-person point of view and
study every part of my appearance.
Somewhere along the semester, I learned the
value of experimenting and letting myself
make ugly mistakes and working through
intuition, and not having any work planned out
by square centimetre, hence why the painting
changed its appearance every single day I
worked on it, covering some parts and adding
on unplanned parts. The result is always more
rewarding when I let myself be insane and
chaotic about it and not think about the
potential future situation in which I will have to
explain my work.
It's fascinating that some of your work is
kept at the Special Collections of the UW-
Milwaukee Golda Meir Library. Could you
share a bit about the significance of these
pieces and their relationship to your
artistic journey?
Thank you again and yes! I took an
introductory printmaking class in which my
professor was adamant about putting our zine
and snake-book projects into special
collections. These are meant to be artworks
that people interact with, pick up, read, stop
for a while, and think about, look at who made
it, appreciate its craftsmanship, then put it
down. I like printmaking for the same reason I
like jewelry: it is interactive, and objects that
people physically touch are more likely to
speak more intimately to the viewer and then
be remembered. Printmaking is for producing
a large amount of work for relatively cheap
and this detaches the preciousness of the
work and therefore is easier to distribute, and
getting as many people acquainted with your
artwork is the best way to make yourself
known as an artist. User experience design is
part of a design that is crucial in the attention
economy of today. I aim for some degree of
exclusivity as an artist because I enjoy making
one-of-a-kind works, but as any creator, I
have to meet the public halfway and create
something for them as well. I am taking
screen printing and metal casting classes next
semester, where I will get to make objects I
can sell without the feeling of losing
something too special!
Convocation - Oil on canvas, 91x122cm, 2023

47
How do you navigate and find a balance
between your interests in painting/
drawing and jewelry/metalsmithing? Do
you see any intersections or influences
between these two disciplines in your
work?
Absolutely! In the not-so-distant past, I have
had to actively focus on how to connect two
distinct mediums through my personal style
and aesthetic, but it comes more naturally to
me now. For example, I love depicting
animals in my 2D work, so I incorporate that
by either abstracting the animal form or by
using literal parts of an animal in the jewelry I
make. I always tend to ask “How can this
painting look in the form of silver?”, and “How
can I take apart each and every visual aspect
of a ring–from its color to its shape to its
material–and depict it in a narrative painting?”
being seen by publishers and the international
art community. I’ve considered so many
pathways within art careers, from museum
curator to teacher at a university, to maybe
instead getting a Master’s degree in a
practical arts field. I am unsure of what my
next decision will be. I want to stay in the field
for sure, even if it does not eventually become
my full-time career after all, and I hope to do
so by being able to create my own branding
encompassing both wearable and decorative
works. I want to keep researching my thesis
and keep working within the intersection of
biology, psychology, and art and design. That
would ultimately be a dream.
Self-Portrait with the Wild Deer
Oil on loose canvas, 91x61cm, 2023

and so on. I think it is for the best that I took

both an advanced painting class and an
advanced metalsmithing class in the same
semester because I was able to generalize
my workflow and aesthetic to the point where
producing several projects at once in two
different disciplines just felt like making one
very long extensive body of work.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations
and goals as an interdisciplinary artist?
How do you envision your artistic career
unfolding in the future?
My first goal is to prepare for my BFA show in
December. I aim to build a brand of cohesive
works encompassing painting, jewelry design,
and fashion design, which I have yet to
experiment with. I also consistently research
publications and virtual exhibitions I can apply
to while being busy with work and school so I
have a chance at

48
Joshua Obara
Norwood
Joshua Norwood is a new and emerging artist who is currently volunteering at the Open
Eye Gallery. They were born in Ichinoseki, Japan ( 一関、岩手、日本 ) to a Japanese
mother and a British father. They often use their dual nationality in their work as he
concentrates on their identity and now their questioning outlook on their gender identity.
Their art strives to be different and spontaneous with experiments with different styles
becoming their own style. They believe that the human mind must be deconstructed and
reimplanted onto the canvas and the deep conscious must be imprinted whenever and
wherever possible onto any medium. Their work and path are to create more artistic
awareness and understanding to help bring their thoughts and ideas through their art to
the world. Their practice also incorporates environmentally friendly messages, materials,
and recycled and scrap items to show their idea of having a sustainable practice. This is
in the idea of the world always constantly being in harmony with itself but humanity has
turned this harmony around and is starting to destroy the Earth in which to reharmonize,
humans must destroy their destruction or the Earth itself will clean the poison up
(humanity). It is a reaction against pollution and their environmentalist views.
Robot The future of humanity is bright and ethereal
Oil stick on canvas, 30ხ30ცმ, 2023 Oil on canvas, 30x30cm, 2023

49
Your artwork often explores themes of everyone has one style but instead, we must
identity and gender. Can you discuss how always continue to learn and deconstruct our
your dual nationality and questioning own processes. Everything is free-handed;
outlook on gender identity influence your nothing is planned- it captures the chaotic
artistic process and the concepts you temperament of this world while yet exporting
explore? my subconscious out onto the canvas or
Being a dual national allows me to explore sculpture. I guess you could say it’s a
both sides of myself- I’m both Japanese and transportation of thought onto paper.
British but sometimes being both makes me
Seascape V
feel as though I’m none. It proceeds to help Acrylic, homemade paper, landfill fabric on canvas
30x40cm, 2023
me to explore my gender identity too as I
believe that these concepts are not binary-
there is not one fixed thing but we’re all fluid
and moving. Both dual nationality and gender
identity are like a pendulum swinging- we
sometimes feel more or less of something
when we don’t feel that we are that one thing.
These influence my artistic process as a form
of moving the questioning onto the canvas as
a conceptual work.
Your statement mentions deconstructing
the human mind and imprinting the deep
Miniature world - Oil on canvas, 20x15cm, 2023
conscious onto the canvas. Could you
elaborate on this process and how it
manifests in your artwork?
I dream a lot and the subconscious is the
element of dreaming or perhaps the
controlling element of it- I dream and
daydream and push it onto the canvas. We
need to learn how we think and then translate
it into our art to make it personal and close but
we also need to ask others about their dreams
and merge them into ourself to understand the
universal mind.
How do you experiment with different
styles to create your own unique artistic
voice?
My artistic style swings, it never stays
constant – it takes what I see and changes it
into something new. I don’t believe that

