Letters Between the Lines: Interview with Artist BLANDA
Photography by Hero Stevenson
There is no “blah blah blah” when it comes to Los Angeles-based artist Blanda. Celebrating the female form and artwork authenticity, this Swiss-born bombshell dives into the emotional mysteries of within creating from a place of genuine freedom. “I produce my best work when I am not trying to produce great work. It's like meditating or falling asleep, the harder you try, the less likely it is to happen. I have learned to take care of myself as part of my work process and to let inspiration come to me instead of trying to chase it. When I am feeling emotionally and physically balanced I will find inspiration everywhere I go. Muses reveal themselves when you have learned to see.”
Flourishing in the States we were curious as to the effect her Swiss upbringing had on her artistic inspiration. “The esthetics and stylistic sensibility specific to the country we grow up in are instilled in all of us; and they expand as we do. With travel and exposure to different cultures, different forms of art, different levels of taste we learn and grow and take bits of whatever we deem pleasing and let those pieces fall together to create our very own personal code of style and taste,” exposed Blanda. Noting that art and fashion are used as cornerstones for time, the artist spoke candidly of the visualization of decades by the respective popular fashion and the art born out of each era. “There are highly intriguing moments in fashion from any era. In that respect my favorite time is always the now since we have access to all of fashion's history and live in a social environment that gives us great freedom to express our individual style in whichever way we want.”
On canvas, it is no surprise that Blanda - beautifully in tune with her emotions - gravitate towards art that evokes an inner emotion, resonating in her heart and her mind. Through her own canvas, as an extension of herself, it is a peek into the feelings of the artist, her ideas, her soul. “I love the art that came out of the early to mid 20th century - Schiele, Kahlo, Kippenberger, Giacometti, Neel, Freud, Serra, Twombly, Picasso, Matisse, Miro, Hodler...the list goes on! There are also a lot of contemporary artists whose work I admire and follow. I gravitate towards art that moves me, work that emotionally touches me. I believe that to be the purpose of art; to materialize the inexplicable. It's like falling in love, that je ne sais quoi feeling that we all know. I can't rationally explain why I fall in love with someone, but I know exactly what it should feel like. It's the same with art for me.”
As we wrap on this one-on-one with bold and beautiful Blanda, we had to first uncover the secrets of a “Blanda” ensemble. “I like to throw on whatever feels good. I wear my hair long and air-dried and I love a fresh and natural makeup. I dress according to my mood, but I love it simple and natural. A summer dress with flats or boots or jeans and t-shirt with a leather jacket are some go-to outfits for me.” As romantic as she is artistic, we fell weak to the knees when she mused her boyfriend’s mind as the most fashion forward place she has experienced. Talk about the perfect pair!
