Interview with Rasty Stone
A painting containing a human face, clothing, a person, and a smile.
Born in 1964 in Endingen a/K, I began my artistic career in 1990 in the advertising and graphic design industry, gaining my first professional experience in design and drawing. After successfully completing my art studies, my love for art has accompanied me since the late 1990s.
Through various study trips within Germany, I further developed my skills through workshops, seminars, and art events with different artists. I draw inspiration for new motifs and techniques from my diverse international study trips to Denmark, Brazil, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, and Ukraine.
Rasty Stone is a tireless and steadfast contemporary artist who resists stylistic categorization. His works demonstrate a strong preference for a bold and vibrant palette, explaining that colors have a significant impact on human mood, something he continually aims for viewers to feel.
His visual language is powerful and multilayered. In addition to brushes, he uses a variety of tools to apply color, experimenting purposefully. His bare hands are also frequently involved. This way, Rasty positions the colors directly on the canvas, balancing them into place. His painting experiments are characterized by a combination of different techniques. Liberated from the guidelines of the past, Rasty’s paintings reveal his long-standing artistic goal: "controlled explosions of color and form."
Artistic Approach I follow my intuition and spontaneity, delving into my inner self and subconscious, where no judgments exist, where everything that comes forward can be shown and expressed.
I experience these moments as a deep and powerful connection with myself, as a sense of "being one with the entire cosmos."
This authentic self-expression, whose magic transmits to the viewer, allows them to slip into their own subconscious and connect with the dynamics of their inner world.
The extraordinary vibrancy of forms, structures, and colors creates magical worlds populated by unique creatures and figures.
Through often intense, emotional painting, subconscious mental structures are revealed, while their mystical forms are also expressed.
Painting is "more a consequence than an intention," with the artwork serving as a "residue of a ritualistic painting process."
INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITIONS
2024
Budapest, artBIAS 2
Paris (France), International Artist of Europe Award – Top Selection Paris
Police Department Linz (Austria)
Mercure Hotel, Wiesbaden
Galleria Antonio Battaglia, Milan (Italy)
2023
Miami (USA)
Contemporary Prague (Czech Republic)
ART Fair Oxford (UK)
São Paulo Gallery, Brazil
Art Exhibition Walldorf, Atelier Rasty Stone (Germany)
Kunst Mörfelden-Walldorf Exposition (Germany)
Mercure Hotel, Wiesbaden (Germany)
Police Department Linz (Austria)
2022
Hofener Mühle, Runkel-Hofen, organized by ARTMEA Gallery
Special Art Exhibition, Deutsche Gold AG, with Hans Kleser and ARTMEA, Eltville
Art Exhibition Walldorf, Atelier Rasty Stone
Copenhagen Art Fair (Denmark)
AAHRUS Art Fair (Denmark)
KIB Darmstadt (Germany)
Art Venezia - Venice
Art Bremerhaven (Germany)
ARTe Wiesbaden (Germany)
WORKS ART FAIR (Denmark)
NEW ART - DRESDEN (Germany)
2021
ARTS Atlantic, La Rochelle (France)
Konstanz Art Salon (Germany)
Kitzbühel Art Summer (Austria)
CAR Fair, Essen (Germany)
Copenhagen Art Fair (Denmark)
Krebsen Gallery, Copenhagen (Denmark)
ARTe Fair, Wiesbaden (Germany)
Slagelse Art Gallery (Denmark)
AAHRUS Art Fair (Denmark)
Puplicartists, Vienna
2020
Slagesle Art Gallery Exhibition (Denmark)
Copenhagen Art Fair (Denmark)
ARTe Fair, Wiesbaden (Germany)
Kunsthaus-23, Vienna / Benefit Exhibition (Austria)
Artworks, San Diego (USA)
Asty Art Association, Wiesbaden
Krebsen Gallery, Copenhagen (Denmark)
Art-Nordic, Copenhagen (Denmark)
ArtboxProject Barcelona 1.0 (Spain)
Mercure Hotel, Wiesbaden (Germany)
Wiesbaden Art Exhibition (Germany)
2019
Art Wiesbaden (Germany)
Arttime Udine (Italy)
ArtboxProject Miami 2.0 (USA)
Contemporary Prague (Czech Republic)
Arts Atlantic, La Rochelle (France)
2018
ARTraum MoSiMo Gallery, Rees (Germany)
Gallery Adles (Switzerland)
2017
International Art Fair, ART Fair Oxford (UK)
2016
Art Fair Oxford Town Hall (UK)
2015
Dan Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil (Brazil)
2014
Contemporary Prague (Czech Republic)
Rasty, you began your career in the advertising and graphic design industry before fully devoting yourself to art. How did your early experiences in advertising influence your artistic style and your current way of working?
