Lucia Burrafato is a Fine Artist currently working on series, Transmute, which explores the limitations of pouring oil paint and the forms it takes within the drying process.
Where do you feel your creativity derives from?
I find inspiration from a wide variety of sources—from pop culture icons to combing through moods and experience of my daily life. I need to feel drawn to the medium I’m working with and the subject matter. I have to believe in what I’m producing. If I don’t find a connection in the process, this will be reflected in the end result. I believe that as an artist, you need to create work that is important to you.
How do you engage and attribute the strength of feminity in your life?
From my time at college, I noticed that I really respond to feminist art. I attribute femininity and my experiences as a woman to the artwork that I’ve done and continue to do. Those experiences have influenced a lot of my performance art in past series. Currently, I am in love with Zoë Buckman’s work, which explores themes of feminism, mortality, and equality. I respect her voice in the art world and it inspires me to create works with a stronger message.
Can you tell us about your process? From inspiration to completion how does your vision come together?
My process right now is very experimental. I enjoy working with different paint colors and seeing how they react to one another. By mixing medium and liquefying the paint, it tends to make them react in unique ways. It’s always surprising to see what colors and textures are dominant.
Usually I envision colors I want to use first and start to mix when I feel inspired. I mix the oil paint with medium until the paint is liquefied and then I pour the paint. After pouring the colors, I mix around the paint until I’m satisfied with the pattern created. I leave it until the next day and it drastically changes over night. Most likely I will pour more paint on top after two days so it doesn’t immediately absorb and mix the colors. After two weeks of drying the painting takes a completely different form than how it started and naturally creates texture throughout the piece. Seeing the finished painting is always a surprise for me. I truly love the process and the way the paint changes naturally.
Do you have a mantra or ritual that carries throughout your daily life?
One thing that carries through my daily life is practicing positive thinking. It is something that I feel changed my perspective and life. I constantly remind myself of what I appreciate in my life at that moment and what I want to bring into focus. Mostly it’s being positive, being appreciative, and knowing my goals are attainable. I sincerely believe that focusing on this has made my life what it is today. I’m beyond grateful to work in the arts and surround myself with other creative and like-minded individuals.
What are some important lessons or learnings you would like to share with those reading this?
I think life as a creative person can be challenging and you tend to face a lot of self-doubt. I recommend just going with your gut and trust where your creativity takes you. Even if it’s not your best series or work at the moment, it’s a stepping-stone to get you to the next evolutionary step in your process. I think it’s important to be open to the path that your work can take you. I constantly rethink my technique and that’s something that I value.
What are your goals with these paintings? What are some themes/ideas that are important to you? If you think your concepts change over the course of your process, how does that affect your work?
My goal is to make a series of 6 or 7 paintings with embedded meaning. I would love to create an installation-based series that reveals my voice. My past series questioned the borders of my own conscience. Identity is something that is ever evolving and transitioning, just like my painting, and I want to find a way to represent that. My hopes with these future series are to relate to the human experience and compel audiences to question the transcendence of life itself.
What are you working on right now?
I want to start to experiment with Resin. I have seen many artists use resin with their paintings and I would love to play with that process. I believe resin will give the artwork more of an eternal life.
Website: www.luciaburrafato.com
Mother Muse Collective 