The young and restless

Katia Sa studied at the School of drawing and painting of Manuel Anido, in La Coruña, Spain up to eleven years old and later continued her studies in art and media at the University of Madeira. An artist residency at JP Silverio Foundation was the motto for an exhibition.

How did it happen this passage through the foundation?
Katia Sa: It was by chance, I was passing by on the street Carreira, when I came across to an open door with canvas at the entrance and went in out of curiosity. Then I was approached by a man who dare me to do a brush and for fun I accepted the challenge. He noted that I could paint and I explained that since I was eight years old my parents put me in a painting academy where I started learning to coal technique, observation drawing, oil painting and even participated in some group exhibitions with students. He suggested that I presented my application for a residency at the foundation, which I did. I showed my work to the founder and was accepted.

Tell me about this exhibition, curiously you are doing some demonstration of what is canvas in its different aspects, you even draw on the back.
KS: Yes, I try to make people think and to question about the way things are done. I would like people to work with their imagination, with their thought to reflect, why is that always we put a canvas on the wall for people to observe? Why not interact with this? Put it suspended and observe around. Why not paint the screen on the back? Must be only one way? So certain pieces that are on display aim to raise the dialogue and the surprise too. I at least try people to interact with the work.

How would you define yourself as an artist? I think you're a more abstract painter, but you also have landscapes. How do you define your dash, your line.
KS: I have been discovering. I've done intuitive painting, I have not followed a school, or a style. I want to be true to myself, I try try, above all, the technique, theme and always I'm looking for something new, I do not want to do what others have done. Although not get is a very brilliant result, I want it to be something unique, so I looking addition, always renew, think and do.

The color is important in this course? You have a defined pallet?
KS: I have not a pallet properly defined, especially try to harmonize the colors, combine them and choose the shades according to the thought of painting. If I intend to present a cheerful setting, such as the canvas entitled "fun with chocolate" was an idea that came to me when I observed an adult interacting with a child, in this work I tried to create a background with a texture, a cheerful pattern, fun and at the same time created a figuration with the characters, which were first draw on my graphic diary and then won color and life on the canvas. The shades appeal to the spectator that are watching, the aim is to change your mood and make you laugh.

How do you describe your creative process? You mentioned the diary, it accompanies you daily and this leads ideas for the canvas?
KS: Not always. I have a graphic diary that sometimes gets overlooked for weeks. But then I can go to a garden with a friend and we talked while we have draw. Also arise me ideas and I take note, so I make a sketch to remember later that appointment.

What inspires you to paint?
KS: It's a sensation, something you can see. I will seek inspiration in life, my surroundings, I cannot paint what ever I saw in my head. I can imagine a situation and pass it to the canvas, but always reflects my experiences.

But also dedicate yourself to graphic design?
KS: Yeah, I do not like just to do one thing, I like to experiment and try something different.