Interview with Valerie Page
O-A: What is art to you? Is creating an urge, necessity or maybe an incontournable, essential way of life?
Valerie Page: Art is essential in my life. I think it’s something you get at birth. An understanding of what is necessary for life. Laying my emotions on the canvas and sharing with others the love of art is my priority. It’s like receiving a message and giving it.
O-A: What wouldn’t you do without art? What did you discover, achieve with it?
Valerie Page: I can’t imagine that happening! Art has allowed me to know my emotions, to know how to manage them, to be free and in tune with myself. As soon as I immersed myself in abstract art I felt a liberation and all the limits to my artistic expression fell. Living without art is like holding your breath!
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O-A: If a person, artist or not, influenced you, what kind of question would you ask him/her?
Valerie Page: If I found myself in front of the artists I admire, I wouldn’t ask them any question, but I would thank them for having transmitted so many emotions to us!
O-A: Who or what inspired you artistically; a person, artist, event, experience…
Valerie Page: Since my early childhood I have travelled around Italy, seeing palaces and exhibitions of great Italian classical masters. On the other hand, artists such as Zao Wou-ki, William Turner, Vincent Van Gogh have inspired and guided me. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. I had my first artistic emotion in front of Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” at the National Gallery in London.
O-A: What is a vivid memory of a remark concerning your art that got stuck with you?
Valerie Page: “Why haven’t I seen you before?!”
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O-A: What was the most interesting statement you heard about your work?
Valerie Page: The reaction that touches me the most when someone looks at my work is the silence and the emotions that pass through the eyes of the person observing. Whatever they are, reactions are rich in lessons. Silence is the most beautiful compliment.
O-A: How do you search for inspiration and themes for your work?
My inspiration comes from the colours, I put my painting directly on the canvas, my hand slides, rubs and scrapes the colour and then the magic happens. I no longer think, I don’t think about what I want to do, my painting is intuitive. I don’t have a theme as such.
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O-A: How has your art changed over time? Why?
Valerie Page: Having studied classical techniques, I first did figurative work. Abstraction then blended with my characters. And then my painting switched to pure abstraction. I opened a door that poured out a thirst for creation necessary for my well-being.
O-A: What names do you give your artworks?
Valerie Page: The name I have given to several of my works and which represents my paintings the most is “Chaos”. This term may seem dark, but for me it is followed by hope.
O-A: What do you usually talk about with your collectors?
Valerie Page: I’m talking about what they see in my works. Each person has a different interpretation and I am always interested in hearing different feelings.
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Interview with Valerie Page; 17.10.2020