Hello everyone!  Today, I have an interview with Ingrid Blixt for you!  Ingrid creates art with such a fresh perspective, and thoughtful outlook.  Her work is often in black and white (which I LOVE) and seems poetic and emotional (easier said than done as an artist!)   She works in a variety of mediums as well as teaching art at the college level and being a mom to two little girls.  Ingrid shares a little of her thought process and inspiration with us today.  Enjoy!

When did you know you were going to be a professional artist?
After attending an art-based high school, I decided to continue studying arts and got accepted by a very good and prestigious art university, University of Art and Design of Cluj Napoca, Romania. After that I was breathing and living art, no turning back.
More in depth, at that point I realized not that I had a passion, which I knew way before, but the fact that I will have to make a living with what I do, which is and was a challenge that I was happy to face and also embrace as an enabler (in a positive way, of course)

How would you describe your creative style and process?
Creativity has wide and deep roots throughout our whole modality of being, therefore art is tightly interconnected with our personal life, in broad terms – which often gets to be a very separate chapter when it comes to other professions – that’s where the process and discipline come into play for me. It can be a rocky path, but nonetheless rewarding. Did you ever happen to resent your boss?? Well, we are our boss, it can get very tricky sometimes!
Not hovering too much over the sources of inspiration, which can truly be anything and everything, from other arts genres- books, music, movies to religion, spirituality, people and everyday life in general – the interesting part is the creative process and it’s dynamics. Starting with a certain ‘open’ mode: inspiration, transcendence to the stage of purposefulness and action: research – formulating the concept behind the work and then finding the best technique to express it. I think it’s all about good and ingenious forms of communication. Because concept is important, sometimes there is a ‘reverse’ process: I start with objects, things of beauty and then try to find out why they impressed me the way they did.

How have you seen your art evolve over the years?
I am sure there is a certain degree of progress on the technical and conceptual levels in time for any artist although what I was surprised to learn over time was the gain of different dimensions. At least for me, it has a lot to do with having children – a lot of playfulness has been added – the ludic dimension.

As an art professor, how does working with young, emerging artists affect your artwork?
The most significant gain, as a teacher, I noticed to be is actually learning and a sharpening of analytical skills. And of course, any good work, no matter if is from a young or established artist is inspiring.

Do you have any advice for young artists just beginning their career?
I don’t think young artists need advice, especially if they are good artists – rather emerging and established ones do.
In my case, during college and right after you are driven by such an enthusiasm which is an amazing energy, nothing can stand in your way. A few years into it and you might loose some steam, that’s when you need a strategy. And the strategy is: find things that will inspire and keep the enthusiasm at high levels!

 

Thank you Ingrid!  Your insight is wonderful!
Go check out Ingrid’s website and shop to see more of her work.