Supporting Local Art - Elena Done

Elena Done - http://elenadone.com - full time artist , living and working in Marbella, Costa-del-Sol, Spain.

Where Art Meets Interior Design

If I wasn’t an artist, I would be a collectionaire. Art for me is something that is adding inspiration and creativity to my house, my space. Art makes the space. Once I changed the fabric of the sofa to match the painting that hangs above it. I cannot live in bare walls. For me – creating and enjoying art have an essential positive effect on my mental well-being, and, of course, it is fun!

Size to impact. A work of art can make a space feel finished by tying everything together. Sometimes, it is the final touch needed to transform your space! I think that for a smaller space the trick with art is to go really big. For example, a floor-to-ceiling painting can give a space a lot of drama. Big pieces consume the space—and I mean ‘consume’ in the best of ways.

In my house artworks cover the wall or put in unexpected spaces– like hanging a painting in the bathroom or placing a painting behind a lamp where you would think it’s being blocked visually. Some paintings are meant to be standing on the floor, not hanging on the wall. It’s unpredictable placement that creates interest.

Art means different to different people. Some people respond best to a certain subject matter, color palette, or style. Me , I respond to red and orange colors, lines and thick strokes. The beauty of art is that no two people will respond to it the same way. We all bring to the table a different set of likes, dislikes, experiences, memories, and expectations that shape the way we view a piece of art.

Think Abstract

Abstract works are often considered to fit in white modern spaces, especially in Marbella, where I live, with high percentage of contemporary style white villas. Abstract wall art tends to be more versatile when designing a beautiful space. I tried hard to go abstract, but all my abstracts look like figurative, though I promise myself to do some large abstract works next year.

Choose colors wisely. When you are coordinating art with your interiors - add a sense of color and texture. A painting can complement to the existing colors of your house or be quite a contrast. Color is a major factor in the look and feel of your space. You may choose to use monochrome color scheme, complementary colors, or one bold statement color for big impact and contrast. Color perception is different from country to country. In northern countries we were told to use greyish-blue-silver light palette, as the light of the skies was moderate. We were taught to avoid screaming out with colors. Here in Spain the sky is vibrant blue, the greenery is bald, the flowers have energetic pink, red, orange strokes. The brightness is quotidian and, hence, justified. Bright colors make you feel alive and energized.

Add a sense of texture.

I am often asked to label my style as “Impressionism” or “Figurative”. Yes , I paint with thick pastose strokes, which can be referred to Impressionism, but I do it to make a painting more profound, and more “tangible”. Texture is important to me, I can put as many as 7 layers with the purpose of giving depth, this depth creating a unique personality and the aura of a living thing. This also means that every time you look at my painting – you will see something else: - glimpses of light and color, - which is about creating.

Me myself I credit cave paintings to be my most influence, though I cherish the incompleteness and imperfection of impressionism.

Yes, I’m mostly figurative. I love people. My favorite landscape and the most intriguing subject is the human form.
I regularly participate in sketch classes of live and moving models. Sketching for me is the real heart of painting. Sketches potray an incompleteness and imperfections are the promise of future, they are always better than a finished works, for their lines are trembling and vivant. For years of academic study hundreds of portraits were made. I try to guess what is going in the minds of a model and what character hides behind the surface, this I endeavor to illustrate in my works.

Though myself I like abstracts, as there are thousand ways to interpret them. But! I love a real painter, that’s what I respond to. I can appreciate a really amazing abstract, but it has to come out from someone who’s a great painter. I’m not into the works with acrylics splashed over canvas, neither into obvious contemplating of avant-garde or Rothko. I enjoy contemporary art, but not the sort that makes obvious pop-culture statements or repeats masterpieces in collages.

As for artistic influences I was always fascinated with Picasso's works of art: he created life and depth in his paintings, he created powerful impact, he created emotions in the viewer's souls, totally different with different people. And that's what a painting, in my point of view, - is all about.

For me, I think my aesthetic boils down to three words: sexy, romantic, and fantasy.

So, buying my art what you are really investing in – is your style, your choice, and, ultimately, in in your pleasure.

If you love it – buy it!

A graduate of the Moscow State Academy Art Institute, named after Surikov, she have been classically trained, with profound anatomy studies. Being a member of Moscow Union of Artist Elena has an established reputation as a classical painter with solid academic knowledge and her own unique contemporary style.

Elena’s works are in private collections in France, UK, Spain, Morocco, USA.

Elena Done - http://elenadone.com