Interview with Weronika Raczynska
Weronika Raczynska was born in 1978 in Warsaw, Poland.
In the years 1997-2002 studied painting at the European Academy of Arts (EAS) in Warsaw, Poland. In 2002 graduated with a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting (distinction). From 2008-2010 studied painting at The Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts (ASP) in Cracow, Poland. In 2010 completed post-graduate studies in painting.
She has had 17 solo exhibitions of painting and more than 120 group exhibitions in Warsaw, Poland; Cracow, Poland, as well as in Basel, Switzerland; Kishinev, Moldavia; London, United Kingdom; New York, United States of America; Paris, France and Rome, Italy among others.
In 2022 received a scholarship from the Creation Support Fund of the ZAIKS Association of Authors.
Paintings by Weronika Raczynska can be found in private collections in Poland and other countries of Europe, and also in New Zealand, the Philippines and the United States of America, as well as in public collections of the Office of Artistic Exhibitions (BWA) in Kielce, Poland.
She lives and works in Warsaw, Poland.
Can you tell us about the moment you decided to pursue a career as an artist?
It was while I was a first-year painting student at the European Academy of Arts (EAS) in Warsaw, Poland. It was like something clicked in my mind, and – I knew that a career as an artist was perfect exactly for me. It was another state of mind. Before that, I just wanted to study painting and philosophy – I was a first-year philosophy student at Warsaw University (UW) in Warsaw, Poland, at the same time. I decided to be a painter after I was sure I could paint a picture with its visual form as a meaning.
What kind of an artist do you ultimately see yourself?
I am a painter. I see myself as a figurative painter, a storyteller.
What do you want your art to convey to those who see it? What is the meaning or creative motivation behind your work?
I want to take viewers of my paintings on a journey to the alternative world but related to this world. This is storytelling in visual arts language, so I want the people who see my art to know this language. It is like a foreign language – the people need to understand it – in that case, they will discover the meaning behind my work as it is related to the history of art, to literature, music, to film, among others.
Can you tell us about the process you use to create your works? What is your typical workday routine?
I usually work at night. Sometimes all night long till dawn. While I create my works, I usually listen to music.
Where do you find inspiration? What motivates you to create?
I find inspiration in literature, music, film, photography, mass culture sometimes, and visual reality.
The absurdity of life motivates me to create.
What has been your most outstanding achievement to date?
I can select some of my most outstanding achievements here there are:
- In 2007 my alkyd painting titled Wintry Mountains was sold for the highest price of all artworks displayed at Artists For Artists 2nd Auction Of Pieces Of Art at Gallery of the House of Visual Artist in Warsaw, Poland.
- Publication of my art book: Weronika Raczynska Malarstwo / Painting, published by WWStudio in Warsaw, Poland, in 2009 (bilingual publication: in Polish & English; Hard Cover).
- Solo exhibition: Weronika Raczynska Paintings Of The Night at Lufcik Gallery in Warsaw, Poland, in 2021.
What are your ultimate career goals?
I will be working on making my painting well-known on the art world scene.
What are you working on now, and what can we expect from you soon?
Now I am working on the realization of a scholarship project: a series of big oil paintings on canvas titled Faces / Writers as in 2022 I received a scholarship from Creation Support Fund of ZAIKS Association of Authors for the realization of my project.
Soon you can expect to see my paintings at group exhibitions: in September 2022 at Review Of Artistic Output Of Painters From Warsaw Branch Of Association Of Polish Visual Artists at Gallery of the House of Visual Artist in Warsaw, Poland and also in September 2022 at Unfolding Stories at Luciana Matalon Foundation in Milan, Italy. In November 2022, I will participate in a juried show of The 7th International Michal Elwiro Andriolli Drawing Competition at Center Gallery in New York, United States.
