Galina Lugonja

How would you describe your art and aesthetics in three words?

– Serene, cosmic and playful.

Could you tell us about your background and how you came to be an artist?

– My mother is a great artist and thanks to her, art has been at the center of my family's life as I grew up. I had access to her large art studio, our house was beautiful and full of art, and at my parents' art gallery I watched exhibitions and the meeting between artists. It was natural for me to see how people expressed their inner worlds through art, and so I always created as well.

What inspired you to create the artworks you have made for The Ode To?

– My inspiration stems from my inner world; floating between the enjoyment of harmonic, everyday aesthetic moments and the wonder of cosmos and existence itself. I like to balance on the edge between eccentricity and balance.

You’ve named your series of artworks Enjoying the sweet fruits picked from the tree of life, can you tell us why?

– I believe that the most enjoyable things in life are very simple. A great sourdough bread, gratefulness for the sun, experiencing nature, a perfectly textured ice cream. But the trick is, to enjoy such simple things fully and absolutely, one must be in a calm and serene state of mind. To accomplish that we must look into all parts of ourselves; the things we fear, the things that stop us from living fully. And to overcome those blockages is hard work. However, it’s the force that will make the sweet fruit of life ripen. My artworks portray different kinds of flavors of the sweet fruit, and in a sense are also a celebration of the Tree of Life in its wholeness.

What technique do you usually use?

– I've played with all kinds of materials and expressions, however, when I bought my first marker, and the top of the brush touched the paper I instantly knew that this was right. It’s the easiest and most enjoyable creation process that I've experienced so far. So, I just couldn't stop creating and that’s how my graphic artworks came to existence.

Name an artist, or other creative, that you wish for others to discover:

– I admire Henri Matisse and Ferdinand Finne. I haven't studied their work too closely, however, when I spot art that I absolutely fall in love with, it’s almost always one of them behind it.

What we love about Galina Lugonja:

The wit, the depth, the emotions, the ordinary and even the cosmic: at The Ode To we love how Galina Lugonja’s art takes us everywhere and lets us feel all the feels.