Alanna Peters: A Reflective Practice
Artist Alanna Peters is known for her paintings of female figures submerged in water. With a focus on light and movement, Alanna expresses complex emotions through her symbolic use of water, and in doing so, invites the viewer to contemplate the ever-changing nature of life. In this interview, Alanna shares her journey as an artist with us.
How did your creative journey begin?
Painting and creating have been an important outlet for me from a very young age. I am a visual learner and approach my understanding of the world through visual memory. I was also surrounded by art within my family. My father was an architect but spent many hours creating cartoons. My aunt was an art historian and my grandmother was a ceramics painter. As an only child my mother kept a basement full of art supplies, in part to keep me busy, but also because I absolutely loved creating and using my imagination. At University the natural choice for me was a Bachelor of Fine Arts. I’ve continued on my artistic journey ever since. Painting has always been my first love and where I feel the most comfortable. I have worked with photography, fabric design, silk screening, sculpture (with a love for bronze) and creating by upcycling found objects. My art career has taken me through teaching visual arts to all ages, working in art galleries and teaching in elementary and high school using an art based learning approach. Even as a mother, art has been prominent in my desire to foster experimentation and imagination. My creative journey is continually evolving and adapting to the phases of my life and I look forward to the many adventures this exploration will take.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
I’ve always been drawn to the human figure and representing the emotional layers hidden behind a situation and an expression. I started focusing on painting portraits and figurative work while in Art School and once I started I was hooked. My compositions are a reflective process. I am emotionally connected to the feelings I depict. After the passing of my father 6 years ago, my work took on a stronger emotional charge and I became inspired by the idea of impermanence both in the moment and in our lives. I found I was drawn to water and how it is constantly changing. I began incorporating my figurative work with water and exploring the interactions between the abstract qualities of the environment and the detailed realism of the figure. Light and movement became focal points in my work. Having spent time in countries in West Africa and Asia with incredible fabric and pattern design which fostered a love patterning and fabric. The movement of the fabric in water and the distortion of the patterns create a fun challenge to play with. The patterns and colours become part of the language for expressing the overall feelings in the paintings.
How has your work shifted and evolved over time?
If I look at the water series I have created in the last 6 years, each has evolved in emotions, focal point and colours. “Evanescence” was the first series and it was a journey of dealing with loss, understanding how life is ever changing and the complex emotions of grief. These feelings are evoked through the dark green water, opaque dress and weighted poses. “Thoughtful grace,” my second water series, was about becoming more aware of oneself in time, experiencing emotions and yet letting them go. The colours evolved into deep blues with black lace dresses. The poses took on a more graceful presence and weightlessness began to emerge. “Weightless presence” my third water series was about understanding oneself, being present in the moment and embracing life. A sense of hope and a weightlessness came over the figures. The colours evolved into bright blues and delicate white lace dresses. In my most recent series “Awakening Resilience”, I was inspired by a friend Michelle who lives with Metastatic Breast Cancer and is fighting fiercely. My initial thoughts when designing this series were the words: strength, beauty, resilience, courage, fragility, kindness, love and perseverance. My current work celebrates the vibrancy of life even in the hardest moments. I chose a beautiful floral fabric as I wanted the series to be bold and bright but also delicate and finely detailed. This series is full of colour and bright turquoise water. A symphony.
What does a typical day in the studio look like for you, and how has your art practice grown or changed?
For me the process of creating goes way beyond just the studio. I often work in a series focusing on a specific theme and creating several paintings. The process begins with brainstorming the words that best describe the emotion I wish to evoke. I then search for fabrics that I think will work best for this theme and I sew the dress. Luckily the hems don’t have to be perfect as it will be underwater. I choose my models carefully for who I think will best embody the theme. I often work with people I know as I know their character and stories. Once we are ready I choose the type of water I would like to use: pool, lake, ocean… I choose based on the colours I would like to work with. Each body of water has an important effect on the mood and colours of the paintings. This is where the fun begins. The model and I jump into the water and I shoot a series of photos. I only have a small underwater camera but it does the trick. Once the photos have been taken I then start the long process of selecting and editing the images. Then finally the painting can begin.
A typical day really depends on where I am in the process. However, there are seasons for things. I tend to do most of my photos in the summer which means my planning has to be done in the spring. I paint mainly in the fall, winter and the spring.
I’m lucky my studio practice is at home. We transformed the detached garage into a creative space and it is by far my favourite space in all the house. This accessibility allows me to be fluid and flexible in my studio times. Working full time, raising 3 kids and painting full time has taught me to be very effective with my time and to prioritize. I’ve learnt to not worry about the balls I drop while juggling everything. One day I’ll pick it back up and continue to juggle it. I’ve learnt to work in stolen moments and sprints. This has taught me to use my time wisely and to not allow myself to be distracted. I know that I need to paint to be a kinder and better person in all other aspects of my life. That is a constant - though my art practice has grown and changed over time and with the different stages of my life. There have been moments when I painted exclusively, or taught art classes on the side. There have been times when I stopped creating as I was living and working in West Africa and my life was very different for a few years. In recent years, as my three kids are a bit bigger and more independent my art practice has grown significantly and I have found a rhythm that works well for me with a bright and spacious studio at the back of my house.
Which experiences have impacted your work as an artist?
I have chosen to travel and to be a mother. These are both enriching experiences though they have had a significant impact on my art practice both in terms of productivity and inspiration. Luckily I have very supportive family and friends that help to make the constantly evolving art practice possible.
The evolving technology since my art school years of heavy portfolios and sending slides has broadened my art practice. Social media and the digital portfolios make maintaining a broader client base and applying to exhibitions easier.
The pandemic also affected my art practice. With fewer opportunities and no in person shows I began exploring virtual exhibits and having to adapt in terms of size. I also took the opportunity to take some risks and explore ideas that I wanted to try without the constraints of having to fit specific show expectations. It gave me a chance to return to sketching just for myself, something I hadn’t done in years. It also created the space to push my painting practice to challenge my use of colours and complexity.
How has Instagram impacted your art career?
Instagram is both the beautiful and the ugly all rolled into one. Social media has allowed me to build and maintain relationships with clients all over the world. It has provided a means for my growth as an artist and my exploration of what is being created. It has created an international artist network that supports each other and are there to toss ideas around with. It is, however, work. Maintaining constant content and managing expectations means I need to be constantly thinking of what I can post. It takes up more time in the studio creating images and reels of what I’m doing than just painting. It’s a constant presence and can sometimes take away from the focus on the actual work I am wanting to create.
What are your future goals and aspirations?
Growth. I feel like I’m just really beginning to hit my stride as an artist. In recent years I feel like my voice and style has become clear and this makes me very motivated. I want to continue to grow artistically, technically and conceptually. I want to continue to push my own learning of how to technically create new works. I want to explore the art world and yet keep my authentic voice. I also want to grow in terms of my own presence in the art world. Have my work more widely seen and collected. Deepen my art career.
Website: www.alannapeters.com
Instagram: @alanna_peters