Vian Borchert – Q&A

Vian Borchert is an expressionist artist, she considers all her artwork to be visual poems. For Borchert nature is very important and plays an essential role in her life. She is a nature lover – mother nature is her sanctuary and her ultimate solace. An avid observer where contemplating upon nature helps Borchert reach inner peace and attain moments of Zen.

Her artwork albeit abstract in nature offers symbolism, referencing the status of a mysterious future and how life is such a precious commodity – also showcases a sense of identity of who she is as an artist: her hopes, her aspirations, and her dreams. Borchert’s artwork becomes a reflection of her life’s journey along with connecting the past to the present while approaching the future with a sense of wonder to what it holds.

Self-taught or art school?

Art School: I am a graduate and “Notable Alumni” from the Corcoran College of Art and Design George Washington University, Washington, DC. USA

If you could own one work of art what would it be?

Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci.

How would you describe your style?

My style is defined as an abstract expressionist painterly one with a minimal twist.

Can you tell us about your artistic process?

My artistic process is very feverish! I approach my work and subject matters feverishly and seriously, although I do not overlook having fun and enjoying the work process. Usually, I work on multiple paintings at a time. Sometimes the work continues the whole day without a break until I cannot do it anymore. The work can also continue for days or even weeks until I deem the work satisfactory and ready to be presented to the world. In general, it is a workflow process from one painting into another. I like to make works that fall in a series or a collection. I usually have a specific idea or subject matter in mind that I head out to execute.

Is narrative important within your work?

Yes, narrative is important within my work. To illustrate, I feel that my art presents me as a visual storyteller where people can through viewing the art and its titles enter my own world be it a day by the sea where you can observe the seagulls and the birds flying up high, or feel the waves collide and rush to the shore while a gentle touch of light comes through a misty sunset in the distance. I want through my art to say enjoy the simple pleasures of life and nature’s offerings while taking in the beauty of everyday life as it comes.

Who are your favourite artists and why?

I have many favourtie artists – here are some of them and the specific pieces that I like from their work:

Richard Diebenkorn “Ocean Park ” paintings’ series. I like these Diebenkorn paintings since they remind me of California streets and overlook the ocean through a very modern, abstract geometric take which is pleasing to my senses.

Anselm Kiefer’s landscapes in watercolour such as “The Evenings of All Days, The Day of All Evenings” (aller Tage Abend, aller Abende Tag). I like pretty much everything done by Kiefer. I simply gravitate towards his work. I love the somber colors and textures he presents in his work.

Claude Monet’s “Water Lillies” the ones at the MoMA in NYC. These are simply breathtaking beyond words. When I am at the MoMA viewing Monet’s water lilies, I feel like I am in Monet’s Garden in Giverny taking in the beauty of the pond and its waterlilies through the eyes of Monet.

“Whistler’s Mother, Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1”, by James McNeill Whistler. I saw this amazing painting a few years ago on a visit to the Chicago Institute of Art. It was alone in a room within one of the museum’s galleries. It was such a huge and impactful painting. The painting had a certain stillness to it that makes it such a superb masterpiece.

“Attersee” and most of Gustav Klimt’s landscapes – Klimt’s landscapes are some of my favorites from all of the artists. Klimt created his best landscapes while vacationing by this lake in Austria near his Summer house. I especially like the shimmering and reflecting light presented in these works through Klimt’s mosaic-like depiction of ripples on the surface of the lake.

“Painter’s Wife, Seated” by Egon Schiele – Schiele’s figurative work especially of his wife presents such a delicate touch and showcases an immense amount of love that comes through Schiele’s strong effective lines and his capture of expressions and emotions.

“Spider” sculpture by Louise Bourgeois – The darkness and mysterious element of  Bourgeois’s work appeal to me. For me, Bourgeois tells a story through each sculpture she presented. The Spiders I feel overtake us with their size, color, and material. They are immensely strong but fragile at the same time.

“Orange and Black Wall” by Franz Kline – The energy that Kline presents in most of his work is endlessly beautiful and bold. His works imbue strength and confidence like no other.

These are other favourite works of art that I truly admire:

“The Laundress” By Henri De Toulouse Lautrec
“Banana” by Andy Warhol
“David” and “The Creation of Adam”, The Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo
“The Sacrament of the Last Supper” by Salvador Dali
“The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer” statue by Edgar Degas
“A Bigger Splash” by David Hockney
“Spider” sculpture by Louise Bourgeois

What or who inspires your art?

My biggest and foremost source of inspiration is mother nature. Mother nature for me is my ultimate solace and source of energy through its sunsets, sunrises, and moonlight. Besides nature, my children are my inspiration. It is through their eyes, their energy, and their love for life that I re-energize myself daily to do better for them and for their generation. I also like my plants: my lavender plant, my Shamrock plant are a source of inspiration and joy to me.

Where’s your studio and what’s it like?

My studio is in my house where I reside. I like it to have the studio accessible where I live since one doesn’t know when the art spirit visits and when I am in the mood to do some work. My studio consists of a number of easels, lots of art materials, and supplies such as many boxes of paint tubes, shelves with brushes, and of course I have some of my artwork there as well. I usually have a good number of supplies on hand in my studio since I don’t like to run out of materials in the middle of the painting process.

Do you have any studio rituals?

In regards to rituals, I don’t have a specific time of starting the work – I paint whenever I feel like, it could be in the afternoon, in the evening, at night – rarely in the morning though since I am not a morning person. I have to have my cup of coffee before I start anything in the daytime. I work on a number of pieces within one setting. I start from one painting and move on to another in a rhythmic flow. As I said I paint feverishly the hours away till I get tired and I can do no more. Once I produce a number of works, be it two or three or more, I then stop to evaluate the work I’ve created. The evaluation can come afterward or it is done within the following days or weeks.

What are you working on currently?

My latest work that I am working on deals with capturing the beauty of lavender fields. I started working on this series in June 2021 where some of the artwork is on exhibit in NYC. I am continuing to work on the theme of lavender presented through the purple hues and tones and also through the landscape theme executed through my abstract painterly style.
I am also working on a number of mixed media pieces that embody construction and architectural elements in a series titled “Inside, Outside”.

Where can we buy your art?

One can purchase my art in the galleries that present me such as:
Lichtundfire in Manhattan, NYC, USA
BG Gallery in Santa Monica, CA, USA
Also, some of my artwork is available at “Artsy” and “1stdibs”
People can also contact me directly through my website to purchase some of my work. Website: www.vianborchert.com