Interview with Lone Bech
When people ask me how long did it take you to make this painting I use to answer that it took me a lifetime because I started late in life to paint my response to the world around me; the people who inspire me and the elements of life that touch me.
I work with charcoal, acrylic, watercolor, cold wax, oil and encaustic, the latter being a very exciting material. It is the earliest known form of paint. It was first used by the Greeks over 2,000 years ago. Encaustic paint is beeswax and pigments mixed with a little damar resin. The damar raises the melting point of the beeswax, hardens it and gives the paint its unique optical depth to my portraitures.
Having lived and worked in various countries before settling in Germany, can you share how these diverse cultural experiences have shaped your artistic style and perspective?
From early on my focus lay on people. I was very much interested in getting to know people of various nationalities, their languages and cultures. I choose a carrier as an international banker, which gave me the opportunity to live in foreign countries and meet people in daily life.
My interest for art came through fascination for modern architecture; Le Corbusier “La dame blanche”, Frank Lloyd Wright “Guggenheim Museum, NY”… and the Danish sleek lines furniture called “Danish Design”; Poul Henningen “PH 5 Pendant Lamp” and “foldable theatre chairs”.
I had the good luck to spend 10 years in the wonderful interior of American Express Bank A/S in the centre of Copenhagen. It was created by the famous Danish architect Arne Jacobsen. Students came to admire it from all over the world. It was a true pleasure und inspiration to be there among Jacobsen’s clear shapes, lines and colours. On top of that Jacobsen had chosen a ceramic relief by the Japanese artist Yasse Tabuchi and a goblin by a Danish artist, which matched perfectly the style of Arne Jacobsen. This experience had a long-lasting effect on me and can surely be recognized in my paintings.
Apart from that I was taken in by Bauhaus style and modern abstract paintings like those by Wassily Kandinsky and the Swedish artist Hilma af Klint and I thought that I myself would make abstract paintings but I was soon drawn to make portraits, which was only natural taken into consideration my interest in people. The fact, that I am a clairvoyant was determined as I was 57 years old and it let me to establish a consulting company in which I advised people and companies by means of clairvoyance, which of course brought me even closer to human beings and their conditions.
You began your formal art studies later in life, starting in 2012. What motivated you to pursue art education at that stage, and how did your experiences at Barbaratorium and other institutions contribute to your development as an artist?
As often in my life it all started for practical reasons; in order to have a book published I needed 10 illustrations, which I decided to try to do myself.
So my first step was to turn to Barbaratorium in Copenhagen where Barbara Wilson taught me in a very progressive way how to draw with charcoal, which not only let to the publication but also let me to experience an intense joy of learning to draw and paint. Next important step was to turn to the Akademie der bildenden Künste, Kolbermoor in Germany where I had the good luck to find gifted, inspiring teachers like the German painter Felix Eckardt who invited me into a group of advanced painters and the Irish expert in encaustic portraiture, Lora Murphy. They gave me a flying start. In 2014 I spotted the brilliant Irish artist and teacher Aine Divine from Scotland in Sky Arts Artist of the Year TV series with whom I have the great pleasure to take lessons on-line.
Your first solo exhibition in Germany in 2020 was a significant milestone. Can you describe the emotions and challenges you faced during the preparation and execution of this exhibition?
With the help of my friends and the gallery owner it was easy and joyful to establish the show. The marketing part, however, required a lot of time and energy. The best part was of course to witness the reactions from the visitors.
Being an award-winning artist and affiliate of Circle Foundation Arts, what does international recognition mean to you, and how has it impacted your career and artistic process?
Generally, I am very quick at spotting quality but for works done by myself I am more sceptical so it is of course nice to receive recognition from outside and it helps to boost my reputation and visibility resulting in more invitations from galleries, etc.
Where do you draw inspiration from for your artwork? Are there any specific artists, movements, or experiences that have been particularly influential?
From early on I was attracted to abstract paintings. But very soon I was drawn to make portraits mainly of people who are of great inspiration to me, like the German poet Hilde Domin, Irish writer Samuel Beckett and French writer Marguerite Duras, poet Ingeborg Bachmann, pianist Martha Argerich and pianist Lang Lang, actor Niels Arestrup, actress Petra Kopf, composer Astor Piazzolla, ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev and many more.
Receiving the International Prize Leonardo Da Vinci in 2022 is a remarkable achievement. Can you tell us about the work that led to this award and what this recognition means to you personally and professionally?
I have taken part in several international art contests with success. The Da Vinci prize was offered to me with the explanation;
“The prize is for the artists that are worth for their artistic merit”.
The recognition, however, of my art, detailed stated in the reviews of my solo exhibition in Manhattan, New York also in 2022, were of greater importance and encouragement to me. The reviews can be found here; https://lonebechart.blogspot.com/p/referenzen-views-press.html
Looking forward, what are your aspirations for the future? Are there any specific projects, exhibitions, or collaborations you are particularly excited about?
I am excited about just to paint and paint and paint for the sake of creating art.
Lone Bech, Jan. 2024
