48x60 hand painted canvas
Medium: latex/enamel/acrylic paint
Original work by Janina Rotaru
About the artest,
I was born in Transylvania, Romania during the Communist era, a world with Kafkaesque undertones that led the individual on a covert quest for expression, in terms that would not be questioned yet the message was still intact. Music, art, understanding human condition and the universe we live in were part of my entire life passions. Providing psychiatric care to patients diagnosed with a serious mental illness was a true inspiration and a master teacher. I never thought of myself as being a painter, however, the pandemic forced me to find an outlet to maintain balance. I welcome challenges and I bought art supplies, canvases, and there I was, staring at a blank canvas not knowing what to do or where to start. I've learned that letting go controlling what goes on the canvas and letting the canvas direct the painting and my artwork, ultimately not dictating one what to see but rather, allow the audience the freedom to see what resonates with them. The result is a seismograph of emotions and movements that occur at the time of the birth of the painting. I am in awe with abstract expressionists artists that were able to convey a message through nontraditional ways. That movement resonates with me because they valued expression versus perfection, vitality over finish, fluctuation over repose, the unknown over the known, the veiled over the clear, the individual over society and the inner versus the outer like William Seitz, mentions. Art is defined as: the expression of human creativity in physical form. However, I believe that art goes beyond the physical barriers, it touches the soul. As a self-taught artist, I am interested more in the creative process rather than the result. When I am in front of the canvas, I don't go with a plan, I allow it to happen naturally, being in the moment, where time stops, and I am one with the canvas and the paints. From that standpoint, it might be suggestive that I am an adept of accidental painting however, if I am to place myself into a category, I would say that I am an action painter. What is most important for me is letting go of all standards that confine the soul and allow it to be raw, vulnerable, imperfect. With every painting, I discover a part of myself which I would like to share with the audience. It is quite evident that I am a huge fan of Jackson Pollock and what fascinates me about his art is that every time I look at one of his paintings, I find something new. With every painting, I am sharing a piece of my life, emotions, movement, passion at that time and my goal is to never stifle the individuality of the audience in defining my painting and controlling the response. By allowing the flow of feelings, movement, and openness of my mind, delivering ideas without the worry of scrutiny, my hope is that the audience will find a piece in every painting that elicits an emotional state, a spontaneous, individualized response that is liberating and unique. If my art resonates with one person, that's all that matters.
Previous expos: Heard Museum, COPA Cares Gala, 2022
Solo expo: June 1st - June 30th, 2023 at OneOhOne Gallery, expo dedicated to those who suffer from mental illness
