Introducing the art of Carla O’Connor (Interview)

CARLA O'CONNOR

DESTIG TORONTO - ART | DESIGN | TRAVEL - ISSUE 09 / JANUARY 2021

BEST OF 2020 | TODAY'S GREAT CANADIAN ARTISTS | SPECIAL ART FEATURES | HOT PICKS

"HOW MARVELOUS THAT THEY BROUGHT FORTH SUCH MAGNIFICIENCE FROM THEIR BRUSHES AND CHISELS." - ANONYMOUS

"The ability to integrate representational figures into abstract pictorial spaces is an approach I have worked hard to develop. On one level or another every artist deals with the abstract qualities of images and the illusion of a three-dimensional reality on a two-dimensional surface. For me, I almost always need to relate what I’m doing to the female form."

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Carla O’Connor received her BFA in painting from

Wisconsin at Milwaukee. At nine years old, while

Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. She has done

accompanying my mother, also an artist, to France and

additional formal study at the University of the

Italy, I painted Plein Aire in oils in Paris and in watercolor

Americas, Mexico City; University of Dayton, Ohio;

at St. Mark’s Square in Venice. At 13 years, summers were

and the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

spent in classes at the Instituto de San Miguel de Allende,

O’Connor is a signature member of the American

Mexico.

Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society and Northwest Watercolor Society (Gold Member)

The emphasis of all my formal training was drawing and

and is an AWS Dolphin Fellow.

design of the human figure realistically and accurately.

That became the foundation for a lifetime of work and the

How did you become an artist?

basis for my personal vision. Professionally, I have

I was raised in Chicago, Illinois and earned a Bachelor

achieved

of Fine Arts degree in painting at Kent State

Watercolor

University in Kent, Ohio. I had additional formal study

American Women Artists and the Northwest Watercolor

at The University of the Americas in Mexico City, the

Society. In 1997 I was awarded the Silver Medal from

University of Dayton, Ohio and the University of

AWS and became an AWS Dolphin Fellow. In addition, I

signature Society,

membership National

in

the

Watercolor

American Society,

have been fortunate to have won awards for abstract and figurative paintings in such exhibitions as Watercolor USA at the Springfield Art Museum in Missouri, the Booth Museum in Georgia, Best of Show in the International Society of Experimental Artists as well as The Grand Award from the American Women Artists. My work is also included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Art in Nanjing China. I spent 30 years travelling the U.S., Canada and Europe teaching watermedia workshops.

Although teaching was new for me in the beginning it forced me to examine my own truths, process, motivation and beliefs. I learned far more than any of my students and it was a true privilege.

Why is it important to create paintings that are captivating and have deeper meaning?

There have been numerous years in the past that have been turbulent with many challenges, changes and obligations that often have felt overwhelming. The impact on my art - on the “why” and “what” of my painting - have been considerable. There is a feeling of “the shoe is still in mid-air.” There is a constant need to create works that communicate and connect with other people at a higher level of understanding. Whether this is sort of solitary therapy or a necessary process in art, I am not sure, but this selfscrutinizing has helped me understand myself better. It has had the extraordinary impact on my art by bringing a clearer vision of what it is I want to say.

The practice of cathartic, deeply expressive painting can’t go on forever. It is far too emotionally draining. But the process, the actual doing, inevitably brings about growth and substance. It is not about awards or sales or technique. It is about learning to express emotion clearly. Over time you can move past the turmoil and let the shoe rest on the floor and be silent.

"I use authentic, realistic motifs from textiles and other decorative objects to embellish the abstracted shapes in the painting and the model’s costumes."

What is 2020 Vision?

recording life’s consequences is the

“2020 Vision” is my direct response to the

primary reason for art’s existence.

pandemic and Covid19. A young woman

"Artists have the ability to record visually through our work the events affecting our personal lives as well as those in the world around us. Some might argue that recording life’s consequences is the primary reason for art’s existence."

of today’s world, appearing strong, hip,

What inspires some of your themes?

confident as reflected in her appearance –

Prior to a workshop in Japan, I began to

cutoff jeans, t-shirt and obvious tattoos –

study Chinese, Korean, and Japanese

is on the floor of her closet in distress. A

woodblock prints. I was amazed and

closer look reveals a closet full of silks,

delighted to discover so many parallels in

satins and shear garments in contrast to

my work - their gold leaf to my gold gesso;

the outer image she projects. My intent

flat shapes; outlining; extensive patterns

was to show both strength and frailty in

and texture; shallow space; and stylized

such troubled times. Everyone needs

faces and hands. I feel that my life’s work

their own safe and secure quiet place, be

has been a journey leading me to this

it a church, a sunny spot in the woods, or

connection and one I have only just

even your own closet as a sanctuary. This

started to explore. I like to use authentic,

was a very different kind of painting for

realistic motifs from textiles and other

me to present due to the specific message

decorative objects to embellish the

and I found it daunting and difficult. But

abstracted shapes in the painting and the

artists have the ability to record visually

model’s costumes. However, some are

through our work the events affecting our

invented strictly to re-enforce the design

personal lives as well as those in the world

and composition. Another inspiration

around us. Some might argue that

came when my family moved to the

Pacific Northwest from the middle of the US, and I was moved to capture the rocky shores of Puget Sound. It led to many paintings that all fell under the umbrella title of “Rock Rhythms“. I set aside the figurative work to concentrate solely on these abstract landscapes. When this series came to an end, I returned to my constant love of the human form and began to marry the concepts together - 2-D abstracts with the 3-D figure form. This challenge will keep me busy and ever searching till the end, I’m sure.

