Interview
Ren Feliz-Durishin
Ren began painting at the age of 15 but she did not begin using acrylics until she was 37; when she was self-taught and dabbled in more oils. She was drawn to art, inspired by classically trained famous artists like Marie Cassatt, Monet, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Edvard Münch, and Georgia O’Keefe, to name a few. When COVID-19 struck the world in a pandemic, she found acrylic pouring, and it was a very much needed balm to her soul. Since then, she hasn’t stopped and she’s happy to say it continues to make her joyful every single time she begins the process.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“Well, my academic background is in psychology and my general career has been finance analysis; I’ve always had an artistic bent. From acting to singing to painting, there was never enough I could get my hands on to satisfy that crunch. I’ve been doing fits in spurts of artistic creation, since probably the age of seven. This most recent bout began in 2016 when I decided to formulate a cabaret show to highlight high profile issues that are greatly effect cities and suburbs across the nation.”
What inspires you?
“Nature, astronomy and astrophysics, sacred geometry, macro photography, and microbiology really interest me and inspire a lot of my works.”
“My art expresses the balance of beauty and chaos; art and science.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“My art expresses the balance of beauty and chaos; art and science. There’s no real dividing line. It’s completely blended and there for you, the viewer, to take in and contemplate.”
How would you describe your work?
“I would describe my work, is a balance between chaos and constraint; innovation, and yet conventional understanding of colors on the color wheel… it’s a study in contrasts. How movement color and science around all of us in this life that we live experience a little bit of controlled chaos day to day. And that’s beautiful and exciting.”
Which artists influence you most?
“I’ve always drawn to in some depth classically trained famous artists like Marie Cassatt, Monet, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Edvard Münch, and Georgia O’Keefe, to name a few. The Expressionist and Impressionist movements really grabbed me. The Surrealist movement too in the way we saw further into how our minds can imperfectly perceive our world.”
What is your creative process like?
“Well, it’s very messy. I can tell you that, but truly I prepare my space like everybody else trying to be organized setting up and then I begin to prepare the area for pouring paint and the resulting splatter that will occur. I also put on music to whatever I’m feeling like and that gives me a good sort of beat and rhythm to move to.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“An artist’s role in society has always been to inspire and provoke change in many different ways on many spectrums. I think it’s evolving, and that the youth continue to propel themselves forward in innovation and catching trends that make art available to (speak to) everyone in this digital world.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I have a long standing exhibition as part of my membership with The Gateway Gallery in Round Hill, VA. I’m currently a resident artisan vendor at Berryville Treasures in Berryville, VA. I’m participating in the Loudoun County Pride Month Art Exhibit being held in the Art Gallery One at the Loudoun Government Center. Also, I’ve been accepted to WINGS 2023 exhibit from July-end of August with Gallerium.org.”
Website: agalaxyofhappyart.com
Instagram: @agalaxyofhappyart