50
Your art incorporates environmentally
friendly messages and materials. How do
you approach incorporating sustainability
and what role does it play in conveying
your ideas and values?
I approach sustainability by making sure
materials are all sustainable or recycled – I
see plastic on the floor outside, I might just
take it back and use it as an art material.
There’s plenty of paper and other waste that
can be pulped down into new sheets of paper
– I remake the base materials artists need and
use them. It plays a great role in my ideas as it
helps to legitimize them; it allows them to have
a voice as I do not come across as someone
who says things but doesn’t do them- I do
them, recycling everything I see.
Can you explain the concept of
reharmonizing the world and humanity's
destructive impact on the Earth?
My artwork responds by showing the world as
it is – the plastic I used to make the seascape
series I was working on used
Otherside - Oil on canvas, 30x30cm, 2023
51
plastic that would have been sent to the sea or
the landfill. It creates a beautiful image
through creating ironic messages- it’s beautiful
but it’s made of the thing that pollutes the sea.
It communicates through that- but it also stops
the plastic from going to the ocean as it is
stored in the artwork; kind of like a carbon sink
but as a work of art instead.
As a volunteer at the Open Eye Gallery,
how has this experience influenced your
artistic journey and growth as an artist?
They gave me and numerous other volunteers
an exhibition there last year which turned out
great. I had also been able to talk to people
with numerous roles in the organization while
also learning to curate, manage and research
artwork and artists. By watching and learning
from the organization it has given me insights
into how open calls are worked upon and why
people are chosen and how to describe my
works of art and other people's works.
Rebirth - Oil on canvas, 30x30cm, 2023
Are there specific mediums or materials
you prefer to use in your artwork that align
with your sustainable practice?
I prefer to use plastic wrapping, cardboard,
and homemade recycled paper while making
my canvases from fabric that would have
been sent to the landfill and stretched onto
cardboard or old canvases. These choices
contribute as a method of showing what we’re
doing wrong in a subtle way as though you
see the pollution in the work and the
message. It requires the viewer to think
critically about the work and the aesthetic can
only be perfected through critical thinking.
How do you envision your art influencing
and connecting with viewers?
I use subvert ideas to create irony in my work
like with the seascape series using plastic and
trash paper despite being a beautiful
seascape. It’s to make the audience question
why we’re destroying the planet and what we
can do to stop it. It connects with the viewers
through the use of subtleness – it’s not
supposed to be in your face but requires a bit
of analyzing and time spent watching the
painting before you understand the meaning.
Seascape I
Acrylic, fabric, recycled paper, plastic on canvas, 30x40cm, 2023
52
Can you share any upcoming projects or
exhibitions you are working on or are
excited about? How do these projects
continue to explore and expand on the
themes and ideas present in your current
practice?
I have started to work on sculptures, these
sculptures use recycled materials and liquids
as a method to stay fluid. Yet the fluid will dry
out over time destroying it and the value of the
work- it is a message to show that the
beautiful world is dying, and the artwork will
die with it. All humanity's creations end if
humanity doesn’t reharmonize with the
environment and with each other.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations
and goals as an emerging artist?
I am learning curation at the same time as
doing art- I wish to put that into my practice. I
want to involve curatorial ideas within the art
that I produce while also making people think
and helping it to be accessible to the public.
That’s why I’m going into sculpture as a
practice as well since it allows the public to
walk around the art and reduce the static
element; when people touch the art it
changes. I think it’s a kind of participatory
artwork- I like that.
Seascape III
Acrylic, fabric, recycled paper, plastic on canvas, 30x40cm, 2023
Tiziana
Rasile
“…My work seeks for light through chromatic vibrations where the being appears in its ancestral
essence. This artist believes in an art that embraces infinite points of view.
A brushstroke can be an electron that vibrates, a sound wave, a rhythm of light, water, and air
together. The time where life flows, simply the soul in search of the uncontaminated…”

Tiziana Rasilel was born in Rome where she lives and works. She completed the course
of studies at the Academy of Fine Arts, specializing in Painting. She obtained a Diploma
in "Technical Builder in Merchandising Museum" and for a year she dedicated herself to
the study of the Restoration of ancient paintings. She immediately developed a
propensity for abstract art and engraving, always maintaining a strong relationship with
the classical technique of nuance and oil veiling.
Over the course of her career, she has participated in
numerous events and won several international
awards. Her research explores light, through over-
positions suffused with chromatic textures and is
focused on the possibility of creating a dialogue
between scientific and philosophical realities, and
spiritual and artistic insights. Her journey begins with
the "FADES" Collection, where the form is
dematerialized in color, to other collections such as
"LACONIC TIME" and "VIBRATIONS": the light that
vibrates in the space of the picture and modulates
time. From 2018 to 2019 she adhered to the
constitution of the "New Roman Spatialism",
presented at the Merulana Museum in Rome. In
March 2021 she received the "Opera Prize" for career
achievements during the last five years from the U. I.
L. (National Union of Artists-Writers). The artist writes
film reviews for the “Teatro contemporaneo e
Cinema” Magazine, a column “Art Dimensions" for
the Foressego Art International Organization,, She is
represented by Laura I. Contemporary Art Gallery in
London.

