As she worked away in the verdant summer of Virginia, Laura Vahlberg took a moment to fill us in on her latest painting pursists, detailing the role of nature within her practice.
OTOMYS: You have said that the first element you look at when painting a landscape is the quality of the light. Can you tell us about how you see the landscape and what elements within it inspire you?
Laura Vahlberg: I see the landscape as a world of shapes and colours that could live together in a painting.
I'm looking out my studio window now. If I form my hand into a circle like a telescope, I can see just four stripes of colour; sidewalk, grass, curb, tarmac. All four colours are illuminated by bright sunshine - so that warm light will be something these isolated stripes of colour have in common. I can see the grass is the darkest stripe and the curb is the lightest. The tarmac has an most blue hue, and the sidewalk has more orange tone.
As far as inspiration goes, I feel inspired by something as subtle as a breeze. Outside there is a world of endless inspiration. I also look for contrast between man made structures and organic material. Design is key for me - I search for pictorial ideas that feel tidy and balanced with just a teaspoon of discord.
OTOMYS: Can you tell us about your painting process? How do you work out a composition? Do you work entirely plein air, or return to your studio after a while?
Laura Vahlberg: I usually have an initial vision of what I think the picture will look like and I loosely follow that idea. The image always seems to change and surprise me along the way. A little while ago I had planned to made a painting that depicted a specific pine tree on a hilltop, however, as I worked the hill became the key focus of the painting. By the time I had finished the painting, the pine tree did not make an appearance at all!
When I'm starting a new painting I find a shape that is pertinent to me; perhaps it is the triangle of a roof gable, or an afternoon shadow projected on fresh green grass. I think about where on the canvas this image feels most right, and building my composition around this, introducing shapes that services the first ‘master’ shape.
I mostly work on-site from observation. Occasionally I work from memory or imagination in the studio. When I work from memory I have two concerns; creating a balanced image and fine tuning an overall feeling.
OTOMYS: What is it about the landscape in Virginia that inspires your paintings?
Laura Vahlberg: I live in a hilly neighbourhood that's nestled in a valley. The way the sun travels over the hills is very beautiful. The clouds interact with the mountains in exciting ways and make for some special light conditions. I feel that I could paint anywhere though - the world is such a beautiful place.
OTOMYS: We have loved reading your blog and the amazing interviews you have with other artists. How does talking with other artists influence your own practice?
Laura Vahlberg: Interviewing other artists has opened me to many different ways to think about painting. I especially love to hear how artists decide when a painting is complete…everyone seems to have a different and rather fascinating criteria. For example, painter Elisa Jenson says the painting is in charge and the painter, and lets her know when it's finished. Painter Ellen Siebers writes "I get this feeling of satisfaction when things lock into place and you know that it wouldn’t benefit you or the painting to keep going (I’ll always keep going if I think it will benefit either)." I also love this quote from Clare Haward when I asked her about her goals in painting; "I want the painting to feel unified, I want to be able to get lost in a small area yet still see the whole, I don't want it to be too literal, I want some ambiguity, it has to have a sense of presence without specifically detailing everything and it needs to be a bit awkward." I relish all these thoughts and they play a mental background music for me in my studio.
OTOMYS: What plans do you have for the rest of the year artistically? How do you see your practice evolving?
Right now I'm working on a series of paintings and ink drawings of my studio. I'm also experimenting with invented dream-like pictures through painted paper collage. In the year ahead I see myself continuing my plein air practice alongside these other projects.
To enquire about Laura Vahlberg's work please contact info@otomys.com.
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September 13, 2023
