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I could never paint only with black ink on stark white paper, though I absolutely admire artists who do so. There is something so pure, so fundamentally abstract in their work that should allow me to focus only on the gesture and on the rhythm. And yet, even though I recently started experimenting with Sepia ink, I always reach out to Ultramarine or Scarlet inks to complement it.

I have been reading a lot about colors recently and what drives individual preferences for certain hues. Some say that those preferences are linked to an object or an item from our childhood that has positive memories. And that over the years, we associate that particular color with positive connotations, and we are therefore seeking to surround ourselves with it. I am trying my best to remember a fabulous red balloon or red dancing shoes, but nothing comes to mind. For my favorite color is red indeed, its strength and its sensuality are guiding principles in my life as an artist and may I say, as a woman. Second favorite is purple, which is interestingly a secondary color coming from red. The combination of the two on an artwork is the ultimate joy as a creator.

Red is a very polarizing color. I read once that red is the favorite color of preschoolers but that this changes as we mature. That most people grow uncomfortable with what red also conveys. Wrath, evil, blood. Life and death all in one. It would be much safer to switch to blue, its ocean of harmony and reliability, right? I fully understand, blue is a fabulous color as well. It would lead to such mature and professional paintings and I have tried working with mostly (if not only) with shades of blue a few years back. But nothing beats adding a touch of crimson to your indigo. I guess the mischievous little girl is still there, deep inside. A little girl who will always seek intensity and excitement.

This month, my inner child is very excited that 3 of my artworks are presented in the group show, SECRET SPACES, from June 16^th to July 7^th, 2023, in Venice, Italy. This is always such an absolute thrill to exhibit. It feels completely unreal until you see the artworks up on the wall for yourself. One artwork, called My Soul is a Garden, is mostly blues, turquoise and yellow. And yet, if you pay close attention, the focal point is a tiny stroke of poppy red. I just could not resist. And it instantly made me feel strong and happy as an artist and I hope the viewers will also feel the same.