53 UNMATERIAL FAIDS - Oil on canvas, 30x60

Can you tell us about your background and artistic journey, from studying at the Academy
of Fine Arts to your current practice?
The academic path has allowed me to explore both classical and modern art, in an environment
where sharing and collective experience are fundamental and technical knowledge is the basis for
discovering your own expressive mode.
How did you develop your inclination toward abstract art and engraving while maintaining
a connection with classical techniques?
The need to develop my own language brought my attention to abstract art and engraving. This is
due to their free and expressive power, capable of developing imaginary worlds. I believe that
maintaining a taste for academic technique is a source of stimulus and aesthetic value.
Could you elaborate on your exploration of light in your artwork and how it creates a
dialogue between scientific, philosophical, and artistic realms?
The light in my works represents an electromagnetic wave, a beam of light that crosses the
cosmos. The wonder of quantum physics of being wave and particle together, as the spiritual
manifestation of the primordial spark, principle of life and creation. Light as revelation and as
aesthetic value to give beauty and splendor.
What inspired the "FADES" Collection and its dematerialization of form into color? How
does it relate to your artistic vision?
The “Faids” collection is focused on the chromatic synthesis that determines a spatial structure. It
is dense and uniform to give a sense of stillness. The pictorial matter is dissolved whit glazes that
create three-dimensionality that suggests an essence beyond space. It is the symbol of the cycle
of life! the continuous movement of death and rebirth

Gates suspended - Oil on canvas, 50x50 Plots into light - Oil on canvas, 50x50, 2021

54
Can you explain the significance of the "LACONIC TIME" and "VIBRATIONS" collections in
terms of light, space, and the modulation of time within your artwork?
In these collections, the brushstroke through multiple directions tries to capture the space and the
light thinning out tries to capture the instant. The research is focused on the light that vibrates in
space-time and the continuous movement of nature captured in a single image.
What led you to join the "New Roman Spatialism" movement, and how did it influence your
artistic practice?
The concept of "Spatial Art" by Lucio Fontana, where time and space are fundamental to building
a mental and physical environment, beyond the boundaries of the canvas and any artistic
classification. Fundamental for me also the opportunity to participate in a stimulating cultural
dialectic.
How does your work reflect a universal dimension and ancestral forms? What role do the
elements of nature, time, energy, and vibrations play in your artistic expression?
Through the synthesis of a form that emerges at the center of the canvas. I wanted to represent
the primordial being, the eternity of the soul, or our universal origin. In a world, everything vibrates
at the rhythm of life. In the instant where everything flows and energy flows manifesting the power
of nature, fluid and vital.
What draws you to the classic technique of oil painting, and how do shades,
transparencies, and fluid aesthetics contribute to your desired atmospheric sensation?
The particular composition of the oil color allows me to work, stratify and fade the painting
material for a long time. Its light texture allows me to create smoky atmospheres and delicate
colors where the light shines through.

In the fluid sound - oil on canvas, 100x100 In the glow dived - oil on canvas, 100x100

55
How do you incorporate studies on philosophy, spirituality, and quantum physics into
your exploration of movement, brightness, and dynamism in your artwork?
My multidisciplinary research allows me to interpret my pictorial vision on different levels. The
study of dynamic motion in space made my painting dynamic, while the conception of light from a
physical and spiritual point of view introduced the imposing use of gold, whites, and the use of
light trails, and evanescent shades. Mimesis of the spirit as of the universe!
DYNAMIC PRIMORDIAL 2 - Oil on canvas

Can you share your perspective on the

importance of embracing infinite points
of view and seeking harmony in art, and
how it relates to your overall artistic
philosophy?
For me, embracing infinite points of view
means not setting limits to creativity and
always adding new perspectives and
reflections to the image. My artistic
research tries to represent an abstract
imagination, as it can be philosophical or
spiritual, where deep down we can see life
pulsating and nature manifest.

WAVES OF ARCHETYPAL LIGHT - Oil on canvas, 50x60

56
IN THE PEACEFUL IMMENSE

The time is brightening up

The way unfolds ...
Everything is laid out
Radiates the lying blanket
Rough eternal appearance
They return from beyond
In the hidden depths
and everything is arched
Enlightened
in the peaceful immense...

FAIDS OF THE OPPOSITE ECHOES

Oil on canvas, 120x50
Mahnissa Maneerut (Queen B, Mandi)

“Dear Mandi, remember you are just a human”

In a world of judgments, she walks the path, In embracing her flaws, she finds her might,
A woman burdened by society's wrath. No longer confined by judgment's tight.
Seeking perfection in every single way, Her scars become badges, her quirks a delight,
But the pain of judgment holds her in sway. As she embraces herself, a shining light.

She molds herself, bending to their will, No more shall she bow to their demands,
Striving to be flawless, but she feels the chill. For she's unapologetically taking a stand.
For in this pursuit, she loses her own voice, A perfect woman, in her own unique way,
Trapped in the confines of societal choice. Radiating strength and self-love each day.

She hears the whispers, the critical eyes, So, let the judgments fade into the wind,
As they dissect her worth with cold, hardened lies. As she rises above, letting her true self rescind.
Their measuring gaze upon her every move, For the pain she once carried, now transformed,
Leaving her wounded, her spirit bruised. Into a powerful force that will forever be adorned.

But deep within her, a fire burns bright, She is a woman of substance and grace,
A flicker of truth, a resolute fight. Unafraid to live life at her own pace.
She yearns to break free from the chains that bind, In her authenticity, she finds her release,
To embrace her imperfections, her own kind. And from judgment's clutches, she finds peace.

For perfection is an illusion, a mirage, Embrace yourself, for you are enough,
A concept designed to control and barrage. Break free from the chains, call their bluff.
She realizes now, in her pain-filled quest, For in your journey, through pleasure and strife,
That true beauty resides within her chest. You are the embodiment of a perfect life.

58
“Can you forgive me?”

In the stillness of the night, I hear your plea,

A whispered question, "What have I done? Tell me."
Your voice, heavy with remorse and pain,
Searching for answers, longing to explain.

But the silence echoes, no response in sight,

As your heart wrestles with guilt, consumed by the night.
"Can you forgive me?" your soul cries out,
Seeking solace, yearning for doubt to be cast out.

In the realm of mistakes, we all have tread,

Sometimes leaving scars, where forgiveness is spread.
But the path to healing begins with grace,
Understanding the depths of our own mistakes.

Regret can be a burden, weighing on your soul,

But growth is born from acknowledging the toll.
Reflect upon the choices made in the past,
Seek to learn, to evolve, and hold steadfast.

Forgiveness is a journey, a process that takes time,

For wounds run deep, healing can't be confined.
It requires open hearts, compassion's embrace,
To mend the fractures, find a common space.

