Congratulations to Estelle Asmodelle for earning her place as a Winner in the Boynes Monthly Art Award September 2024 Edition!

Who are you?

My name is Estelle Asmodelle, and I am an Australian woman residing on the east coast of NSW, Australia. I have a varied background and have worked in different fields. However, from a very early age, I learned to paint, as my mother was an artist, and she encouraged me to paint with her. There would often be trips into the bush to draw and paint landscapes. I didn't realise then what a profound impact her influence would have on me. Later in school, I consistently won art prizes. However, I did not choose a career as an artist; I studied towards several degrees and even a PhD. But those were outside of Art. All the while, I painted in my spare time. I always painted, and eventually, Art found me. I decided to list some of my work to sell as I had so much of it, and surprisingly, most of it sold quickly, and commissions came in. It was so demanding that I had to leave my full-time job and become an artist full-time to complete the orders. That was eight years ago, and I would not do anything else now.

What inspired you to utilize painting as a medium?

My mother introduced me to charcoal, pencil, and oil paint as a child. I embraced them all. Later in school, I liked painting more than any other medium. Then, I discovered two essential things at university that would change my work enormously. The first was synthetic polymer acrylic paint; I loved this excellent paint's texture, colours and workability. Although I had known about it from childhood, the second thing I discovered was abstract expressionism. Until then, I was a figurative artist who painted people, still life and landscapes. With abstract expressionism, I found a new artistic freedom that I had yearned for and embraced wholeheartedly, and I continue in that genre today.

How would you describe your ARTwork?

As mentioned, my work is entirely abstract. I usually use bold, bright, and vivid colours to express emotions in an abstract expressionistic form devoid of conventional symbolism. The works are often large canvases, so the observer is drawn into the painting instead of looking from outside. I want the observer to become part of the painting and be overwhelmed.

Can you discuss the inspiration and thought process behind your winning work?

My winning work is entitled "Nodal Transference," an emotional piece that explores transferring information from one node to another, from one side to the other. Here, the concept of 'action painting' has been stripped down to provide a clear idea of the premise in its simplest form, free from the complexities of how 'action painting' usually appears. Additionally, it is black and white to flatten the emotional response to colour. However, I typically use that, but here, I want the emotions to be a reaction to the transference itself. It is a large work, being 315 cm [124 inches] (W) by 210 cm [83 inches] (H), so it is very immersive. Additionally, the work was sold to a woman in New York a few days after I entered this competition.

Can you walk us through the technical steps of creating your winning work?

Initially, I meditate on something that interests me, an idea, a story, or something that intrigues me. I think about it for a day or so and research it to understand what it is. Then, when my interest is reasonably satisfied, I start setting up a canvas. I stretch my canvases. Then I think about the idea I want to paint and how I feel about it. Then, I prepare the colour palette, selecting colours or lack thereof to respond to my emotions. Then, I push the idea of what I am feeling while keeping the feelings aside and paint quickly without thinking about anything. It is a meditation. The painting is created in one gesture. I do not rework or touch up a painting; it is painted in one session. I am always standing and working up against the painting or over it. Here are some photos of my studio and paintings that are in the process of being completed.

What do you hope to communicate to an audience with your work?

Emotions: I want people to feel something. For me, photographs are for conveying images of things and people. But Art is for communicating feelings. I want people to feel what I felt when I painted the artwork. I often ask people who attend some of my shows not what the painting means or represents but how they feel when they look at it. I am frequently surprised to find that most people have emotions similar, sometimes very similar, to what I had when I painted it. I want people to have an emotional relationship with Art, my Art, and become part of the painting by doing that. Those who have feelings like this are part of Art. I got this idea after standing in front of Jackson Pollock's 'Blue Poles' for twenty minutes, with tears falling down my face. I knew I had to create work that spoke to people in the same way, not through symbolism, form or counterpoint but feelings.

Can you talk about your biggest learning experience during the process of creating your work?

When I first started painting in abstract expressionism, I initially tried to make the painting become something it wasn't. The more I tried to make the paint do certain things, the less it wouldn't. Unexpected things happened, and then I realised these unforeseen things were happy accidents that took me in a different direction. The painting was becoming what it wanted to be, not what I wanted it to become. I quickly realised that I had to go with it and dispense with any ideas about what the painting should be, and I simply felt that the act of painting and the nature of the painting would take care of itself. And it's still like that today.

Can you discuss your biggest success since starting your artistic journey?

I've had many successes with my Art over the years I've been painting, so it is difficult to crystallise it into a few things, but I will name a couple of things that made me feel a sense of satisfaction with my Art. The first thing was exhibiting my work at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum as part of a group show run by UNESCO called the Japanese Friendship Exhibition. I lived in Tokyo then and had been exhibiting my work in subway stations, but I was eventually invited to participate in the UNESCO exhibition. The next thing is my solo shows in Australia and overseas; these were each very special and meant a lot to me. I have always believed that to be a successful artist, one must be able to sell one's work and survive off it; otherwise, it is a hobby. So the next important thing is the sales I've had. I would never have imagined how many paintings I would paint and sell, and for very good money as well; this is very satisfying as it is, in a sense, validation that the work is appreciated and of value. Because of my experiences, Japan has significantly impacted my work. Lastly, my best collector is currently Louis Vuitton. I am routinely commissioned by various designers and managers of Louis Vuitton stores worldwide to create paintings for new stores or stores that have been renovated. This led to many articles in Vogue, Marie Claire, and other publications, where my art is discussed with the store’s opening. 

Can you give us the best piece of advice you have ever heard/received?

The best advice I ever received about life in general, applied to Art here, was from my mother in my youth. Be yourself, don't copy someone else, don't let people tell you who you are, be yourself. In an artistic sense, this is my motto: don't follow the crowd, which paints what others are painting, but paint what is true to me. This is crucial to finding yourself as an artist, being unique, and finding the authentic style that eventually becomes yours.

As a winner, do you have any advice for artists who want to apply for awards, competitions, residencies, etc.?

Everyone who is an artist wants people to be interested in their work; that is the nature of the work. It is a visual experience, painting, and without people appreciating the work, it becomes a lonely self-indulgence. So yes, getting the work in front of people is essential. Do all the competitions, group shows, fairs, and everything you can to bring your work to the people. It is not easy, as you must befriend a significant adversary, and its name is rejection. I could plaster the walls, inside and outside, of my house with rejection letters, but most of those.

What projects are you working on currently? Can you discuss them?

I am planning a collection of abstract paintings for the Tokyo International Art Fair 2025. I have already painted a couple in the same format, but the ones for the art fair will be different; an example of the minimalist style is provided entitled, 'Harmonious Embrace’.'

What is your dream project or piece that you hope to accomplish?

I am also working on a project called the Light Art Project. This series of works uses interactive paint on plexiglass, which is then mounted onto large high-quality LED panels. I wish to create a sizable, immersive collection of panels exploring different emotions. It is expensive and technically complex work and requires the proper museum or art gallery to host such a show. However, you can see one of my current panels, 'Akarui Funiki (Light Atmosphere)'.

Lastly, I like to ask everyone what advice they would give to their fellow artists, what is your advice?

Paint what you love most, even if it's not painting but some other art form; express what you love the most and keep doing it until you feel everything you possibly can with it. Then start again and again, and do not stop.

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