Q + A with Alecia Koenigsberger
How do you express nature in your art, given your love for it? What parts of nature do you like to paint the most?
Nature is a huge part of my work; my subject is generally based around flowers and foliage. I find the colours that nature gives very appealing, generally I don't paint brighter colours loving the freshness of greens and whites.
Light and the way it reflects and causes shadows is another key element of nature. The reflection of light on glass vases, the way it can be dramatically dark on one side and then subdued and soft on the other, and also bringing light and colour to a glazed terracotta vase.
The bird song and the gardens fragrance are also part of my personal love.
How do you organise your artworks visually, especially in terms of colour or size? Do you have any special techniques for making them look harmonious?
In terms of size I love the idea of my smaller floral art works finding a home in a quiet nook, or being part of a busy wall with others.
The larger scale of paintings that are in Stems and Seats are a first for me.
Regardless of size my paintings will always be recognised by colour. As a story it is the sage blues that tie the works together. It’s a colour but for me it’s still very neutral, this is the harmony that connects them.
How do you balance realism and abstract elements in your art? Do you prefer to show things as they are or leave room for interpretation?
I find the more I paint the more realistic I’m getting. My paintings are very much subject based. I adore scratching back into the wet paint to add layers from beneath, I also draw into the wet paint to make suggestions but will often leave them as a line. I do love these lines.
In retrospect my work has become more detailed. I want the shadows and the reflection lines to tell the story, to place the picture.
Do your cultural experiences from Zimbabwe and New Zealand influence what you paint? How do you mix your personal history with your art?
My childhood played a huge part in my creative life. I was always making or building or creating. The painting school in Zimbabwe was probably the first time I actually became structured with my creativity. Without realising at such a young age that creativity adheres to no process, when it’s working it’s working.
Living in New Zealand fills me with such a strong connection to the outdoors. My studio, all be it in the garage, is surrounded by bird song and garden. Daily I’m seeing the changing seasons in my garden and in the air. It fills my cup.
As far as my history and now, the biggest thing I’ve learnt is that everything, including my life as a full-time artist, has its time. I’ve arrived at this wonderful place in my life because now is the time, for me.
Your exhibition in April 2023 was successful. Can you talk about the ideas you explored in it, especially in relation to your current series, "STEMS & SEATS"?
In April 2023 I had my first solo Exhibition at Thistle Hall on Cuba Street, Wellington. I had been painting full time for roughly 6 months prior to this. Looking back, it was a time of exploration. There were a couple of different themes that just seemed to appear through the months of preparation, leading to a total of 65. Floral paintings were part of this collection.
They were different sizes however they had the colour connection and that brought them together as an exciting body of work. It was a self-manned exhibition, I had the most amazing support from family friends and strangers, all but 8 of the paintings found homes. This definitely was my launching pad. It was the confirmation that hours of labouring over the love of my painting was going to be my place in this world.