But remember, my friend, forgiveness is not just external,

It starts within, with self-acceptance that's eternal.
Release the burden, the weight that you bear,
For growth and redemption are yours to declare.

Open up the dialogue, have an honest conversation,

Acknowledge your mistakes, seek reconciliation.
But if forgiveness is not freely given or received,
Find solace in knowing you've truly believed.

Seek understanding, empathy, and growth,

In the face of remorse, let compassion flow.
For we're all human, imperfect in our ways,
Learning, stumbling, as we navigate life's maze.
So, don't be too hard on yourself, my dear,
Forgiveness may come when the time is clear.
But in the meantime, learn, grow, and find peace,
Embrace the lessons, let self-forgiveness increase.

Remember, we all stumble, we all fall,

But it's the strength to rise that truly enthralls.
Hold your head high, learn from the past,
Embrace forgiveness, and let your spirit amass.

You are worthy of love, of a second chance,

Embrace self-forgiveness, release the dance.
For in the depths of your being, you'll find,
A strength and resilience that forever will bind.

“It’s okay to make mistake”

In a single moment, a mistake was made,

And life's course shifted, forever changed.
A ripple through time, a fateful turn,
A lesson learned, a fire brightly burned.

One mistake, like a stone in a pond,

Sending waves of consequence far beyond.
A butterfly's wings, in chaotic flight,
Unveiling a path, once hidden from sight.

In the aftermath, emotions collide,

Regret and anguish, nowhere to hide.
A dance of reflection, a soul laid bare,
Confronting the truth, facing despair.

But amidst the pain, a glimmer of light,

A chance to grow, to make things right.
For mistakes, though heavy with their weight,
Can illuminate the path to a better fate.
Lessons emerge from the depths of the soul,
As the wounded heart seeks to be whole.
Resilience awakens, a fire starts to burn,
Fueling the journey, a desire to learn.

Through the shattered pieces, strength is found,

A newfound purpose, on solid ground.
For one mistake, though it may define,
Doesn't dictate the worth of your lifeline.

Embrace the lesson, let it guide your way,

Turn darkness to light, let growth hold sway.
For in the face of adversity, seeds are sown,
Blossoming into wisdom, beautifully grown.

Remember, dear one, you're not defined,

By a single mistake, so leave it behind.
Embrace the transformation, let your spirit rise,
With resilience and grace, you'll reach the skies.

One mistake changed your path, it's true,

But it's up to you, what you will pursue.
Let forgiveness flow, both outward and within,
And from the ashes, a new chapter begins.

In this journey called life, we stumble and fall,

But it's in how we rise, that we conquer it all.
So, embrace the power within your stride,
For one mistake can be the catalyst of a beautiful life.
“No rain, no flowers”

In the face of storms, I'll stand tall,

No matter the downpour, I won't fall.
For within my spirit, a fire burns bright,
A flame of resilience, guiding my fight.

Though rain may drench the path I tread,

I won't let it dampen the dreams I've bred.
For in every raindrop, a seed is sown,
Waiting to bloom, to claim its own.

With unwavering faith, I'll embrace the showers,

For they nourish the soil, awaken my powers.
In the midst of chaos, I'll find my peace,
For every storm holds a promise of release.

No rain, no flower, the adage rings true,

For it's in the challenges, growth breaks through.
Each trial faced, a chance to evolve,
To bloom and blossom, to steadily revolve.

I'll weather the storms, with courage and grace,

Knowing that sunshine will soon embrace.
For after every rainfall, the skies will clear,
Revealing the beauty that's held dear.

Through setbacks and failures, I'll hold my ground,

With determination, my dreams shall be found.
For in the face of adversity, I will rise,
With unwavering strength, I'll claim the prize.

I'll never give up, though the road may be tough,

For in perseverance, I've found more than enough.
Each step forward, a testament of my might,
As I navigate darkness, embracing the light.

So let the rain pour, let the thunder roar,

I'll dance in the storm, on this path I explore.
For I am a warrior, with dreams to pursue,
No rain, no flower, my spirit will renew.
What inspired you to become a writer, and how did you embark on your writing journey?
In all honesty, I didn't have high hopes at first. Since I was a young child, I have enjoyed reading.
My mother always told me that books are windows to other worlds and that reading would make
me smarter. Then I continue reading everything and delighting in "words," so it all started with my
love of reading before I even considered writing my own book to share my ideas with others. I
was diagnosed with depression at the age of 19, and ever since then, my once-bright world has
become black. I have no idea how depressed I was at the moment. I merely continue to cry and
isolate myself from my pals. I was pretty confused about what was happening inside my head... I,
therefore, take out a pencil and begin to "write," expressing my emotions. In the meantime, I
discovered that writing is a skill I can use to help myself heal. After seeing two contests online, I
entered my work and simultaneously won two national prizes—one for being the winner and
another for being the first runner. My dream to see published my own book and pursue a career
as a writer was realized in this way, and I was truly enjoying the process of writing.
How do you approach the process of developing memorable and relatable characters in
your stories?
The inspiration for my themes, ideas, and stories came from the people and places I visited. To
put it another way, everything I write about is based on personal experience and emotion. I then
add creativity to them to help the story develop based on the theme or tone, the type of story, and
even a hidden message to make the reader "think" after finishing the book. This is what
distinguishes my work from others.
What techniques or strategies do you use to overcome writer's block and maintain your
creative flow?
When I was having trouble writing, I knew I needed to take a break so I went to bed, played
games, visited with my animals, and chatted with my girlfriend—basically, I did everything that
had nothing to do with my work. I give myself a maximum of three days to rest before checking to
see if anything pops into my thoughts. To spark my creativity or passion, I put on music or read
something that relates to a certain aspect of my work. However, for me, the best approach to
restoring my creativity is to listen to music.
Could you share some insights into your writing routine or habits? How do you manage
your time and stay productive?
Regarding the schedule, I typically am aware of how quickly I can write one book (120 pages, 13
sizes of CordiaNew font, in Microsoft Word), which takes me about three weeks to complete.
However, I must first organize and write down an outline as "treatment" for myself in order to get
things in shape and make writing simpler. After my book is published, I always take some time off
to travel. I enjoy going to different locations since it's exciting to experience a foreign culture or
learn about new things, both of which are beneficial to my ideas and make me relax. Then,
depending on the editor's needs and whether she gives me a deadline, if not…. I’ll do it when I
feel like it, the fresh work will start anew in that way.