In my time in advertising and graphic design, I primarily learned the importance of visual communication and conveying a message quickly and effectively. This skill, to create clear and impactful visual statements, has strongly influenced my art as well. Advertising often focuses on capturing attention and eliciting a reaction from the viewer, which is also a central element in my artistic work. The fast-paced, sometimes hectic nature of advertising led me to work spontaneously and intuitively. This has resulted in my fondness for spontaneous and dynamic techniques in my art, such as using various tools and working with my hands directly on the canvas. Additionally, the constant exposure to new trends and technologies in the graphic industry has nurtured my eagerness to experiment. I've learned to combine different materials and techniques and am always looking for new forms of expression. All of this has made my style multi-layered and innovative, which is reflected in the lively and powerful visual language of my artworks.
You have participated in various study trips and workshops in Germany and abroad, including in Denmark, Brazil, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, and Ukraine. Can you describe how these diverse cultural experiences have shaped your artistic techniques and the themes you explore in your work?
The many trips and cultural exchanges have significantly shaped my artistic development. In each country I visited, I encountered different forms of artistic expression and techniques that inspired and challenged me to expand and refine my own skills. In Denmark, I was impressed by the clear lines and light color palette of Scandinavian art, which encouraged me to incorporate more lightness and transparency in my works. Brazil, with its vibrant and energetic culture, led me to experiment with bolder colors and dynamic compositions to express emotion and movement more strongly. In Italy, I was deeply impressed by the historical roots in art, especially from the Renaissance. The use of light and shadow to create depth and realism inspired me to refine my techniques in oil painting. The precise and detailed art of Switzerland influenced me to develop greater accuracy and refinement in my work. The cultural influences of Russia and Ukraine, with their rich traditions in decorative and iconographic art, encouraged me to integrate symbolic and narrative elements into my art. These various perspectives and techniques I've encountered on my travels allow me to address universal themes and more layered messages in my works, helping me develop a personal artistic language that reflects my experiences and impressions while being accessible to an international audience.
Your artistic journey is marked by a refusal to commit to a single style, along with a preference for a vibrant and luminous color palette. Can you elaborate on the philosophy behind this choice and explain how you believe colors impact the viewer's emotional experience?
My philosophy behind using a vibrant and luminous color palette stems from a deep conviction that colors have a tremendous impact on emotions and mood. I choose bright colors because they can trigger an immediate, energetic reaction. These colors represent joy, energy, and passion, which I want to convey through my work. By using intense tones, I aim to encourage viewers to perceive inner feelings and emotional experiences. I believe that each color has its own language, which can communicate directly with the subconscious. Thus, vibrant colors serve as a kind of visual voice, expressing feelings like joy, hope, or even deep longing. Additionally, my decision not to limit myself to a single style gives me the freedom to constantly experiment and develop my techniques. This allows me to work spontaneously and express my artistic impulses directly and authentically. I consider my art as a controlled explosion of color and form, intended to emotionally touch viewers and offer them new perspectives.
You use a variety of tools and techniques to create your works, including your bare hands. Can you explain how this tactile approach influences the final outcome of your paintings and the "controlled explosion of color and form" you aim to achieve?
Using my hands to paint allows me to create a direct and intuitive connection with the canvas. This tactile approach fosters an immediate, raw interaction with the materials, allowing me to control the intensity and dynamics of colors more intensely. By manually moving and blending colors on the canvas, a vibrant, almost organic texture emerges, which is difficult to achieve with traditional tools like brushes. This physical and direct way of working is essential for achieving the "controlled explosion of color and form" that I strive for in my paintings. It enables me to respond spontaneously to the evolving image, allowing each composition to gain its own identity and emotionality. Colors break out of their usual boundaries, forming new, unexpected patterns and structures that challenge the viewer visually and emotionally. This enhances the psychological impact of my art and makes each work a unique experience.
The concept of a "controlled explosion of color and form" is central to your work. How do you balance spontaneity and control in your creative process to ensure that your vision is effectively conveyed through your art?
Balancing spontaneity and control is essential in my creative process to achieve the "controlled explosion of color and form" that defines my art. This balance begins with preparing materials and the canvas, laying the foundation for the freedom of spontaneous expression. Spontaneity manifests in the unforeseen movements and intuitive selection of colors and tools, giving each work its unique dynamism. Simultaneously, a certain level of control is necessary to ensure that the final composition reflects my vision. This control is achieved through deliberate decisions regarding composition, color balance, and intensity of forms, which must come together harmoniously. The challenge is to avoid overwhelming the spontaneous elements, but rather to use them intentionally to enhance the emotional and visual impact I aim for. Thus, each of my paintings results from an ongoing dialogue between spontaneous expression and critical reflection, making the original idea of a "controlled explosion" a reality. This process is not only a method for me but also a constant mental challenge and the lifeblood of my artistic practice.
