Andrea Ehret’s artwork is concentrated on abstract expressive oil and mixed media painting. Her approach is strongly connected to her vision of life, she chooses art as a tool for possible self-transformation. She believes art has the ability to heal and awaken. Her creative method is an intuitive process and balancing act where she loses and finds herself. Her paintings are strongly inspired by Eastern philosophy and can be viewed as an expression of inner meditation, a reflection of her own inner world, embracing her own Light and Shadow via balancing tones, flow like brush strokes, a feeling of harmony and powerful energy…
Ehret has held 19 solo shows, international exposure. Her artworks are part of private collections all around the world; such as Netherlands, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Russia, Slovenia, Italy, Spain, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany, and USA.
Self-taught or art school?
Art school, I have studied Art at the Faculty of Arts in Slovakia, my home country.
If you could own one work of art what would it be?
Anything from Zao Wou-Ki..
How would you describe your style?
I paint reflective stories…expressive abstracts usually oil or mixed media on canvas with a poetic touch, deeply reflective, meditative flow and go beyond the surface.
Can you tell us about your art process?
Exploring spontaneity of liquid media makes the process more playful and intuitive at times. There is always a sense of passion, engaging movement and contrasting boundaries of light and darkness.
In my abstract expressive artworks I often use impasto layers, structures, layers of acrylic or oil paint, combined with inks and metal gold, bronze, organic indigo or sienna pigments on canvas or paper.
Is narrative important within your work?
No, but I hope when one looks at my paintings they do not see circles, compositions, colours, they see life, their story… something that will stay with them for a while.
Who are your favourite artists and why?
I love Zao Wou- Ki, for the poetic, yet deeply expressive language where the light structures the canvas… along with many others… I love work of Rita Ackermann for a very different reason, her stories are raw and uncut, she is fearless and extreme I can connect with her stories.
What or who inspires your art?
My paintings are strongly inspired by Eastern philosophy and can be viewed as an expression of inner meditation, a reflection of my own inner world, embracing my own Light and Shadow via balancing tones, flow like brush strokes, perhaps a feeling of harmony and powerful energy at the same time.
Life inspires me, every moment, nature, people I love.. relationships, poetry, music… silence.
How did your upbringing in Slovakia influence your art?
Slovakia is a small but very beautiful country with amazing natural habitat, diverse folklore traditions and magical fairytales. Slovak folklore has in fact a long oral tradition of storytelling. My oldest and most treasured childhood memories are hikes and walks in nature with my dad looking for different wood, tree, rock shape, unique light or atmosphere… I was surrounded by people encouraging my imagination to glow. My grandma fairy tales and lots of time and freedom to play with paints and colour. Since I remember whenever I felt down I turn towards art, I painted out my pain.
When did you become interested in Eastern Philosophy and how do you translate your passion for this to your canvas?
I was always very curious and studied whatever I could but I am an artist and also an art therapist. In my art therapy practise and psychological training I discovered silence, listening to our inner thoughts.. momentum, concentration on the present moment,… catharsis, the creative outlet and flow, staying connected …are the keys to higher creativity and reconnection within yourself. That is when the magic happens.
Sometimes, your subconscious mind can take over and without you knowing that brings you the new potential of realization not only for your art but also for self-transformation, you step back and few days after you have that ´aha´ moment, everything is interconnected, everything is related to everything else.
For me, it is more to do with the flow zen practice. In our world, we call it mindfulness, zen path incorporates a total togetherness of body and mind. Staying authentic, true to myself, focus on the present moment, gratitude,… I realized very quickly how meditation and my own self-awareness helps me to stay authentic not only as a human being but as an artist too. There is no escape, we just keep painting our own self-portraits.
Can you tell us more about your belief that art heals?
Yes, I believe art does heal.
Only looking at art can reduce your stress and anxiety… Actively create heps to stay self-aware and express things you might not be able to articulate verbally. We are all creative beings, to be creative means to be. The healing aspect of art is known, art connects body and mind, creative activities can not only relieve stress but aid communication and help arrest cognitive decline. Just to go to art gallery and look at art can increase self-acceptance and our identity. Going further, art therapy simply improves your consciousness, activates our inner mental blocks and helps to come back to yourself.
Has the current Pandemic changed the way you work?
Yes, it did change my daily practice in the studio since I have my son at home, currently homeschooling and still teaching myself.
My daily practice became my evening practise, even though I am sometimes super tired I very much appreciate I can work within myself and throw myself out there,…:)
I created an intimate collection called simply 2020, with all the significance this year has for all of us… hope, frustration, dreams, isolation, longing for touch, asking myself how deeply changed we would come out of this.
Where’s your studio and what’s it like?
My studio is at my home, my house near Prague, Czech Republic.
It´s my sacred mess
…place where I go to be by myself and with myself… and I love it.
Do you have any studio rituals?
Not particularly,… I listen to music and podcasts while painting and I do not like to be interrupted. Once in studio flow, I usually forget about the world around.. I work daily and where I travel I take a sketchbook with me all the time.
Your work has a magical, other-worldly ambience is this something you consciously created?
My paintings are my world, my dreams and visions… my circles.
I hope when one looks at my paintings they do not see circles, compositions, colours, they see life, their story… something that will stay with them for a while. I invite my viewers for the spiritual voyage, there is this longing for dream-like experience, where everything is possible and perfect harmony exists.
Maybe it is this world and maybe some other.
What are you working on currently?
Currently getting ready my body of work for upcoming shows.
Due to the pandemic, one of my international exhibition NEW CZECH ABSTRACT was postponed and hopefully would happen in Amsterdam, Netherlands soon. This will be a great exhibition of 3 Czech artists representing different artistic approach.
I was also accepted as an Artist in Residence of Chateau d´Orquevaux in France and awarded the GRANT of Denis Diderot. My work will be part of the chateau´s permanent collection after the residency this summer. My art agent Virginia Damtsa and I are working towards intimate solo show in London during summer but it is incredibly difficult to predict whether all the galleries will be reopened, etc. We sure will see.
Currently, I am part of an online exhibition with Visionary Projects, NYC and Lohme Gallery, Sweden. I was selected as one of 65 other amazing artists from all around the world to exhibit in virtual space.
All my actual events are presented on my Facebook page – www.facebook.com/InTheCircles
Where can we buy your art?
My art is represented via various galleries in the world but you can find and contact me via social media, Instagram @andreacircles or via my website www.andreaehret.com