63
How important is research in your writing process, and what are some methods you
employ to ensure accuracy in your work?
Well, doing research is crucial! it inspires me to research further and come up with some ideas!
The research was based on the "Content" (Tittle, subjects, themes, or characters), anything that
related to my work. Occasionally, surprising elements would also emerge in my head when
conducting research. So certainly, I advised doing extra research to be more precise and
optimized if any of my work discussed real-world events.
What role do you believe storytelling plays in society, and what responsibilities do writers
have in shaping narratives?
Books are one type of media that convey messages to the reader through the telling of stories. I
always have a responsibility as a writer to be aware of the sensitive material that refers to my
culture or my field of work. For instance, I am aware that since my readers are young children
when I write romance novels set in Asian culture, I shouldn't include any love scenes. They might
be between the ages of 13 to18; to be completely honest, I have no idea who will buy my works.
Simply writing what I want to write and knowing my reader will help me sell my work effectively
too not only for presenting but being responsible too. I like to turn unpleasant situations into
positive ones in my work, even if my tone is generally negative that how my works help society to
shape a growth mindset and create soft power.
How do you handle constructive criticism and feedback on your writing? What steps do
you take to improve your craft based on feedback?
In my twelve years as a writer, I've received a lot of comments, both positive and bad. For the
positive criticism or feedback, I always say "Thank you," and I'd love to hear more about why you
like my work. I would really like to know more about the one that impressed you or touched you.
For the unfavorable feedback, if it helps me improve my work, for instance "This is a nice story,
but I think the protagonist made me feel really depressed at first. I was about giving it away, but I
kept reading, and then wow, okay, I realized this is how the writer made the protagonist in this
way first," the reader said. I pay attention since I frequently hear statements of this sort; I am
aware that I need to tone down some negativity in order to reduce the likelihood that making
reader won't finish reading the whole books.
Do you have a particular genre or writing style that you prefer? How do you challenge
yourself to explore new genres or experiment with different styles?
I honestly don't have a favorite genre, but I do enjoy writing... Whenever I have the chance, I write
everything, from meal menus to dating biographies for friends or for myself, all the way up to
helping with research for a doctorate. However, I enjoy discussing love and feelings. I am an
adventurer by nature, just like in style, thus I enjoy pushing myself to do anything. For me,
stepping outside of my comfort zone is not an issue. I enjoy doing it, and I seem to have more
opportunities now. For instance, I recently started composing English poems, and besides the
chance with COA, I received acceptances from 4 publications. Thank you! For this new chance in
my life to explore myself as a poet.

64
Are there any specific themes or topics that consistently appear in your work? What draws
you to these themes, and how do you approach them in your writing?
I enjoy complex plots, dark humor, and strong emotions. The majority of my writing comes across
as awful marketing, yet being "real" and having a niche rather than selling to the masses makes
me stand out. I don't really like to focus my work on a single theme, as I've already stated. I enjoy
being liberated because I use writing to express my emotions and sometimes I pick up just weird
thoughts that randomly pop into my head. Writing has helped me overcome sadness.
Can you share any advice for aspiring writers who are just starting their own writing
journeys?
Dear novice or those who enjoy writing, my first piece of advice is to not be afraid and to show
courage. Don't undervalue your abilities; act on your desires when they arise. Don't assume the
result or give your future too much thought, or anything else. Simply ask yourself how much you
enjoy writing. Simply use the power of love and reject everything. I also use it for healing because
I love to read, which led me to start dreaming about having my own book published. I was also
beginning from scratch, but I dared to try it. Look, I went from being a depressed girl to a senior
content producer at the age of 33 (when someone offer me a career opportunity), but I never
wanted to do a full-time job. Finally, be free, follow your heart, and don't set boundaries for
yourself. Enjoy it without overdoing it, and execute quickly!! Like in the case of art, creativity is
limitless once you have an idea. Simply take the lead; once you do, you'll know how or what is
best for you. You'll never know if you don't try! I'm very grateful for the interview. I appreciate
being chosen, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I was capable of poetry as well.

65
Savina
Ražnatović

Now the earth was astonishingly empty, and darkness was on the
face of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the face
of the water.

Textile sculpture, 2021

66
Savina Ražnatović was born in 1993 in Cetinje, Montenegro, a town steeped in history
and fading anecdotes, Savina's artistic path was shaped by her upbringing. Both her
parents were conservators, her father restoring frescoes and her mother contributing to
the preservation of cultural monuments. Surrounded by art, Savina understood its
significance as a reflection of society, history, and identity.
While initially pursuing fashion design, life led Savina towards Fine Arts. She studied
fashion design in Rome and Belgrade before returning to her roots in Cetinje. In 2021,
she graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts with a focus on sculpting. Her graduation
theme, Bereshit, explored the abstract representation of Genesis, departing from
traditional figurative interpretations. Influenced by Jewish mysticism, Savina embarked on
a mysterious journey to tell the story of creation, drawing inspiration from texts such as
Sefer Yetzirah, Zohar, and Tanya. After graduation, Savina worked at the MPI Museums
of Kotor, creating commercial replicas of museum pieces using recycled paper and
plaster. Although skilled in this role, she realized her true calling was to be fully immersed
in her own artistic work. With profound respect and love for her craft, she transitioned
from replicating ancient artifacts to dedicating herself entirely to her unique artistic vision.

