Interview with Petra Stefankova
Petra Štefanková studied graphic design and film and TV graphics in Bratislava and Prague, and she took a short course at Central Saint Martin's, University of the Arts London. She has worked on advertising, editorial, animation and publishing projects for the University of Udine in Italy, Lynda.com, Microsoft Games Studios, Orange, The Guardian, The Economist, Popular Mechanics, Dialogue Review and Future Music. She collaborated with VooDooDog Animation in London on the animated title sequence for the Hollywood film Nanny McPhee 2. She is an author, designer and illustrator of books Moje malé more, Don't take my dreams from me, Čmáranica a Machuľa. Petra Štefanková is a winner of many awards, such as Channel4's 4Talent Award 2007, Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic Award 2019, the Artist of the Future Award 2020, she is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London. Her works have been published in many publications and exhibited all around the world.
How would you describe yourself and your artwork?
I am a versatile artist, illustrator, graphic designer and director of animated shorts. I produced a number of acrylic paintings, editorial and book illustrations, commercial graphics, short films and music videos. My artwork is usually highly stylized, but I use different techniques to achieve the specific needs of a project, so it depends on where the images are applied in the end. It could be done in traditional acrylics, iPad Pro digital painting or simple vector art.
How do you go about beginning a new piece? Do you have an idea already in mind, or do you start working with materials or sketches to find the departure point?
At the beginning of my artistic path, there was automatic drawing arising from unconsciousness. Although it was a structurally abstract drawing, it always depicted also concrete elements – highly stylized human faces and emotional expressions. These artworks represent emotional living inside of the personality with a reflection of external events and their impact on the unconsciousness. When we talk about automatic drawing the emotional state of the author does not matter, because the artwork represents any psychic status.
On the other hand, I need to reason out my figurative pictures in a state of calm creative concentration. These creations are based on meaningful and conscious planning of the actual visual elements into complex patterns. This time, it takes longer to put my hand on paper and depict initial ideas in sketches. The artworks arise in my head and I have to see them in front of me as if they were already finished before the idea is initially traced.
In the end, I have a tendency to combine these two approaches. Automatic drawing inside of my figurative painting has a decorative character, but it is also an expressive authorial print and signature.
When do you think your most prolific time of day or week is?
It really depends on my current mood, sometimes I am most creative in the morning, but I often work in the evening too.
What is a barrier you as an artist overcame? Is there anything that enabled you to develop your work as an artist in your life?
I had moments when I experienced a creative block, which I had to overcome. I also tested many artistic techniques and experimented with different aesthetics, so I was able to reach the point where I am at today stylistically.
Did you have an idea of what you wanted to create right from the beginning?
This is a truly creative process. Sometimes I need to do my research first – for example when creating illustrations for magazines or books, which need to be a fit to a certain topic such as economy, finance, music and so on. I switch between the styles too and this is based on the project objectives.
What is the meaning or creative inspiration for your work? We’re curious what the narrative or story is to what you are producing?
As for my acrylic fine art, I usually paint the world of women through my own optics of life and travel experiences. This woman is not only a separate personality in the cycle of life, but she is seen together with her male partner. The woman has a sensitive relationship with the world of animals and she appears in a symphony with nature. In society, she can wear a mask when she hides and does not share her pain. She moves in her world with the easiness of the butterfly wings. This woman is able to talk tales and stories, that are original, although the usual and traditional symbols exist there, her way of expression is unusual and new. I reflect on the past, the present and the future.
Besides your artworks, are there any other things in life that your voice as an artist may consider vital or valuable? What makes you joyful and creative, in other words?
I love reading books so much, especially in their original English language. I love books for teenagers and collect illustrated children's books from time to time. I visit exhibitions of other artists and I also travel abroad a lot.
Are there any exhibitions or places where people can see these beautiful creations in person soon? Anything on the horizon?
At the moment I have two artworks in two group exhibitions in Slovakia and Austria and I am planning a small solo show in Slovakia in 2022. I believe there will be two books published in Belgium and the USA that include my works as well.
