Meet Arietta Chandris | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Arietta Chandris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Arietta, how do you think about risk?
I think that the word ‘risk’ often has negative connotations because people tend to imagine really drastic and often careless or impulsive action, but I think of it like this: taking a risk is just getting out of your comfort zone and sometimes that’s doing a really big thing but most of the time it’s just doing a bunch of small little things that help you grow as a person.

Making art in a world that values routine and stability is often considered risky; I’ve lost count of the number of people that questioned how I planned to make a living through painting upon them asking me what I wanted to do when I grew up and me answering “I’m going to be a painter!”

Making art in practice is also all about taking risks. There’s always questions like: what if my idea doesn’t translate onto canvas like I imagined it? What if my work doesn’t sell? What if I buy all these expensive materials and hate using them? The list goes on.

But in my opinion, art is essential (to me and, I like to believe, the world) and without taking risks there’s no way to progress.

I’m always more terrified of the idea that I might look back one day and regret not doing something, so I usually prefer taking a risk and if it doesn’t go quite as planned, well, I learnt a lesson and grew in the process.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a self-taught painter working primarily with oils. Through my paintings and artwork in general I am interested in exploring interpersonal relationships, as well as the relationships between humanity and the natural world: how we influence nature and places and how they influence us. I studied anthropology in university, during which time I became particularly interested in semiotics and the anthropology surrounding the cultural construction of landscapes, both of which influence my work today. Although I mostly describe myself as a painter, I love learning different techniques and figuring out how to use them in my painting practice. In fact, my paintings result from quite a mixed media approach: I draw, write, research, take my own reference photos, use collage and sometimes printmaking into creating my final pieces.

I hope through my work to invite the viewer into a mesmerising image cosmos of visual storytelling full of symbolism, and I hope to do that in an open enough way that encourages the viewer to project their own feelings and stories onto my paintings.

I have to admit that in thinking about what I’m most proud of it has to be all the work I’ve done so far, the publications and shows I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of. In thinking about what I’m most excited about it’s to see how I grow as an artist and to find out where my art will take me. I’m excited to travel for inspiration, to have my work displayed in more places in the future and to receive the opportunity to work on more commissions, as those are so very special and it’s really an honour to be trusted like that. I’d also love to find a way to give back in some way, maybe through teaching or setting up an art retreat/residency one day.

Getting to where I am today has been the result of hard work and the support of those close to me. Working as an artist can be quite a solitary process, so I have to rely on myself to show up, stay motivated and do the work each day, which can be challenging. The way I’ve managed to overcome this as a challenge is to stay consistent and to redefine what consistency means for me. I used to think that consistency is all about showing up every day all day, but for me it’s more about showing up every day whether it’s for 15 minutes or for 12 hours.

The most important lesson I’ve learnt along the way so far is to keep working, even if I don’t really feel like it because inspiration and creativity come from action. Also, that it’s okay to take breaks if I need time to rest and recharge.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I recently moved out of living in central London on a full time basis in favour for the countryside, so I’d plan a week where we spend some days in both settings. Our few days in London would busy and fast paced to include visits to museums such as the V&A, the RA, Tate Modern, Tate Britain or the National Gallery. We would explore areas such as Notting Hill, Mayfair or Shoreditch for good food and galleries, and if in the evening a musician or DJ we like is playing somewhere, we would go to that.
Our few days in the countryside would be all about enjoying nature, exploring walking trails and of course a visit to a pub or two.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my partner, who every day for 10 years has listened to my ideas and has encouraged me to pursue my passion.

I would also like to recognise my parents. My mum’s love of art meant that I was surrounded by it growing up and that helped lay the foundations for my own love of art. My dad who, by his own account doesn’t know much about art, listens with interest as I go on tangents explaining techniques to him.

Website: https://www.ariettachandris.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariettachandris/

Other: info@ariettachandris.com (email)

Image Credits
SJC Photography Helena Pliotis Photography