Photo credit: Adèle Chrétien
Lina Redford, a young and talented artist, has recently completed their studies at the studio of Lana Frey, where they learned the ins and outs of being a professional artist. Through their work with Frey, Lina discovered their own unique voice and style, which is now being showcased in their latest collection of paintings.
Lina was drawn towards the representation of female energies in their art and was inspired by the beauty and strength of nature. The hummingbird, a signature subject of Lina’s art, symbolizes femininity and is represented by two XX signs on each bird, a reference to XX chromosomes.
“I am constantly amazed by the beauty and strength of such a tiny bird. The hummingbird is the most colorful creature on Earth and its beauty is truly inspiring,” says Lina Redford.
Lina’s latest collection is a testament to their hard work and dedication to their craft. They understand the challenges of creating art and how it’s easy to create when inspiration strikes, but the real challenge is to create even when the inspiration is gone.
Lina Redford’s art is a celebration of femininity and the beauty of nature. It is a must-see for anyone who appreciates the power of art and the impact it can have on the world.
For more information or to view Lina Redford’s latest collection, please visit their website at https://www.singulart.com/en/artist/lina-redford-9047 or follow them on Instagram at www.instagram.com/linaredford.
Interview:
Can you briefly describe your journey as an artist and highlight some of your key accomplishments, such as your studies with Lana Frey and solo show “AMOR OR?” in Palma de Mallorca?
I started to discover my voice in the studio of `Lana Frey where I was studying and learning what it meant to be a professional artist, and through my work with her I managed to find my own voice and at the end of my studies managed to branch off with my own visions and ideas formed, but at the same time I had gathered a lot of experience in the art world and understood the hard work that goes into creating. It’s easy to create when you’re feeling inspired, but the real challenge is to create when the inspiration is gone 🙂
As I started to express my own voice in paintings I found myself more and more drawn towards the female energies and how they are represented in life. I saw Beauty in a lot of things and discovered that what seems fragile and beautiful in nature can also be incredibly strong, inspiring and wonderful. I saw comparisons with modern day women there.
Hummingbird is a signature subject of my art and symbol of femininity, you can find two XX signs on each bird as a reference to XX chromosomes.
I’m genuinely amazed how such a tiny bird can be the most colourful creature on Earth and find it very inspiring.
Being a creative nomad, you have lived in five different countries and encountered different cultures that have inspired your artworks. Can you share any memorable experiences and how they have influenced your work as a woman?
In general I find nature to be one of my main source of inspiration, but not the only one. The gothic architecture in Prague was incredibly inspiring to me, and this is strange because in general it can appear as a bit of a grey city* at least the time that I was there in the middle of winter( and it taught me to look for and find the colours in places that might seem that art there. In Prague once I started to look for them I found an incredibly colourful and bright city, and that has shaped how I look at all my subjects when Im creating my art.
Can you discuss the challenges and obstacles you have faced as a woman in the art world and how you have overcome them?
All women face challenges in every work place, and I believe that in each place each women has different challenges to overcome, In the artworkd the main one is that often, since I mainly work online, people feel free to express their un censored opinions and comments on me instead of commenting on my work, and especially when I show pictures of me, the comments can be quite distasteful. To overcome it I came to the realisation that I only want people that respect you, and I began to see that needed to be an essential condition of my followers. Im not afraid to just block and digitally detox for a bit, and try not to let the disrespectful comments get under my skin.
Your collaboration with Belgian photographer Eric Ceccarini has been showcased in major art exhibitions, including Art Basel Miami. Can you talk about the partnership and its impact on your career as a woman in the art industry?
Erics works involve normalising the beauty of a naked female body, and myself as a creator find this incredibly inspiring and uplifting. For me to have used an actual woman as a canvas on which together we wrote our messages, I feel like it meant to me that a woman can be or become anything.
You work in the style of expressive figurativism, using palette knives and thick layers of paint to “sculpt happiness.” Can you elaborate on the concept behind your art and how being a woman influences your perspective?
Women are usually known to be muses, but by nature women are the ultimate creators. Woman can care something small into something incredible, so I think it-s part of being a woman to have that potential to make amazing and wonderful things that bring joy and beauty to the world. Any woman can do it and I feel like through my art I want to spread that feeling.
Can you discuss the role of art in promoting women’s rights and equality, and how you hope to use your platform as an artist to raise awareness for these issues?
Kind of relates to what I said before, I believe women can create true wonders and I spread that message or feeling through the themes of my paintings. Art in general has always been the voice of many groups of people, and I just think that it’s the turn of women’s rights to get the attention it finally deserves.
What initiatives or projects have you been involved in that aim to empower and support women in the art world?
My artworks featured in a significant woman rights movement celebrating the international day of elimination of violence against women in Ibiza – Silenciades (Silenced) reffering to all female artists who were silenced throughout art history. This was sponsored by the ministry of equality of Spain, and It meant a lot to me to be able to be a part of it. It was a very moving event to see so many women from different backgrounds bonding together and feeling empowered to finally speak up through our works for so many who were never able to.
Your first solo exhibition with a live painting show was in Ibiza, inspired by the island’s magnetism and bohemian nature. Can you talk about the experience and how it has influenced your artistic journey as a woman?
Nature is… incredibly unique in Ibiza. Its a small island, but every corner has a beauty I have never experienced before in my life. Scenes that can speak to parts of you you didn’t know existed, and this was such an inspiring time of my life for creating and just being. Time seemed to slow down there and it helped me appreciate so many things I had perhaps taken for granted, like peace and quite, time alone with nature, enjoying the sun and the sea..
What advice would you give to young women who are just starting out in their artistic careers or pursuing their passions?
Remember that you are your own limit, don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do, love yourself and be honest with yourself, and listen to yourself when you are actually being honest! Be ready to work hard, not because you are a woman, but because everything that is worth it is worth working hard for. Also just because you are a self employed artist, doesn’t mean you don’t have to work 9-5.
How do you envision the future of women in the art industry and what steps can be taken to promote gender equality and diversity in the field?
I think we are living on the dawn of a new age for art with a huge influx of artist who will bring their own energies and thoughts, dreams, hopes and visions of life into a predominantly male dominated world, so It will be very interesting to see how the art world grows and changes into something never seen before. As for women roles, I think we need to stop seeing things in a competing light and concentrate on growing and creating instead of competing.
