~saraknudsen's gallery, full of heavily textured and colorful works, offers a wonderful variety of abstracts. In this interview she discusses her work and her view of abstract art.

1. You have many different abstract series in your gallery. I am sure you have a favorite of those series. Which is it and why?

I have two favorites, "My Lines" and "Circles and White spaces". I love those two series because of the pieces of my self I have put in them, the colors, the textures and the fact that make me happy when I look at them.

~saraknudsen's My Lines Gallery: [link]
~saraknudsen's Circles and White Spaces Gallery: [link]

2. Abstract art seems to mean various things to different people, but what do you categorize as abstract and why do you prefer to create abstract art?

I have a broad understanding of abstract which probably crosses over into the field of figurative, but for me abstract is where you as onlooker is required to enter into dialog with the piece to experience the artwork. Abstract art will for me always require more of the onlooker than other styles because abstract art is not as accessible as other styles, which is both good and bad. Good because it gives you a unique experience when you look at abstract piece of art, but it may also require more of you than you are willing to give.
Abstract art is bold, not easily accessible but well worth the effort when you enter into dialog with it.

3. You work in a number of mediums to create your work. What would you say is your favorite to work with and why?

My favorite is most definitely oil, because of the way you can mix colors and more importantly the way you can create texture with oil. With oil you can get such a texture that you just want to touch the painting and let your finger run over it. Oil can be three dimensional depending on how you use it.

4. What is your favorite abstract works? Choose one of your own, and one from another artist.

One of my favorite abstract works is by Gill Whitby.
This painting just drags you in with its colors, the way it is all tilted to the side and I see my self lying down on a beach looking out onto the water.

My favorite among my own must be .
This painting was supposed to be something else but it took on a life of its own and became this and I enjoy looking at it, discovering it and experiencing the work.

5. Which female artists, whether on dA or otherwise, do you draw inspiration from?

I get inspired on a personal level by this woman *balloonfactory who is a kind and wonderful woman. She has been a support through some though times.

She also inspires me on an artistic level because of her skill and take on life. She is just a fantastic person.

6. What plans do you have for your art for 2008 into 2009? Any special projects?

I am not sure yet, at the moment I take as it comes. I think I just want to paint more and develop my style further and maybe focus for a period on the style "Circles and white spaces" but in a larger scale, on bigger canvasses...

6. What do you want people to know about you and your work that they may not already?

That is a hard question, I am not sure. Maybe that my art, for me, is part of a quest to find my self and realize who I am inside. That it gives me an outlet for feelings and thoughts that otherwise would be locked inside me. That it is a bit frightening to surrender such personal things to the world, but that it is also well worth it.

Thank you, Sara, for your insightful responses!

Here are some works from Sara's gallery:



Interviewed by =peggymintun

This interview is one of many that recognizes and celebrates the awesome women artists on deviantArt during International Women's Week. You can read more about IWW here: *int-womens-week.