Which tools did you use for the creation of this piece?
I used upcycled and untraditional tools to create this piece, slathering thick amounts of paint onto cloth, bubble wrap and cardboard, then applying these materials straight onto the canvas. I chose to use these tools as the remnants of the bubble wrap and pools of paint from the cardboard create a really elegant and fragile texture.
What was the creative process behind it?
My process is to work within the boundlessness of my subconscious; embracing spontaneity and momentary inspirations, thoughts and emotions to essentially articulate the internal into the physical. The physical process behind this piece was by painting an array of warm colours onto primed canvas, then using bubble wrap and cardboard as the tool to apply an overlay of paint. This continuous process of applying, removing and re-applying became almost like an interactive dance between myself, the materials and the canvas.
What feelings come to you when you look at it?
When I look at this piece, I can’t help but notice a mixture of feelings; calmness, vulnerability and beauty.
There is just something in the way the colours merge together, it evokes a sort of quiet beauty.
What do you like most about this piece and why?
I love the depth in this piece. It excites me. The warm colours peek through the layers of white paint, almost like they have been forgotten, but still want to make an appearance. That’s what I like, It continuously draws me in.
What were your references, influences or inspirations during your creative process?
I have always been inspired by the Freudian psychology of the unconscious mind, and I have tried to adopt that concept into the process of my work. Adhering to my own creative intuition and painting from a stream of consciousness allowed for each mark, gesture, and smudge to become a symbol of authenticity, a vestige of my subconscious.
What did you enjoy the most about the process?
Simply painting freely, with no preconceived idea or direction. It then became a meditative process and pure act of expression.
What was the hardest thing for you and how did you solve it?
Nothing during the process was hard, but rather more inconvenient. When I have to leave the studio to tend to other commitments, it would bother me because I love what I do, I could just paint for hours.
Where would you like to see it exhibited?
I would love to see my work exhibited up there with the greats, whether it’s in the White Cube in London, or the Tolarno Gallery in Melbourne. I have a vision to one day make work to that standard!
Anika Macela is a Melbourne-based artist who is currently completing a BFA at RMIT. Macela’s mixed media paintings focus on memory and the subconscious through abstraction.