Written by Anna Itkonen
~
Indie Draken is predominantly an abstract artist. Her layered canvasses tell stories of landscapes through her thoughts and feelings.
“I paint instinctively. That is how I choose to paint,” Indie described. “At times, the inspiration for a particular painting is obvious to see, and at other times is more of a reference or emotion.”
Indie paints the landscapes she sees and experiences. Her paintings start as a reference photo, a memory or an element that stood out. Photographing everyday life and its colours is an endless source of inspiration for her.
“I go to family walks and take photos of anything that inspires me. I will mix and match the photos and focus on the thoughts and feelings the photos evoke in me. Anything can inspire me, but most often, it happens to be landscapes.”
All The Things | 51 x 61cm, Synthetic polymer on canvas
Indie works with oil painting, photography and sculpture. While Indie’s art is fluid between her chosen mediums, oil painting offers the most to her artistic expression. Colour, then again, plays a pivotal role in her creative language. It can represent a segment of the landscape or perhaps a feeling at the time, and she often focuses on colour rather than creating a picture.
“I really like colour theory and colour mixing. I find it relaxing. I love the depth of oil and the expression it allows in my work,” Indie said. “Colour has always stood out for me in art as well as in everyday life.”
Refresh | 76 x 76cm, Synthetic polymer on canvas
“I like to play with the elements in my art to bring a piece together. I sometimes combine photography with painting, at times even sculpture. I tend to break the image down into segments. Some of my paintings are more obvious, in which case I break down the photograph; into sections of shades, light and colour. I sketch it out, do colour mixing, and once I have a basic idea of what I want to do, I put it on a canvas.”
Tell Me More | 76 x 102cm, Synthetic polymer on linen
Indie wants the viewer to create their own story. While her art is from her personal photographs and memories, it is also an invitation for the viewer to connect with their memories, create a connection to a place or let a colour bring out emotions and feelings in them.
Dusk | 127 x 127cm, Synthetic polymer on canvas
“I have been painting my whole life. My dad was an artist and became an architect. I definitely get my love of art and geometry from him. My geometric abstraction came from his hand-drawn, huge, precise plans.”
Echo | 76 x 102cm, Synthetic polymer on linen