What do you like about watercolor as a medium?

I began my painting career using oils primarily on canvas in a classical fashion. From there I found acrylics on canvas and eventually on paper. I met a wonderful Welsh artist, David P. Hares, painting with watercolors – and was smitten with his work so the next change was easy. Using strictly transparent watercolor for 30 years fell short of my intended result until I discovered Gouache. The addition of opaques next to the transparent w/c was exactly what I was seeking and it continues to challenge me.

"Prior to a workshop in Japan, I began to study Chinese, Korean, and Japanese woodblock prints. I was amazed and delighted to discover so many parallels in my work - their gold leaf to my gold gesso; flat shapes; outlining; extensive patterns and texture; shallow space; and stylized faces and hands. I feel that my life’s work has been a journey leading me to this connection and one I have only just started to explore."

I now consider it to by my mature medium and liken it to

Your work has a contemporary edge. Is this a quality

coming full circle. Being completely knowledgeable of

you specifically aim to achieve?

the medium allows freedom to express intuitively.

I will never forget a visit to MOMA in New York City one year to find two paintings hanging both done on canvas

How did you develop unique style?

in oil – one solid black, one solid white. I found myself

The ability to integrate representational figures into

being furious! Is that what it takes to hang in MOMA? It

abstract pictorial spaces is an approach I have worked

was many years later when I realized the artists intent

hard to develop. On one level or another every artist

to invoke emotion (which he got in spades from me). For

deals with the abstract qualities of images and the

me, it all comes down to what you have to say visually.

illusion of a three-dimensional reality on a two-

At every point in an artist’s career there are different

dimensional surface. For me, I almost always need to

objectives – recognition, pay the rent, become famous,

relate what I’m doing to the female form. Art history

achieve one goal, contribute to the world, move one

reaches out to us when we most need it in our personal

person emotionally or spiritually, shock the viewer, or

journey in art. Upon seeing an exhibition by Nicolai

change one life for the better. World events, man made

Fechin in Seattle my vision became much clearer. He

or otherwise, fads, and financial circumstances play a

was a master of integrating the three-dimensional figure

roll. Ashuman beings we are extremely complex with

on a two-dimensional surface. The other major

equally complex and numerous individual emotional

influences who have impacted my style are Milton Avery

responses. Big Job! There is one other aspect to art and

for color, Edouard Vuillard for pattern, Mary Cassatt for

the artist’s responsibility – visual history. I do feel we

sensitivity from a feminist point of view, and Agnolo

need to record our times and the global conditions. How

Bronzino for magnificent portraits. Once Vincent Van

else will anyone in the future know the devastating year

Gogh came for tea and whispered in my ear.

of 2020?

I was beginning to hear my own voice more clearly. The more I tried to teach others to find their own voice the more I came to understand what I felt was important in my own art making. The teaching years were most prolific and my work advanced rapidly. I taught up to 17 classes a year, was booked 3 years in advanced, and all during this time entering International and national exhibitions. All that exposure was very good for sales but became extremely tiring and now our present Covid19 world situation has brought it to a halt. I never thought I would be reinventing myself yet again!

How do you want your work to impact viewers?

Art is a complex stimulus—scholars and artists have wrestled over this question forever. I would like the viewer of my work to experience a number of things - my personal emotional and intellectual response to a thing, object, location or event; their personal response to

How has your art practice evolved during your career?

Fresh out of college I painted primarily in Oils on canvas. I experimented with pastel portraiture, other mediums and dabbled with teaching but primarily focused on polishing my technical skills. Married to a career US Air Force Officer, we traveled a great deal — moving 13 times in 22 years around the world and I filled dozens of sketchbooks to record the experience.

Also, during this time, I began to enter national exhibitions and learned a great deal about acceptance and rejection. I didn’t know at the time that those lessons would be a life-long circumstance to be dealt with. The second 25 plus years found me traveling again only instead of taking my husband to the airport, now he took me as I was headed to various workshop locations. Exposure in numerous exhibitions, winning an award now and then, published articles, jurying shows all helped to build my reputation and I began to receive invitations to teach workshops. Now I was able to refine my own technical expertise and personal objectives.

"I present the world and its effects on me visually through my eyes only and I hope the viewer will join me and share my personal vision."

those very things presented; the manner in which it was executed or created; the human expression - not just the concept, idea or message. The viewers perception of an image can be altered by how and where it appears separate from the original source and imagination builds when viewer speculates about the image with no regard to what is actually shown.

Hopefully I create an image that ignites imagination and emotion be it peace, joy, anger, excitement, resentment, contemplation or empathy to name a few.

Although some of my work has a specific story or message many others do not and it is not important to me if those are received “correctly”. Once an art work leaves the artist, it has a life that, to a degree, becomes what the viewer sees in it and the artist needs to ‘let go’ and allow it to become its destiny. I present the world and its effects on me visually through my eyes only and I sincerely hope the viewer will be moved to join me and, perhaps, share my personal vision. www.carlaoconnor.com | www.brumfieldgallery.com