Beyond the Canvas

An interview/Article composed by Haryash (Year 9) and Katherine (Year 7)

Art is a global language; a platform to express our emotions, experiences and values. It is a window through which we can glimpse an artist’s imagination, while feeding our own. In our generation there are many up and coming young artists emerging from their own worlds, inspired to express themselves and to share their vision through art. 

Marni (Year 11) is a newly risen artist who has embraced her artistic talents and leveraged them to achieve a scholarship, and today we celebrate her. We sit down with Marni to discuss her journey and what inspired her to become what she is today.

Haryash:How did you get into art/ what inspired you to?

Marni: My mum has always been a very creative person so from a young age she encouraged me to explore all areas of art. She made it a priority to introduce me to various outlets of creativity and it was through her guidance that I discovered my love for art. I am thankful that she pushed for a household that nourished creative freedom if it wasn't for that I wouldn't have had the opportunities that I was provided with at such a young age that have helped me evolve into the artist I am today.

Haryash: What did it feel like when you did your first artwork?

Marni: For as long as I can remember I have been making art. As a kid there were many attempts of animals or people that often ended up with twice as many legs or no neck, which at the time I thought was completely normal. But despite this my mum held onto a lot of my drawings, appreciating the carefree creativity that accompanies the youthful mind. But in particular I enjoyed drawing horses, because as a kid they were my favourite animal. These drawings ended up everywhere including the hardwood of mum's desk, which I later came back to so I could add hair and more legs. But even back then I can remember looking at my work and trying to figure out why they looked nothing like what I imagined in my head.

Haryash:Who inspired you to create?

Marni:Again my mum was a great form of inspiration as well as my eldest sister who was also a very creative person, I often found myself quietly comparing my works with theirs which in a way was motivation for me to push myself as an artist, so that I would one day get to that point where what I pictured in my head would end up on the page. There were also other artists that I have studied throughout my life, and I find myself in awe at their sheer talent, and when I realised that people are capable of creating artworks of this calibre, and I have had the chance to study each artist in depth, and witness artworks firsthand. I feel as though this gave me an understanding of creativity that altered the way I see many things.

Haryash:What gives you motivation to make an artwork?

Marni:The support from my family was a great motivation but it was also seeing the artwork that other people created that made me think, I want to create something like that too. I remember one specific time where I was online and I saw a video of someone's turtle painting, so I got out my pencils and started drawing turtles, whales, jellyfish, anything in the ocean you could think of, and it's small things like this that motivate me to draw. On other days I just get that itch to make something, and my friends can recall times where I've asked them, name me an animal and I'll draw it for you. They often received a finished piece days later. Although all these things contribute to my motivation of artmaking, it is still something that I will do only when I'm in that mindset, because unfortunately there are times when the business of my life becomes overwhelming and my art begins to fall lower and lower on my To-Do List. But still I try to find time in my day to give to my artmaking.

Haryash:What makes creating so fun to you?

Marni: I find creating anything just makes me feel happy, I love exploring new techniques and mediums, but l have in the past put pressure on myself to make every work perfect, and what I'm learning is that not every piece needs to be a masterpiece, you learn from your mistakes and grow as an artist, and before I realised that I would stress so much about my artmaking, but now I can overcome that learn from the mistake and try to be better in my next attempt. Apart from painting and drawing, I also enjoy textile pieces, as well as general craft, and I get so excited when my mum buys new pretty-collage paper or I find something pretty that I can incorporate into my works, and I always love seeing the new projects my mum and sister are working on.

Haryash: What style does your artwork fall under?

Marni: Although I excel in drawing and painting I have tried a variety of mediums, spanning from ceramics, felting, to lino print, and I enjoyed every single one, I have noticed that personally I do possess a distinctive style very textured and detailed, almost unfinished, but I can appreciate that I maintain my style of creativity. I do enjoy trying new things, to find the limits of my abilities, and also work to erase them. But predominantly my work falls into the category of pencil and paint, but I am always eager to explore and uncover new skills.

Unfortunately, true artists are becoming rarer by the day. Marni is one of the many who steps into the spotlight to inspire other young artists to continue their journey and not give up.

In this interview we saw a glimpse of not just her art, but her world and her journey. 

In this world- where the line between what’s real and what’s fake- artists remind us of true creativity and evoke our deeper emotions. As we close our article we are left with the deeper understanding of the wonder that is art, and the stories left waiting to be told on someone’s canvas. 

To see a showcase of Marni’s artistic talent click the image below!