Interview with Emily Starck: Symbiosis with Nature and Spontaneous Abstraction

Emily Starck has recently joined the platform, bringing to the platform her abstract expressionism works guided by her deep emotions. Hypersensitive, she often needs to isolate herself, from the world and from noise, she recharges her batteries in Nature, it is there that she mainly gets her inspiration. She compares the abstract to a musical improvisation, there is nothing to guess, see or recognise, just emotions to feel, which will echo everyone's experience.

How would you describe your artistic style?

Spontaneous! I work a lot in gesture most often with brushes, sometimes directly with my bare hands. I listen to myself and what results is a dynamic and colourful painting. I sometimes like to let myself go to body expression, as if I was floating in the sea, following the rhythms and variations of the music, in painting the same goes, I let myself go to an emotional expression.

What messages or themes do you want to communicate with your work?

I want people to be opened at the beauty of art, let them feel it as they easier do it in music.

The feelings we can have in front of a landscape, wellbeing felt when we are in symbiosis with Nature. All senses awake.

How has your practice evolved over the years? Have you ever worked in abstract style?

I have started my practice with drawings in charcoal, and then figurative painting in oil. At the first time, it was unbelievable for me to do abstract paintings. How would it be possible. Starting with a white page, which colour I would use, to do what? How to know it’s finished. And it finally came naturally, even if it was difficult in first time to really let go and assume what was emerging on the canvas. It’s work and work which allow this. Now, conversely, it is very difficult to me to make figurative paintings, I no longer take pleasure in it.

What’s an average day like in your studio?

First thing I do when I arrive in my studio is to put the music on on my Marshall Bluetooth speaker.

I unroll my canvas, measure and cut it. Then I pin it on my studio wall if possible according it size or I let it on the floor. Then I let my mind express on the canvas,  just letting the flow coming. After that I sit on my old leather couch front of my work and I rest. This sensation is the best.

What/who are your key influences?

I have several keys of influence like Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler, Willem De Kooning, Cy Twombly. I like to visit museum and exhibitions to immerse myself into their world. Recently I went to Centre Pompidou, Fondation Louis Vuitton, Fondation Cartier, Gagosian in Paris to discover Shirley Jaffe, Claude Monet, Joan Mitchell, Sally Gabori, Jenny Saville works…

I’m also inspired by the feelings I remember several years later like if I was still there, feelings the heat, the wind on my face, the well being I was feeling at that moment and that I reproduce on my canvas.

Who are some Rise Art artists with work you’re enjoying at the moment?

I really like the works of Daniela Schweinsberg and Lilia Orlova-Holmes  and I’m truly happy to see my works around other artists I admire.

Are you currently working on any exciting new projects?

Not really as I have just learnt that my hip bone has died. I will have to get a surgery and rest.

I will certainly have some new feelings to put on my next works.