this is my second artist's interview with Arhia Kohlmoos. in an effort to keep creative dialogue going within my group of darling sisters, i am doing some "round 2" interviews. for Arhia's bio, click HERE. for my first interview with her, click HERE.
thank you to Arhia for over ten years of creative encouragement, sisterhood, and best friendship. you know how very deeply i love you, boo-fawn.
may you enjoy this exchange as much as i do.
xoxoxoxoooo,
k
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| Arhia Kohlmoos, painter |
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1. kelly:: Arhia,
your recent painting, "Lady with a
Langur," is your most magnificent work to date. anyway, your
audience noticed this too, expressing thru Facebook comments that
you indeed had delivered your most polished painting (skills.) how
did it feel to complete this work? Arhia:: Thank you for your compliments,
dear friend. Indeed, it felt wonderful to complete this piece,
although I have to say... there's always a bit of sadness involved
in "finishing," too. It was highly gratifying to see the
painting come into being in our physical world as it had already
existed in my mind. I do believe my skills as a painter (both
technically and conceptually) grew throughout the creation of this
work, which is doubtless a goal of many artists. So, I was elated to
complete the piece, but also rather depressed afterward because I'd
lived in that world every day for some months...
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| Lady with a Langur |
2. kelly:: will you speak with us more about
this painting? i am most curious about the zinnias in your hair and
your red skin. eeeee, the red skin! anything else you wish to share
with us about deeper meaning and symbolisms is also welcomed. i know
some artists (myself often) prefer not to be blatant about these
sorts of things, so go with this where you will, no expectations. Arhia:: There are many things I could say about the imagery of this
work. I could write a whole paper on it, for sure! As you mentioned
in your question, speaking about art is not an easy feat. However, I
do believe the ability to articulate one's ideas is important. In
many ways, this painting speaks to the concept of "beauty."
I feel that many of us (myself included) often submit to the general
societal definition of beauty and are, in a way, trapped by that
definition. We forget what we originally perceived as beautiful
before we took in our society's opinions. This is inevitable to some
extent, but I think it is vital that we also strive to remember our
personal definitions. When I was a small child, I was obsessed with
the color MAGENTA. I used to color all the most beautiful ladies in
my drawings and coloring books with skin of this hue. My sister
said, "Arhia, that's not realistic," but I didn't care.
Realism was irrelevant to me when pitted against my perception of
beauty. So here she is--- this princess I would have painted as a
child... if I had possessed the skills. I was also fascinated by
beets as a kid; I used to smear them on my hands just to walk around
with magenta palms. Beets are very symbolic in nature, being the
color they are, and often the size and general shape of a human
heart. I like the way my "beautiful lady" seems to grow
out of the earth in a root-ed manner, perhaps with a beet for a
heart and beet-juice for blood. I like the way her coloring makes
her appear almost "skinned," and thus very vulnerable...
yet she faces us in a defiant way, sure and calm and still wild. She
has risen like that from the beet-forest. The coloring of her skin
alludes to the theme of "otherness," while not necessarily
commenting on "black vs. white" in a literal way... what
race is she? Is she human at all? The zinnias are another nod to one
of my particular childhood preferences, as I used to adore this type
of flower. Additionally, in the "language of flowers,"
zinnias symbolize thoughtfulness and friendship; possibly thoughts
of a friend in that person's absence. In this case, it is
remembering/befriending one's sincere childhood perceptions of
beauty. Then there is the structure of the painting, which obviously
recalls several pieces by Frida Kahlo. This is intentional, as I
want to reference her as a woman of extreme originality and power in
her vision of "beauty." There is definitely a current of
feminism in "Beautiful Lady," though I think that is a
result of other themes rather than an overt theme in itself. Lastly,
the beetles... in part they are a bit of humor: beets and beetles,
don't you know! But this gorgeous insect comes in many wildly
varying shapes and colors, which strengthens the theme of "beauty
in originality"... "beauty because I say so." Of
course, beetles also carry symbolic significance in many cultures:
the Scarab beetle, for instance, meant dawn, rebirth and
regeneration to the ancient Egyptians... a powerful fertility
symbol. SO, if you've read this far, your attention span is
impressive and I won't test it any further!
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| Fashion Animals, Spring 2014 Collection: Vert Autruche |
3. k:: what
are you working on now? A:: Right
now I am working on several projects, two of which are "for
myself." The others are commissions. I have begun the painting
of "Portrait of a Woman with a Bird at a Casement," which
has existed as a drawing for a year or so but was always intended to
have life as a painting as well. I am very excited about this one!
At the same time, I am dreaming up a new concept... for which I've
been reading books about Hildegard of Bingen, books about the roles
of women in the Medieval, and books about witch trials during the
16th and 17th centuries. Also looking at many paintings of the
Virgin and Child.
