Sophia Kühn: Nature and my innermost feelings inspire my work

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Tell a little bit about how you first got into creating art.

When I was 19 years old, I bought my first easel and oil paints. After a long period of working as a graphic designer and in marketing, I rediscovered painting about 5 years ago. I knew immediately this is my passion. Nowadays, I also continue to work on my pieces digitally. Let's see what the future holds.

 

What artists or movements have had an impact on you?

My favorite artists are Dali and Monet, particularly their works "The Persistence of Memory" and "Water Lilies." However, what truly inspires me the most are people, especially artists, who remain uninfluenced and create their own unique art. 

...what truly inspires me the most are people, especially artists, who remain uninfluenced and create their own unique art

What themes does your work involve?

My inspiration comes from my emotions and the nature. I love being outdoors and absorbing all the impressions around me. I observe the movement of clouds, the ever-changing sea, the vibrant colors, tides, surfers, children playing, and solitary individuals. While painting, I process my own feelings, sometimes melancholic, sometimes angry, and at other times full of vibrant colors and life. My approach is intuitive, and I abstract more and more.

 

What is important to you about the visual experiences you create?

The viewers should immerse themselves in the artwork and listen to their own emotions for a brief moment while contemplating it. As an emotional person, painting serves as a form of therapy for me. When I am angry, I paint, and the same goes for when I am sad. It allows me to channel and express my emotions.

At the end of the day, though, my ultimate dream is to live by the sea and create art

What is the significance of medium and color?

Acrylic paints and 3D canvases are my go-to choice. I love the added depth on the sides of the canvases, which I always incorporate into my artwork. This eliminates the need for framing and provides a more immersive experience when viewed. Acrylic paints allow me to stay in tune with my intuition and not be constrained by time. There is now a wide range of diverse pigmentations and consistencies available, offering endless possibilities.

 

Do you work from memory, life, photographs, or from other resources? Describe your creative process.

The process varies, often starting with observing the sea, the clouds, and the people. That's where I can feel emotions intensely. Sometimes it's loneliness, sadness, other times weightlessness, joy. Of course, I also take a lot of photographs, paying attention to many details. Often, I don't look directly at the sunset, but stand with my back to it, searching for changes in light and color. When I paint, I spontaneously decide on the canvas size, and I choose colors based on intuition. Sometimes I look at photos, other times I have dreamed of an idea. The direction also changes during the painting process. I love having this freedom.

 

What is your favorite art accident? Did it change your perspective?

There have been moments when I deviated from my original plan while painting and ended up liking the result. That brought me to a point where I started painting intuitively and stopped overplanning.

 

Do you have any artistic goals for the future that you would like to share?

Yes, as an artist, I want to be an example for other women, showing them that it's important to listen to their intuition and not let others dictate their worth. Constructive criticism is valuable, but not everyone has to like you or your art.
Of course, I would love to share my art with the world. I enjoy observing people's reactions to my works, preferably incognito. At the end of the day, though, my ultimate dream is to live by the sea and create art.

 

What do you consider the role of an artist today?

Every artist must answer that question for themselves. Some artists showcase the injustices of the world, while others highlight its beauty, diversity, or even question it. Art has the power to resonate with individuals and allow them to pause and reflect. 
With the advancements in NFT technology, we now have the ability to promote and support art in the digital realm. This has not only allowed me to imprint my art in the blockchain but has also sparked my interest as a collector. The importance of art lies in the emotions it evokes, and this is not limited by physical constraints. The ability to own and trade unique digital assets through NFTs has opened up new avenues for artists and collectors, transcending the boundaries of traditional art mediums. At the end of the day, art is about the feelings it elicits.