67 You me us - Ink on paper, 2023

Your upbringing in a family of
conservators of cultural heritage and the
significance of art in your life have played
a crucial role in shaping your artistic
journey. Can you elaborate on how this
background has influenced your artistic
practice and your understanding of the role
of art?
In our home art was more than just a simple
decoration in the living room. It represented
our roots and history and had to be greatly
respected as a witness of that history. I
learned that my art is not just what I want to
make, but rather what I have to say about the
world I live in. I'm the witness of my era.
While you initially explored the field of
fashion design, you eventually found your
true calling in sculpture. How did you come
to realize that sculpture was the medium
through which you could best express
your artistic vision?
At one of my previous universities, I had a
course in sculpting where I realized that art
can be multi-dimensional as well. That's when
I thought to myself I want to study sculpture.
You know how they say, when you're on the
right path the doors open by themselves.
That's how I ended up in sculpting I guess.
68
Philosophy and its unfulfilled love and
talent have found their way into your art.
How do you incorporate philosophical
concepts into your work, and how do they
intersect with your artistic expression?
That is something I'm unable to fit into a few
sentences but all I can say is it's quite
challenging. Channeling wisdom and
understanding into an art form so it can be
channeled out with the same essence.
Your main inspiration comes from the
formation of the world, the mysteries of the
cosmos, and the eternal questioning of our
origin and existence. How do these grand
themes manifest in your artwork, and what
techniques or visual elements do you
employ to convey these concepts?
None of us witnessed the Tzimtzum or the Big
Bang. My depictions are based solely on my
rather abstract understanding of it. The line is
the element I like to use because it is in fact
the thread that had woven the universe we
know and don't.
You mentioned being influenced by
Japanese philosophies in your artistic
expression. Can you elaborate on how
these philosophies inform your visual
language and the unique artistic
manuscript you've developed?
Yūgen teaches that "nothingness" is not just
vastness of nothing, but rather a space of
potentiality. It seems simple but requires
immense dedication and concentration. It's not
just the final product that makes it art, the
process of making it is an art form in itself.
Formation - Ink on paper, 2021
Your work delves into the teachings of the
Torah about Genesis, but you choose to
express them abstractly. Could you
explain your decision to approach these
teachings in an abstract manner and how
it allows for a deeper understanding
beyond the conscious and rational mind?
I believe that the Tora shouldn't be interpreted
literary yet the mystical level of interpretation
to which the rabbis refer as "sod". Abstract
forms and mystery tend to complement each
other. Figurative explanations tend to banalize
such teaching. Whereas abstract tends to
guide the mind to unexplored understandings
something similar to intuition.
By striving to abolish any reference to the
physical world in your art, what effect do
you aim to create in the viewer? How does
this approach enhance the experience of
understanding and engaging with your
artwork?
My art is just a mere reflection of my
experience. It doesn't present information to
the viewer on a silver platter, ready to
consume. It draws and guides to the source of
understanding meant for the viewer,
he/she/they might have the same experience I
do. Of course, if they are willing to be guided.
How do you navigate the tension between
abstraction and storytelling in your artistic
practice? How do you ensure that the
abstract elements in your work effectively
communicate the story of the formation of
the world and life itself?
Using my own symbolism I tell the story of
formation. There is always a problem with art
and whether the public will interpret your
message as you intended it to be
69
interpreted. That just proves that the artwork
has its own energy and information it radiates
to the viewer, not all is under the artist's
control.
Can you share any specific projects or
artworks where you feel your unique
artistic manuscript is particularly evident?
Bereshit might be the best example, it
consists of textile sculptures and ink drawings.
Bereshit tells the story of Genesis but not in
the typical figurative way we've seen through
the history of art, where there are various
depictions of the creation of the world and
human race and almost all of them are
figurative. I'm interested in the period before
the figurative was even evident thus showing
the public a bit of a different way of perceiving
information.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations
and goals as an artist?
I'm an explorer and I will continue exploring
the unknown attempting to illustrate what I
feel and understand about it. Philosophers
think, ask, and answer, I like to consider
myself one but the difference is I tend to
express my understanding in an artistic
manner. I want to teach people to think again,
thinking is beautiful.
Formation - Ink on paper, 2017
God separated between the light and between the darkness

Textile sculpture, 2021

70
Jennifer
Friedman
Jennifer, a contemporary artist hailing from southern California, currently resides in
Newport Beach. Her artwork is a celebration of travel, people, and escapism, showcasing
her deep-rooted connection to her surroundings. In her latest collection, she takes
viewers on a visual journey, documenting her trips through her unique lens and
translating those experiences onto paper with her paintbrush. Jennifer's primary interest
lies in capturing and recreating the weightlessness and freedom felt while on vacation.
She skillfully dissolves the ordinary aspects of daily life in radiant sunlight and vibrant
colors, immersing viewers in a world where all worries fade away. By living in the moment
during her travels, she encapsulates the landscapes and quiet moments of others as they
too let go and exhale, leaving behind the burdens of everyday life. Jennifer's artistic
journey is characterized by a diverse educational background. She graduated from
UCLA's Fine Art program in 2008 and later obtained a degree from the Gnomon School
of Visual Effects in 2015, specializing in Entertainment Design for Digital Production. Her
skills as an animator and pre-visualization artist have allowed her to contribute to various
film, television, and theme park projects. Through her vibrant and immersive artwork,
Jennifer invites viewers to embark on a visual odyssey, capturing the essence of travel,
the allure of escapism, and the beauty found in everyday moments. Her creative
endeavors reflect her passion for self-expression and her desire to transport others to a
place of joy and tranquility.

Palm Springs is Escapism. Driving down Highway 111, when the windmills come into view and
the warm mountain air touches your skin, all else is lost in the world. While rich in history, for me it
started with Bubby, (Yiddish for Grandma). Visiting Bubby in Palm Springs meant swimming all
day and no school. As she grew old in her age and eventually passed, Palm Springs still lived on.
It continues to be a place of escapism for me and for many others.
Inspired by Slim Aarons, and his fascination for capturing “attractive people doing attractive things
in attractive places,” my collection took shape. I began by replicating his pieces, but then during
the many visits to Palm Springs for my escape, I started to document through my own lens.
Through my pieces, I capture the weightlessness I feel when I’m there. All aspects of daily life are
dissolved in the sunlight and vibrant saturation of colors. In Palm Springs I live in the moment,
and with watercolor, I capture the landscape and quiet moments of others as they too breathe in
the mountain air and leave life behind.

