Interview With Artworker And Poet Oormila
Q:1. When and why did you start making artworks?
I started drawing and painting at a very young age. Right from the time I was in preschool, it was the paints and craft materials that interested me the most. Even though I didn't formally train as an artist (I have a master’s degree in English) I kept painting and picking up new skills throughout my university years. I make art because it is a core part of who I am and how I express myself. It is my favorite form of therapy. I love capturing everyday moments and objects. In that sense, I think of my artworks as visual diary entries, documenting memories as I go through life.
Q.1.1.Who introduced you to making artworks?
That would be my mum! She was not an artist but she recognised my interest in painting very early on. Both my parents were very encouraging. I grew up in Kuwait, and I used to spend a lot of time at The British Council Library. As a child, I immersed myself in reading about the great masters and copying their techniques. I had two wonderful mentors who took me under their wing: an Indian lady who was an accomplished artist, and another teacher who taught me all the basics of cartooning and illustration. I was inspired by the disciple and dedication they put into their craft in spite of having day jobs and responsibilities. I was in awe, and I aspired to be like them when I grew up.
Q:2. What is your daily artwork routine?
I try to put in an hour and a half into my art practice every day- either early in the morning or late at night. I have several projects going on at any given point in time and I work on different things simultaneously. Often, while juggling home, kids, and work, it is art on the go for me as I work on projects while waiting in my car at my son’s cricket training, or weekend matches. I always have a sketchbook and a portable kit with art supplies in my bag. So whether it is on park benches or on the kitchen island in between cooking, I try to get a little bit of work done every day.
Q3: What is your favorite material to work with?
I love making art from waste materials, found things, and odds and ends that I pick up at thrift shops. My studio is full of labeled boxes with all kinds of collected paraphernalia: cloth pieces with ethnic prints (which I use extensively in my collages), wrapping papers, pretty packing papers that come as part of home deliveries, hessian and mesh bags from groceries (which I use for printing textures off my homemade Gelli plate), silk and lace scraps, and everything else in between. My favorite paint mediums are acrylics, gouache, chalk pastels, and distress inks.
Q:3.1. Why are " acrylics, gouache, chalk pastels, and distress inks" your favourites?
I like to finish projects quickly, and this is why I absolutely love acrylics and gouache. They suit me temperamentally - they dry in a matter of minutes, and layers can be added and worked on in the same sitting. I use distress inks to give an aged, faded look to the edges of paper. I love how it adds a sense of mystery - a weathered fragility to artworks. It’s the same with chalk pastels. The medium is so delicate, and you can achieve the most stunning effects with blending and smudging.
Q;4. How do the artworks you saw when you were young influence your artwork today?
When I was young, I was fascinated by the works of Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Camille Pissaro, and the other Impressionist greats. That was the time period in art that interested me the most. As a young schoolgirl I studied the works of the Impressionists. I experimented with bright, vibrant pigments, and tried out techniques of juxtaposing broken areas of color. I find that that influence has stayed on as I developed in my practice. It has now become an integral part of my visual language. I like to incorporate texture and movement into my artworks, and brush strokes are very visible in my paintings. I still paint with bright, energetic colors. When I travel, I paint several paintings of the same locales, en plein air, in changing light conditions.
Q:5. Whom of today's artworkers do you admire the most and why?
Oh, so many! Among the daily painters, I am a huge fan of Carol Marine and Duane Keiser. I have been following both for years on social media. I admire them because it takes commitment and dedication to be a daily painter, producing consistently good art. Among the mixed-media and collage artists, I love the works of Froyle Davies, Elizabeth St. Hillaire, and Vikki Reed. These artists have the Midas touch- they can turn anything and everything into exceptional art! I follow quite a few modern day impressionist artists, and I particularly admire Anne Baudequin’s atmospheric seascapes, Jill Barthorpe’s urban paintings, James Bunt’s majestic skyscapes, Nadine Pillon’s ethereal and brooding water art, and Isabelle Mispelon’s vibrant and dynamic creations to name a few.
Q:6. What inspired the artworks in this edition of The Starbeck Orion?
Painting 1 - 4 are urban collages. These artworks are from a new series inspired by buildings in Sydney’s Chippendale, Bondi, Central Station, and Barangaroo. I perform my poems at open mics and readings in and around these areas. They are full of historical buildings and quaint locales. The paintings were developed from quick sketches that I made on location, which I then developed and collaged in my studio.
Paintings 5 - 8 are from an ongoing series of landscapes inspired by the colors of the Australian outback. The ever changing light and the land’s natural contours are breathtaking.
Editor: Link to Page 1 where you will find the First seven of Oormila’s images:
Paintings 9 and 10 were inspired by the images in two poems, Joan de Verve, and Blue, from my friend, poet Scott Elder’s latest collection, “Maria”. Scott’s writing is just stunning, and I picked five poems from the collection that spoke to me, to interpret visually, and created a series which I shared with him last year.
Paintings 11 and 12 are from the series of pieces I exhibited at the 2023 Lindfield Art Show in Sydney. They were inspired by seaside towns on the South Coast of New South Wales where my partner and I go on weekend trips.
Q:6.1. What do you hope the viewer will leave with after experiencing these artworks?
I hope the viewer feels happy when seeing these little vignettes from my life! I am always in a calm space, anchored and at peace, when I create art. I always hope that I am able to impart a bit of that through my work to whoever engages with it.
Q:7. What would you say to someone who asked you "How do you become an artworker?
Just start! Go grab a sketch pad, the kind of paints and materials you like, and just start. You don’t need any art degree or anyone to endorse you to call yourself an artist. Create because you love it and because you want to. There are excellent resources online that are free. Follow artworkers you like, study their process, network and connect with others in the community. Opportunities to publish, sell, and exhibit will follow in time (speaking from experience.) Always keep learning and picking up new skills. Last year, I followed a Youtube tutorial and made a homemade Gelli plate using gelatin and glycerin, and created over 300 assorted gelli prints, which I used in my collages. I also learnt tea bag art and made a new series on used tea bags. Be curious, be open, be resilient. Be fearless in putting your work out there. You will find that there are lots of wonderful, supportive souls, who will celebrate your creations with you.
Q:8. How do your artworks relate to your writing?
I sometimes think that my artworks and my writing are chalk and cheese! I express myself very differently in paint and in words. While my paintings have vibrant colors and I favor upbeat palettes, my writing is more brooding and I tend to address serious and dark themes. In that respect, my art and writing are Jekyl and Hyde! But in some ways, my art props up my writing too. When I have writer’s block, I shift to painting or crafting something to keep the creative juices flowing. Sometimes a half-finished poem sits for a bit while I work on a painting. Then I come back to writing, refreshed.
Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad is an Indian-Australian artist, poet, and improv pianist. Her art and poetry have been widely published. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and multiple times for the Best of the Net. She lives and works in Sydney on traditional Gammeragal land. Find her @oormilaprahlad