Urve Tõnnus
Biography
Urve Tõnnus is an artist and graphic designer from Estonia. During the last 10 years, she has focused on collage painting to fulfill a dream from her youth. Urve Tõnnus has participated in exhibitions in Tallinn, Helsinki, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Zürich, and London. Maybe the most important of them have been the Armory Art Week (New York), Parallax Art Fair (London), Swissartexpo (Zürich), and Art Basel Art Week (Miami), Artexpo (New York). Prizes: International Prize Raffaello & Canova, International Prize David Michelangelo, International Prize Ambassador of Art 2021, selected to the book “The Best Modern and Contemporary Artists 2021”.
Artist Statement
"I create archetypes of women who have been outstanding in history or who have influenced the world.”
Urve Tõnnus emphasizes that feminine love and consideration is a quite special power that can also beat a very aggressive antagonist. "Our history consists of men’s brutal wars, acts, and performances, but women’s performances have been quite hidden. First, we should understand ourselves. We should be brave. We should awake our internal powers, beauty, and erudition, to bring back peace and harmony to the world. We should not hurt nature. We have to respect and love our planet Earth.
Some of my paintings are inspired by places where I have had the luck to be. These places are distinctive archetypes that may be destroyed if we continue in the same way as up to now.
For me, art is a form of being. I believe that consciousness is a source of being. We live with a common consciousness and learn every day how to stay in touch with it."
What first prompted you to think of becoming an artist?
Human abilities are divided between the humanities and the natural sciences. Already in childhood, I liked to draw and to poetize-versify. I was successful in art hobby school and art school. So it was logical to choose a creative activity as my profession. I have worked for 40 years as a graphic designer. I am a member of the Estonian Association of Designers (EAD). Ten years ago, I had the opportunity to dedicate myself more to painting, and I'm happy about that.
What kind of an artist do you ultimately see yourself?
I think that I'm not bound-related to any art style. I try to join my knowledge about graphic design with painting. I will continue my investigation of archetypes because visual communication is also based on symbols.
What are you hoping to communicate to the viewer through your work?
First and foremost, I want to evoke positive emotions and the joy of discovery.
Can you explain the process of creating your work?
It all starts with an idea. Forward from there, the technique must be chosen. Or the resources. For historical persons who I think deserve to be portrayed, I do a background check and find suitable image material. Photography is invented already years ago, so I do not start with the painting of those persons, but try to find a concept, through which I can create a new work of art using photos. I am interested in connections and symbols and the modern approach. Sometimes I use Photoshop and several materials to bring out the idea.
What is your favorite part of the creative process?
In the creative process, the marvelous part is when the concept is ready and I can take up the painting process. At first, I let my paintbrush fly without restraint, being fascinated like in trance. The hardest part is the finishing of works.
Can you give us an insight into current projects and inspiration, or what we can look forward to from you in the near future?
At present, I keep painting, inspired by several European institutions, who have acknowledged me with their prizes. At the so-called corona-time, it is very important for me, to find motivation and continue to act. I paint with the joy of self-realization, and prizes are a bonus. I have a dream to exhibit in Venice during the carnival. I already got an invitation, but because of the corona, it was not possible. My second dream is to perform with my personal exhibition in New York, but I have no more specific agreements yet.
Website https://www.urvetonnusart.eu/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/urvetonnusart/
Cleopatra Collage 30x40cm
Fauna Collage 37x46cm
Greta Garbo Collage 40x53cm
Let There Be Light Collage 32x43cm
Madonna 59x89cm Mixed media
Queen Victoria Collage 32x45cm