71
Can you tell us more about your artistic journey, and how your experience growing up in
CA has influenced your work?
I grew up in Palos Verdes, southern California and my passion for art was evident even at a
young age. I have memories of ruining my parent's coffee table with a spirograph and drawing
with magic markers across my parent's sofa. My mom and I would do arts and crafts together and
make giant messes while my dad was away at work, and then rush to clean everything up before
he returned home. (He was definitely what you would call a neat freak). I was always enrolled in
some sort of extracurricular art class, even at a young age. In high school, I focused mostly on
art-related activities and advanced placement art courses. Pursuing art in college was a natural
choice with the support from my parents, and I was fortunate to be accepted into UCLA's fine art
program where I graduated in 2008. After graduating, I interned for Art in America magazine in
NYC, however, because it was a difficult time in the economy I returned home to CA and found
work in a dull uninspiring career in the aerospace industry. After spending 3 years in that career, I
quit and returned back to school to study visual effects. I completed a three-year program in
Entertainment Design and Digital production, and worked as a VFX artist, only to realize that my
true passion was in traditional art mediums. Throughout those years, I maintained my artistic
pursuits, painting in large-scale oils, and only later did I transition into watercolors.

After the people empty chairs

72
What draws you to the theme of escapism, and why is it an important aspect of your art?
When I paint, I go inside myself, kind of like meditation. My favorite time to paint is in the early
morning because it is so quiet and peaceful. And the act of painting itself feels like escapism for
me. We all worry about so many things, things to do, etc. but it kind of goes away when I paint
and get into that zone. My style has definitely shifted over the years, and right now I'm in my
happy place, where I just want to paint things that make me happy, and travel and escapism are
definitely those things. When I paint these themes of escapism, I too get to escape.
How do you translate the weightlessness and vibrant colors you experience during your
travels into your artwork?
Right now I'm really into watercolors. A lot of people tell me how difficult the medium is, and I can
understand that, but it's also why I love it so much. With watercolor, you can't really paint over and
start fresh like say oils or acrylic. It's a commitment, so every brush stroke has a deliberate
purpose. I love this about it. It's not fussy, and you just kind of go with it. Also with watercolors,
there is a sense of freedom with it. It's light and airy, just like that feeling of a warm breeze and
the sun on your shoulders. I can really capture that light, airy, free feeling with watercolor. I don't
think I'd have the same result with any other medium. Unlike oils, with watercolor, I typically paint
from light to dark and just continue layering colors and values over one another, and use water to
dilute or darken the pigment.

Can you share some insights into the

process of documenting your trips and
translating them onto paper with a
paintbrush? How do you choose the
moments or scenes to capture?
I'm an observer and a big people watcher and i'll
capture spontaneous moments with my iPhone
that speak to me. A lot of it has to do with the
time of day and the lighting. In my latest Palm
Springs collection the colors really sparkled in Poolside Colony Palmst

the morning and in the late afternoon, and I was

Afternoon at the Colony Palmst
so attracted to the dramatic backdrop of the
mountain. I also love symmetry so for example
the backdrop of a rectangular pool against the
mountains is just everything to me. I also love to
capture those quiet candid moments of others. I
love painting people, and a lot of the people in
my pieces are actually people that I've gotten to
know casually and chit-chatted with during my
travels. My pieces actually have a little story to
go along with them.

73
The influence of POS and your grandmother's presence in your artwork is evident. Could
you elaborate on how the city and your personal connection to it inspire your creativity?
Yes, she and I were really really close. When she passed I was afraid PS would become a sad
place for me, but it was actually quite the opposite. My boyfriend and I continue to return, so
frequently in fact that for me it was a celebration of her life, rather than a sad place of old
memories. When you drive into PS we take Highway 111 when the windmills would come into
view and the air just became warmer. I remember at the youngest of age, my grandma ( I called
her Bubby), would drive us down and I would get to spend a week with her. I'd see those
windmills and get so excited because I knew we were almost there. We'd go shopping, eat at
buffets and swim in her pool. It meant summer for me and no school. She was a vibrant woman,
so charismatic, and had so much personality. Everyone would always say she looked just like
Elisabeth Taylor, she was a beautiful woman, very loud and happy, and anyone that knew her fell
in love with her. She painted her house pink at one point and it was the brightest house on the
street. I don't think she realized it would be as pink as it was but she laughed and called it a
bordello, and it remained pink until the day she passed.

Bar at Colony palms

74
What appeals to you about working with watercolor?
I love the freedom of watercolor and the transparency of watercolor. It really goes hand in hand
with feeling light and airy. There's a lot of freedom with the medium, it's not heavy and you can't
fuss with it. If you do you'll just end up with a big muddy mess. Colors kind of naturally blend and
you get these really beautiful moments when layering pigment. With all art, the trick is knowing
when to stop.
How have the educational experiences shaped your artistic style and technique?
I'd like to say that having that formal education has made me pretty well wounded as an artist. At
UCLA I did a ton of ceramics, photography, and oil painting. I was also immersed in an "Art for
art's sake" atmosphere and style of teaching that was extremely inspirational. We had no confined
box we had to fit into. Some of the art I did during that time was really wild. I remember doing a
sort of performance piece where I wrote a love letter/goodbye note to the outdoor couch and
actually wrote the letter on the couch itself. It was a special couch that my best friends and I
would sit on outside our ground-floor apartment in a 4-plex vintage-style complex in Westwood. It
was "Our" couch, the place we would all sit at, laugh, and hang out. As part of my class final
project, I dragged that couch to campus and then took a chainsaw to it. It was senior year, and I
know it sounds really wild and wacky, but it was great because UCLA really allowed us artists to
express ourselves in any way we wanted to and think outside of the box. Gnomon was quite the
opposite and gave me a very formal training. I studied anatomy, perspective, skeletal and
muscular systems, and then learned the 3D software program maya, and learned animation,
modeling, etc., all extremely technical.