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| Self-Portrait as a Beautiful Lady | | |
4.
k:: since
our last interview, you've completed your graduate coursework in
painting. how has this helped you forward in your creative life? has
this degree and accompanying grown/growing skill sets helped you
to make money as an artist? A:: I
would say that the most important aspect of graduate school, for me,
was the dedicated time it gave me to spend on painting. For three
years, I spent seven hours a day painting. I developed a nasty case
of tendinitis, but an awesome case of improved skills! I never could
have found the space in which to concentrate so fully on my craft
without going to grad school. As far as input from teachers... hm. I
suppose that is more difficult to define. I don't know, really, how
much that helped me. I was pushed almost daily to leave painting and
go into things like video and performance art, since my school was
heavy in those areas. I stuck to my intentions like a mule, and thus
improved my skill, but I didn't have many "gurus" if you
know what I mean. As for money, I do believe the degree as well as
the added skills have helped me with that. An ever-developing saga,
that.
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| Oikos Haima |
5. k:: is
making money as an artist a goal of yours? how is it going and how
can it be better? A:: I'm
sure making money is a goal of mine, as it must be of all artists. I
am fortunate in that I don't have to support myself with what I earn
from my practice. I suppose it could be better if I pushed myself to
learn more about marketing, rather than spending that time making
work. I'm not sure whether my choices in this regard are right or
wrong; but I do know I'm lucky in being able to choose the studio.
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| in the "studio" ~ 11/2014. | |
6.
k:: your Society6 page (HERE) and website (HERE) are so good. how have sales been going
thru Society6? i think it's such a cool forum. will you tell the
folks about it? do you have bestselling items? A:: Thank
you! My wonderful husband helped me so much with those "techie"
aspects of my artistic presence. Society6 is the best place I've
found through which to sell my prints. It's great because the
quality is outstanding, and you can set your own prices. You just
have to find the "sweet spot" between ripping yourself
off... and charging so much that no one can afford your stuff.
Society6 is pretty hip, and many folks on there are great at
creating stuff that is "in." I use it in a slightly
different way, so although I do sell things, I'm definitely not
making $2,000/month, as I've heard some people do. I'd say "Lady
with a Langur" and "Dear Heart" are my best-selling
pieces to date.
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| Dear Heart |
7. k:: what
are your days like, generally speaking? you and your hubby have a
cool thing worked out where you are able to be home working on art,
food, life, errands, and whatever else as your full-time gig. you
digging it? A:: My
days are pretty awesome, I can't lie. I love the morning, so I get
up at 3am each day. I cook Myer's meals for his work day, and then I
wake him up and walk with him to work. Then I usually go to the
gym... and when I get home, if it's not a grocery shopping day, I
paint for a couple hours before noon. Then I do some email garbage,
and hopefully work on commissions in the afternoon, although many
days either morning or afternoon are taken up with phone dates,
seeing a friend, doing errands, cleaning, accounting, etc. Then I
cook dinner and spend some time with Myer when he gets home. Yes,
I'm totally digging it. I'm lucky and life is sweet.
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| Myer and Arhia, by: Ivette Salom | |
8.
k:: it's
been neat to witness your growth as a mindfulness practitioner. talk
to me about the significance of Thay in your life. perhaps let the
people briefly know who he is, and how he's contributed to your
growth in grace and compassion. A:: Thich
Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Zen master who is perhaps the most
well-known figure in Buddhism after the Dalai Lama. I actually first
learned his name from you, Kelly! I began listening to Dharma talks
given by him about four years ago, and was struck by the intense yet
gentle presence in his voice and words. I would not call myself a
Buddhist... I am inspired by aspects of many religions... but Thay
has given me a profound "spiritual tool box" with which to
understand and navigate my inner emotional life and the world around
me. The way he presents things in his talks is... utterly clear, to
the point where I cannot fail to understand. Knowing him through his
work has changed the way I relate to other people; it has helped me
be more compassionate to them and to myself.
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| Thay is the cutie in the hat. #Boston #Arhiawasthere! #thisisherfoto |
9. k:: are
you so excited for iceland? you and hubby are going this Fall. what
sorts of things will you do there in honor of your creativity? A:: Yes,
I am out of my mind excited to see Iceland. Traveling in general is
not easy for me, but the opportunity to see another country has
always been among the most creatively stimulating of experiences in
my life. Last time I went abroad was 2010, when I was in Amsterdam.
I've not had the means to travel again until now, and it gives me
such a feeling of freedom! It is extra special because Myer will be
with me; the only other time we traveled internationally together
was London in 2005. We plan to walk all over Reykjavik, visit
museums and cultural sites of every sort, and hopefully take a
driving trip around the island to see the natural wonders for which
Iceland is famous. I love anticipation!
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| Annwn |
10. k:: what
are your creative goals for the next 2-3 years? A:: That
is a difficult question for me. I suppose my goals on a yearly basis
are basically equivalent to my goals on a daily basis: Paint. Paint.
Paint.
11. k:: and
for fun, if you and i could share 3 separate (one per year for 3
years) vacations together, where would we meet?!!! you decide!!! A:: Oh
my! Let me see! Well, I would love to visit you somewhere
tropical... and since you already live in such a locale, let's skip
across the world to make it exotic for you too and go to BALI! I've
always wanted to see that beautiful place. Next... I think Japan.
And thirdly, how about Turkey. I have a strong desire to see
Istanbul. I can't wait!
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| Portrait of Five Sisters |
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| Deathmask: A Fox Dreams of The Hunt | |
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| ... with a Félix González-Torres gold-bead curtain |
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