Vanessa Powers: Materialization of the Subconscious
Our next interview is with NYC based artist Vanessa Powers. Vanessa is known for her beautifully detailed and deeply enigmatic paintings that draw upon mystery and surrealism. Her dream-like narratives portray cloaked figures, skulls, vibrant roses, and plastic take-out bags, often set against natural landscapes. Themes of decay and growth permeate Vanessa’s intricate paintings and provide the viewer with an insight into her subconscious.
Tell me about your background and where your creative journey began.
I grew up on the South Shore of Long Island about 35 minutes (without traffic) outside of New York City. I think the first time I realized that drawing came differently to me than other people is when I went to kindergarten. We made a daily drawing along with a sentence while learning to write in composition notebooks and other kids would trade me these glitter crayons in exchange for drawing things for them. So I guess that was the beginning of my creative journey as well as my entrepreneurial one.
How has your work shifted and evolved over time?
There has been a very sharp turn in my work recently in response to the uprising around our country sparked by the murder of George Floyd, the most recent black life taken by the hands of the state/white supremacists (and added to a very long list.) I have put aside everything that I was working on and really have begun to think about my role as a white female artist and what my responsibility is in regard to the imagery I use and the narratives I choose to explore. I was very conflicted in creating new work in response to the resistance and did not want to hijack black narratives or voices.
I also felt that my silence as a white person would speak louder and if anyone felt that I was swerving out of my lane, then it is solely my responsibility to listen, learn from the misstep, and realize that my embarrassment is minuscule in comparison to the enormity of the real issues.
I have started a series of small 3x3” paintings based off of photos taken at protests either found on social media or taken by my friends. The size is small to keep prices affordable, uncomplicate shipping, and allows me to finish each painting in a few days. 100% of the proceeds go to Reclaim the Block in Minneapolis, an organization whose mission is to defund the police and allocate money to other areas that promote public health and safety.
Your paintings convey a sense of mystery and surrealism; figures immersed in enigmatic landscapes surrounded by skulls, insects, and plastic take-out bags. Can you tell me about the narratives you create in your work, and where you find inspiration for your paintings?
My paintings live in my head on different islands for awhile before I begin to connect the dots. I hoard information and fixate on things for a long time. When I’m doing something quiet and alone like driving or running, it comes together and an image materializes in my mind.
That image is a culmination of things that I have found visually interesting (how the light of a fire illuminates figures and objects), science articles that I have read (how crabs in Japan evolved to have a human face on their shells), the state of decay that our culture is in, and whatever emotional state I happen to be in.
Prior to the aforementioned shift in my work, a general theme that had been reemerging in my paintings is our resistance to nature and how that affects us spiritually. Something that has been particularly disturbing to me is the parallels in my work to the pandemic before it’s outbreak. My painting titled “Host” that I completed in early February is a levitating figure under a sheet. In the same vein, I sometimes dream about things in my life before they occur. I think this is a result of pattern recognition and the sensitive nature of my personality.
Can you describe your process for starting a painting, and what a typical studio session looks like?
I usually begin with a quick gestural sketch to get the image out of my head and into a physical space. Because my work is figurative, I almost always use myself as a model as I am the most convenient option.
Sometimes I use photos I take and make digital collages in Photoshop as a reference. I use this as a starting point then allow the painting to develop organically by using my emotions as a guide. I allow the visual problems and solutions to emerge that can only occur while sitting in front of a canvas for long stretches of time. A solid sitting for me is 7-10 hours. It is a very meditative process and I am grateful to have it.
When did you begin painting murals, and what led you to the realm of public art?
The first mural I painted was in 2018 at First Street Green Art Park in Manhattan. I used to work for a commercial mural company and now do scenic and decorative painting so I picked up a lot of skills regarding working on a larger scale.
How did your experience at the School of Visual Arts shape the work you create today?
Before I attended SVA, I spent two years at community college on Long Island where I majored in Visual Arts. My group critiques there were always praise oriented since my work was technically rendered well and it stifled me from developing. At my first critique at SVA, the room ripped apart my painting calling it things like “teenage” and “adolescent” (it was, but at the time I also was.) Regardless, it was a major turning point for me conceptually and is still the foundation to how I approach my work today.
What are some of your proudest moments as an artist so far?
At this point in time, I look back on artistic achievements and am still proud but can’t help but feel a sense of self involvement. The direction I am moving in now feels like it can contribute more than what I’ve done before.
How has Instagram impacted your career as an artist?
Instagram has been huge. It has cut out the gallery middlemen and allowed me to connect with artists all over the world. When I had my handle tagged at the bottom of my mural in Manhattan, because of Instagram I was able to see how people interacted with it. Not only did I get to read countless emotional responses to my work, but I got to see that someone took it upon themselves to place a skull on the top of the fence that the piece was attached to.
What are your goals and aspirations as an artist?
I want to continue moving in the direction of more community oriented work and leave my ego behind.
Follow Vanessa on Instagram at: va.nessapowers
Website: www.vanessapowersstudio.com