You have participated in numerous international art exhibitions, including in Walldorf, Wiesbaden, Linz, and Runkel-Hofen. How have these exhibitions influenced your artistic development, and what feedback from this international audience do you find particularly valuable?
Participating in international art exhibitions has significantly shaped and enriched my artistic development. Each city and each audience brings different cultural backgrounds and perspectives that offer me new insights and inspiration. This diversity of impressions has helped me refine and further develop my own artistic expression. I find the direct feedback from visitors from various cultural backgrounds particularly valuable. Their different interpretations and emotional reactions to my works show me how art addresses universal themes, yet is also perceived individually. This exchange encourages me to continue being bold and innovative while maintaining a connection with my audience.
Given your extensive travels and engagement with different art forms and techniques, how do you decide which elements to incorporate into your own work? Do you follow a specific process to integrate these diverse influences?
On my travels, I constantly encounter new forms, techniques, and inspirations. Deciding which elements to incorporate into my work largely depends on my current emotional and psychological state. I'm often guided by the cultures and prevailing moods I experience during my travels. The process of integrating these diverse influences begins with deep reflection on which aspects of my experiences have touched or challenged me the most. I sketch on location, take notes, and photograph to keep the impressions fresh. Back in my studio, I experiment with different materials and techniques to bring the collected ideas to life. It is important to me that each new element is harmoniously integrated into my existing artistic language without losing my voice. This is an ongoing, often challenging process that requires much reflection and a willingness to experiment.
You mention that the smell of fresh paint and the feeling of brushes in your hand are essential to your creative process. Can you describe the sensory experiences associated with your work and how these contribute to your artistic expression and general well-being?
The smell of fresh paint acts like a signal that activates my creative thinking. It is an intense yet familiar scent that instantly puts me in a creative mode. This smell symbolizes the beginning of a new artwork for me and is closely associated with a feeling of freedom and possibility. The feeling of brushes in my hand is equally crucial. Every brushstroke feels like an extension of my thoughts and emotions being directly transferred to the canvas. The texture of the brush, the glide of the bristles over the canvas—all of this enhances my sense of connection with the work I'm creating. These sensory experiences shape my artistic expression and enhance my overall well-being. They allow me to fully immerse myself in the moment, drawing deep satisfaction from the creative process. Painting thus becomes an almost meditative activity, allowing me to nurture both my artistic vision and inner balance.
Your paintings are described as powerful and complex. How do you conceptualize and plan a new piece, and what steps do you take to ensure that the complexity of your visual language is effectively communicated to your audience?
To conceptualize and plan a new piece, I begin with an intense phase of reflection, engaging with my emotions and current societal issues. This phase is crucial as it forms the thematic basis of my artworks. I sketch initial ideas and thoughts on paper and experiment with different color combinations and techniques. Once I have a clear vision of the artwork, I create several preparatory sketches to refine the composition and color dynamics. In this phase, it is particularly important to me to arrange the elements in a way that creates a profound and complex visual language. To ensure that the complexity of my work is effectively conveyed to the audience, I work layer by layer, continuously reviewing the progress. I make sure that each color and every stroke contributes to the overall mood and message of the artwork. Feedback from critics and art enthusiasts during this process helps me ensure that the intended message and emotionality are understandable and perceptible. Finally, I review the finished work for its impact, ensuring that colors and shapes work together harmoniously to create the desired atmosphere. This careful and thoughtful approach helps me convey the complexity of my work effectively, offering viewers a profound artistic experience.
As a self-taught artist who continuously acquires and applies various techniques, what advice would you give to aspiring artists regarding the importance of self-education and its role in artistic growth and innovation?
As a self-taught artist who constantly seeks new knowledge and techniques, I would advise aspiring artists never to underestimate the value of lifelong learning. The continuous pursuit of knowledge and experimentation with different styles and media can not only improve technical skills but also lead to a deeper understanding of one's artistic voice. It is important to remain curious and open to new experiences and perspectives. Art does not exist in a vacuum, so learning from other cultures, eras, and disciplines can be enormously enriching. Use books, online courses, workshops, and exhibitions to expand your knowledge and gather inspiration. At the same time, seek and accept critical feedback. Interaction with other artists and receiving honest opinions can open new perspectives on your work and help you recognize and overcome weaknesses. Ultimately, self-education in art is an ongoing process that requires discipline and dedication. Be patient with yourself and allow yourself to make mistakes. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn and grow. Stay passionate and committed, and ensure that your art remains a true reflection of yourself.
