ART HISTORYDITA LŪSE: INSPIRATION IS OVERRATEDOlimpia Gaia Martinelli | Mar 11, 2025 7 minutes read 0 comments
I was born into a family of artists, therefore the interest came naturally as a part of our lifestyle, and drawing and painting was a childhood habit. My professional art education started at the age of 11, when I began studies in an art school, and afterwards continued in the Art Academy of Latvia...
What inspired you to create art and become an artist? (events, feelings, experiences...)
I was born into a family of artists, therefore the interest came naturally as a part of our lifestyle, and drawing and painting was a childhood habit. My professional art education started at the age of 11, when I began studies in an art school, and afterwards continued in the Art Academy of Latvia.
What is your artistic background, the techniques and subjects you have experimented with so far?
Having studied in an art school, an art academy, and in arts department of a university, I have tried various painting and drawing techniques. However, after all, I love working with oil on canvas and I find it suits my ideas the best.
What are the 3 aspects that differentiate you from other artists, making your work unique?
People who follow my work recognize my artworks in group exhibitions, so there must be something that diferentiates me, but that has not been a particular goal for me. But perhaps it could be the combination of attention to detail, at the same time sketch-like approach and transparent layers of paint in my works, and also the very limited range of colours I use in paintings.
Where does your inspiration come from?
Inspiration is overrated in my opinion. I just get up every morning and go to my studio, where I work on sketches, paint, or do some mundane work like stretching or priming the canvases. I usually plan my work beforehand, so I set to work and often continue as long as there is daylight.
What is your artistic approach? What visions, sensations or feelings do you want to evoke in the viewer?
It depends on the theme. There are works in which I explore the shimmer of lights, windows, facades, architectural spaces, and these works I intend to be like a refuge, full of balance and tranquility, where time slows down for the viewer of my work. I use overlays of light, memories and space, and the meditative aspects of patterns to capture the viewer, to make them lose themselves and forget about time.
X-ray paintings, on the other hand, reveal our inner physical or bodily core, which cannot be seen either in a photo or a mirror, which is a very personal, even intimate theme, but at the same time shows the natural physical structure on which our inherited values are layered, making us so different and beautiful. I hope they evoke the sensations of our fragility and the presence of time in our lives.
And then I have Amalgams of time series, that are about the bond with previous generations, and about the way our parents' and grandparents' memories influence our perception of reality and the decisions we make today. I focus onto the hinges of history in the 20th century, on our inherited memories, portrayed through paintings of old photos and letters. An indirectly present image in my works is the war, which, just like now, changed lives, tore families apart and affected those involved as well the future generations. In the solo-shows that I have had with this series, people approached me with their own family stories, and I realized it was exactly what I had wanted to achieve – to provoke people's own sense of bond with their forebears.
What is the process of creating your works? Spontaneous or with a long preparatory process (technical, inspiration from art classics or other)?
I am a keen collector of impressions and photos and when I start planning a painting I pick the ones from my archive that stir my emotions and help to convey the idea. Then I work on sketches both by hand and on computer. I often plan a whole series, making a set of sketches, and thinking of the atmosphere and feeling that the works should convey. I plan the painting process carefully before starting it – I work in very thin layers, washes and glazes and can't afford any mistakes. If they happen, I have to start from the scratch.
Do you use a particular work technique? if so, can you explain it?
I use classical oil technique, just less impasto and more of washes and glazes. First comes underpainting, then drawing with a brush, then painting itself, glazing, finally varnishing, if necessary. I am quite picky about brushes, since I do a lot of fine details.
Are there any innovative aspects in your work? Can you tell us which ones?
I had some unpleasant experience in my early years, when experiments led to cracle or yellowing some years after completing those works, and this has convinced me that classical technique is the most reliable. I also indulge in being part of many generations of painters that have worked in oil on canvas.
Do you have a format or medium that you are most comfortable with? if yes, why ?
My medium is oil on canvas, and my formats range between 20 cm and 3 metres, everything depends on the idea and which size suits it most.
Where do you produce your works? At home, in a shared workshop or in your own workshop? And in this space, how do you organize your creative work?
I am fortunate to have my own workshop next to the house, which in turn is near to the sea. The light comes from above, and the walls are white, which lets me focus on my work. I love being there, as the place itself urges to think and to work.
Does your work lead you to travel to meet new collectors, for fairs or exhibitions? If so, what does it bring you?
I have travelled quite a lot due to my work, both for my exhibitions and also to see other artists' shows. However, even more important for me is to gather photos for further work during the trips, so it works both ways – showing what I have done and getting new impressions.
How do you imagine the evolution of your work and your career as an artist in the future?
Themes that inspire me evolve and change over the years, and I am observing my own work with interest,contemplating what will be the next step and which of my ideas will last to develop into something new.
What is the theme, style or technique of your latest artistic production?
One of the latest works is a painting of a chandelier. It was painted in oil on canvas, in a subdued, laconic palette. I wanted to show the intricate chandelier on the background of a richly patterned wallpaper. The brilliant white crystal pendants of chandelier catch and reflect light, but on the right side the chandelier is in deep shadow, leading to some confusion of the origins of light and the ways it can be perceived.
Can you tell us about your most important exhibition experience?
It was thrilling to have been selected by NordArt not only once but twice, and a new experience was last year, when my work was selected and exhibited by Arte Laguna in Venice Arsenal. I have had some large solo exhibitions that I'm proud of, and they were important because they gave me a possibility to evaluate my own work in a certain period and understand in which direction to move on from there.
If you could have created a famous work in the history of art, which one would you choose? And why ?
I suppose every artist feels that envy once in a while, looking at another artist's work and wishing to have done it themselves... Maybe some cave art? That would have been really fascinating, not to mention visiting the era at least for a while!
If you could invite one famous artist (dead or alive) to dinner, who would it be? How would you suggest he spend the evening?
I would love to invite Marlene Dumas. It would be a wonderful warm summer evening, we would sit on the terrace, drink wine and talk about art. I would be a bit scared of her sharp tongue, but I would also love to hear her wisdom and learn from her.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli | ArtMajeur Magazine
Movement (2018), oil on canvas, 90x110 cm
Clouds and candles (2017), oil on canvas 89x116 cm