Interview
Saskia Thurner
Saskia loves painting and drawing! From an early age, she was able to attend courses with local artists and take part in art courses on different techniques. During her school days, art was her favorite subject; because then she felt understood. When she was in her mid-twenties, she was enrolled at the “Learning Tree Fine Arts Center” in Buffalo, N.Y. in the USA to learn the “craft” of oil painting in detail. After her return to Germany, she was able to inspire young people in her studio to paint and draw for around 15 years at her painting school "ART4kids." At the same time, Saskia took part in various exhibitions in Germany and the USA. She also received some awards in the USA. Due to circumstances, she has no longer been able to use a brush herself in recent years. Life is complex. Since her cancer diagnosis, she has slowly been finding her way back to herself and, fortunately, rediscovering her love and passion for painting. Life is far too short and far too beautiful to postpone things until tomorrow or later! Painting makes life and the world seem much simpler, more beautiful and more perfect.
Since her illness, Saskia has been painting every day again. At the end of December 2023, a painting of hers was presented in the musical concert by Mr. Margin Alexander “The Musical Easel” in New York. That was her signal. She wanted to present her art to a large audience and give people a lot of joy. Saskia’s current motifs are people of all facets, young and old and in all life situations. She loves observing people: their behavior and how they interact and act with one another. She then tries to capture her impressions on the canvas. What is very important to Saskia, is the interaction, the dynamic interaction in social relationships. She tries to express emotions and a certain intimacy through posture, facial expressions and gestures. We humans are social creatures who want to express ourselves and communicate. Above all, we want to interact with our environment and communicate our innermost being with others. For this, we need our interpersonal communication. With her paintings, she wants to accompany the viewer in their imagination and her aim is that when you constantly look at her paintings you can let your imagination run wild, put yourself in the paintings and be able to almost hear the thoughts or conversations of her characters. Her figures and oil paintings shine through their color intensity, they are touching and individual. In the swirling artistic landscape, Saskia works with absolute passion and dedication and create her art. During this time, she is always very close to herself - it is her own, ideal world.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“Already in my childhood, I attended courses with local artists and learned different painting techniques. During my school days, art was my favorite subject; because then I felt understood. The immersion in a different world of one's own remains to this day. As a young adult, I enrolled at the Learning Tree Fine Arts Center in Buffalo, N.Y. in the USA to learn oil painting from scratch and to develop my own style. I took part in exhibitions in the USA and even received a few awards. After my return to Germany, I founded my art school "ART4kids" to inspire young people in my studio to paint and draw. After fifteen years of art school, the complexity of life demanded all my strength - and there was no time left for painting. A cancer diagnosis and two fates later, I find myself and painting again. It's like a rediscovery of my great love and passion for painting. As soon as I smell my paints and sit at the easel next to the canvas, the motifs begin to communicate with me as they are created. Here, I immerse myself completely in my own world. I paint almost every day.”
What inspires you?
“I am inspired by everything that touches me emotionally. My own feelings and emotions often serve as creative inspiration. I often express my mood in colors. Nature in all its beauty, people in all their facets. The music - the sounds and moods of the music can trigger strong visual impulses for me. New places when traveling, different cultures and impressions. Above all, people inspire me. The imperfect. The pursuit of happiness. The challenge of being happy with yourself.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“My current motifs are people of all facets: young, old and in many life situations. I love observing people: their behavior and how they interact and act with one another. I bring these impressions and impressions onto the screen. In doing so, I capture the interaction, the dynamic cooperation in social relationships. By depicting posture, facial expressions and gestures, I try to make emotions recognizable and show the intimacy of the moment. People are social creatures who want to express themselves and communicate. Above all, they want to interact with their environment. Feelings are communicated. In my paintings I often pick up on the feelings that are overlooked – or even laughed at – in everyday life. It is a wonderful freedom and also a great happiness to show people how they feel. Free from inhibitions and without shame. Moments in which you don’t allow yourself to be reduced to the aesthetics judged by other people.”
“By depicting posture, facial expressions and gestures, I try to make emotions recognizable and show the intimacy of the moment.”
How would you describe your work?
“My oil paintings give viewers a projection surface for their own imagination. My aim is that when I continually look at the paintings, episodes of my own or desired experiences come to life and the figures begin to “speak.” My figures speak through their color intensity. They touch you through the captured, maximally individual moment. Unimpressed by trends and the noise in the art scene, I work with absolute passion and dedication - and set an example with my works: nature and humanity.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Norman Rockwell impressed me from an early age. Because of my stay in the USA during my childhood, I was able to visit the museum and its large exhibition in Stockbridge Massachusetts several times. Frida Khalo has always impressed me very much. All of her paintings report on her own life. About her loved ones but also about their difficulties and fears. This is also what makes Kahlo so unique. And very early in my youth I also bought and devoured books about artists such as Monet, Manet, Renoir, etc., which were classified as impressionism.”
What is your creative process like?
“Most of the time, I choose a motif that inspires me. I often work with different templates. First I prepare my canvas with a wash. The motif is then drawn with a light pencil. As a rule, I usually work according to the same pattern: always from back to front, from bottom to top and from dark to light. I often lose track of time while painting, so it often happens that I get into a flow that my characters begin to communicate with me as they are created.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The role of the artist in society is complex and can vary depending on the cultural context, historical time period and individual perspective. Artists are often tasked with reflecting the values, norms and aesthetics of a society. Artists can act as critics by highlighting social injustices, questioning norms and stimulating discussion. Artists can help shape a society's collective identity by telling stories that represent history and cultural heritage. Art contributes to the aesthetic experience and can enrich people's lives. Artists create works that can convey joy, beauty and inspiration. Artists often have the freedom to push boundaries and explore new forms of expression. This can help move society forward by introducing innovative ideas and perspectives. However, the perception of the artist's role in society can vary greatly. Some see artists as agents of change and critical voices, while others may limit their role to purely aesthetic or entertainment aspects. Overall, art can be a powerful force for social change, self-reflection and cultural development.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I have been involved in numerous group exhibitions across Germany and the US. Lately, one of my paintings was presented in concert by New York pianist Mr. Margin Alexander in New York City in Decembre 2023. There will be a few more group exhibitions this year in Germany. In May 2024, I have a group exhibition in Hamburg at Nissis Kunstkantine. I will be featured in the Experimenta magazine: March 2024 issue. I will be artist of the month. The complete edition is designed with my paintings.”