75 Poolside at the Inn

Slim Aarons' work has influenced your collection. How did you transition from replicating
his pieces to developing your own style?
Yes, I absolutely love his work, and he is such an icon of Palm Springs style. I started by painting
Poolside Gossip and had so much fun with it that I painted a couple more. And after getting to
know his pieces a little more with each one I painted, I decided I wanted to celebrate what he did
by making my own and capturing my own moments. His pool scenes are my favorite, and that's
where it took off. I'd stay at these little boutique hotels, and take my own photographs but with the
purpose of painting them. The work evolved from there.
What do you hope viewers experience or feel when they engage with your artwork?
I always thought as an artist I have succeeded if I managed to get someone to stop and look for a
piece for at least 3 seconds. There is so much art in the world, and so many distractions, that it is
such a powerful thing to get someone to stop and pause. The power to evoke any emotion -
whether happy, sad, angry.... now that's the beauty of art - the power to evoke an emotion and
express. Right now I feel like my work has a nostalgia to it.
Are there any upcoming project themes you are excited to explore in your art?
Yes! Well, it's been a busy year. My goal was to complete this first series, which I have done. I've
also partnered with a frame and ship company so giclée prints are now finally available right off
my brand new website, which I just couldn't be happier it. It's seriously so pretty, I worked with a
very talented web designer. I'm also adding a couple more pieces to the collection (maybe 2-3)
and I do have plans for an entirely new series that I'll be starting later in the year, but I'm still
working it out and gathering inspiration. I've also completed a few shows and have a couple more
coming up! It's honestly been amazing, such a dream.

76 The Artist 2
Elizaveta
Velikanova
Elizaveta is an artist who explores themes centered around human consciousness and
memory. With a background in graphic design and illustration, she is currently pursuing a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts at Novia University of Applied Sciences.
Elizaveta's artistic journey is characterized by a strong inclination towards
experimentation, constantly pushing the boundaries of her creativity. She finds joy in
exploring a variety of materials and techniques, always seeking new ways to express her
artistic vision. In recent times, her focus has predominantly revolved around the realms of
printmaking, drawing, and collage.

''I am interested in human perceptual mechanisms, memory, and illusions. My practice is focused
on exploring themes related to our consciousness. I visualize cognitive processes via different
mediums, but mainly drawing, printmaking, and collage. The topic of cognition, perception, and
thinking is exciting because the way we analyze and interpret surrounding reality has a huge
influence on our aspirations, decisions, and behavior. I want the viewer of my work to reflect on
how their cognition impacts the way they see the world.''

77 Memory pt.1
How do you approach the task of patterns and the relation between our thinking
visualizing cognitive processes through process and the decisions that we make. I
your chosen mediums of drawing, think seeing this connection and
printmaking, and collage? understanding the differences in people’s
Approaches may change from piece to piece, perceptions can help us be more honest with
but, generally, I try to find a certain structure— ourselves and with others and be more
static or moving, bold or nuanced—that will be conscious of our choices and behaviors.
the base for the next elements added to an
artwork. And since my themes are related to
unconscious processes, some parts of my
works are not preplanned; they appear
naturally during the course of working on a
piece.
Can you share some insights into the
techniques or methods you employ to
convey the themes of human
consciousness and memory in your
artwork?
I often mix traditional mediums such as
'Stream of consciousness series

painting, drawing, or collage with further digital

editing. It allows me to add depth to my work
and create a multi-layered space that, to me,
is reminiscent of the memory and perception
process.
What led you to focus specifically on the
themes of cognition, perception, and
thinking in your artistic practice?
The themes of cognition, perception, and
thinking are very broad and interesting to dive
into. I think many of us underestimate the
influence that our cognition has on us. In
many ways, it defines our reactions,
decisions, conclusions, and goals.
How do you believe the exploration of
these themes can influence or shape
viewers' understanding of their own
cognitive processes and the way they
perceive the world?
I think the exploration of these themes can
help us pay more attention to our cognitive

78
Could you elaborate on any specific visual
or symbolic elements you incorporate into
your artwork to represent human
perceptual mechanisms or illusions?
From my point of view, perceptual
mechanisms and illusions are associated with
movement, fluidity, constant change, and
multi-layered, complex spaces. They can be
chaotic, yet not completely random. To me, it
is important to incorporate both
moving/flexible elements and something that
represents a certain structure or even stability.
How do you strike a balance between
experimentation with different materials
and techniques and maintaining a
cohesive artistic style in your work?
Experimentation with different materials and
techniques allows me to find new ways to
communicate ideas visually and to depict
abstract or intangible concepts. So, in my
opinion, experimenting is at the root of
discovering and maintaining a cohesive
artistic style.
Are there any particular experiences or
observations in your own life that have
influenced or inspired your exploration of
human consciousness and memory in
your artwork?
I have always been interested in observing
how people interact with each other and how
they describe surrounding reality. As a person
inclined to pessimism, it often strikes me how
others can be so positive and lighthearted. It
led me to think that, for better or worse, we
can hardly ever analyze anything properly.
We are strongly influenced by our past
experiences, habits, and illusions which form
our outlook on the world.
79
Can you discuss any challenges you've
encountered while attempting to depict
intangible concepts such as
consciousness and memory in visual
form?
Depicting intangible concepts such as
consciousness or memory is challenging
because they are so unstable, imprecise, and
abstract that it is hard to find a proper way to
visualize them. Such concepts, in my opinion,
are associated with fluidity and flexibility, yet
like other mechanisms in our body or brain,
they have certain structures, sequences, and
orders. To me, the key is to find a balance
between these two aspects.
How do you invite viewers to engage with
and reflect upon their own cognition when
interacting with your artwork?
I hope that viewers can recognize some
cognitive patterns that I visualize in my works.
Of course, my visual interpretation is based
on my own perception, but I think some visual
or symbolic elements are universal and can
be identified regardless of one’s background.
However, the main point is to encourage
viewers to reflect upon their own thinking
process; there is no right or wrong
interpretation.
In what ways do you believe your artistic
practice contributes to a broader
conversation or understanding of the
relationship between cognition,
perception, and human behavior?
I think artistic practices related to cognition,
perception, and human behavior can help
people be more honest with themselves about
their fears, beliefs, aspirations, illusions, etc. I
would also like to believe that such art
encourages people to be more kind and
attentive to each other.
Untitled

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Summer Issue | Seasonal Edition | July 2023 | Tbilisi, Georgia

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