INTERVIEW:
AYTHAMY ARMAS
Sound and rhythm of the canvas,
work/art balance.
work/art balance.
Delving into the life of a self-made Spanish artist who discovered his love for art beyond the confines of traditional backgrounds, this interview offers a compelling narrative. He masterfully balanced financial constraints and multiple job roles, drawing inspiration from the tranquillity of his idyllic Barcelona studio. Echoing throughout his works are the intriguing interplays of sound and rhythm, with a promising line-up of creative projects and collaborations underway for the summer and into 2024.
Could you tell us a little about yourself, your background, and how your journey into the art world started?
In my family, there is no background related to art. I have memories of painting and drawing while waiting for my mother to come and pick me up when I was a child... it was how I entertained myself. Doing has always been with me, but I didn't see it as a career path. Even when I got to university, I enrolled in tourism. I lasted three months, and the following year, I enrolled in fine arts. From then on, it became my priority. The decisions I have made until I got here have been small impulses that revolved, with varying degrees of awareness, around the idea of earning a living from the work I did in the studio. I have always tried to stay connected to the art world, from setting up exhibitions for galleries to participating in the creation of a gallery with friends. The idea of living from what you are passionate about, for me, generated a mix of excitement, responsibility, and commitment. After many years, I felt the need to take a year off just to paint and spend time in the studio, putting everything I had learned into practice. It yielded perfect results.
In my family, there is no background related to art. I have memories of painting and drawing while waiting for my mother to come and pick me up when I was a child... it was how I entertained myself. Doing has always been with me, but I didn't see it as a career path. Even when I got to university, I enrolled in tourism. I lasted three months, and the following year, I enrolled in fine arts. From then on, it became my priority. The decisions I have made until I got here have been small impulses that revolved, with varying degrees of awareness, around the idea of earning a living from the work I did in the studio. I have always tried to stay connected to the art world, from setting up exhibitions for galleries to participating in the creation of a gallery with friends. The idea of living from what you are passionate about, for me, generated a mix of excitement, responsibility, and commitment. After many years, I felt the need to take a year off just to paint and spend time in the studio, putting everything I had learned into practice. It yielded perfect results.
Is it possible to say that this one-year break led you to the style in which you are now working?
Those years were the necessary time to connect with all the information about art I had gathered and learned, translating it into painting and artwork. It was a time of reflection and action.
What were the biggest challenges you faced at the start of your journey?
When a painting doesn't provide enough to live on, you have to juggle and find alternate jobs that allow you to cover your expenses, maintain a studio, and carve out time to paint. It's quite a balancing act, and you have to believe in it because living in economic uncertainty in the city is not easy. I think one of the greatest lessons that studying fine arts offers is that it equips you with the tools to be creative in general, enabling you to apply this quality to any facet of your life and know that you can persevere.
Is there any advice on how not to give up and continue working on your art, even when it's financially challenging, and you must combine it with another job?
That's something very personal. As I see it, art is a need that has accompanied me all my life; it connects me with my essence. So, listening to that need gives me a lot of strength. It is necessary to have concrete goals, to develop a work plan, to secure my own space to work, to stay abreast of what's happening in the art world, and to understand that it's a marathon, not a sprint.
Those years were the necessary time to connect with all the information about art I had gathered and learned, translating it into painting and artwork. It was a time of reflection and action.
What were the biggest challenges you faced at the start of your journey?
When a painting doesn't provide enough to live on, you have to juggle and find alternate jobs that allow you to cover your expenses, maintain a studio, and carve out time to paint. It's quite a balancing act, and you have to believe in it because living in economic uncertainty in the city is not easy. I think one of the greatest lessons that studying fine arts offers is that it equips you with the tools to be creative in general, enabling you to apply this quality to any facet of your life and know that you can persevere.
Is there any advice on how not to give up and continue working on your art, even when it's financially challenging, and you must combine it with another job?
That's something very personal. As I see it, art is a need that has accompanied me all my life; it connects me with my essence. So, listening to that need gives me a lot of strength. It is necessary to have concrete goals, to develop a work plan, to secure my own space to work, to stay abreast of what's happening in the art world, and to understand that it's a marathon, not a sprint.
Please tell us about your style, how you developed it, and the meanings you infuse into your work.
Years ago, I used to draw skies with graphite on paper. Those skies transformed into atmospheres, a less figurative and objective image that sought to recreate an environment and eventually evolved into delicate and clean gradients. From there, the line gradually gained prominence, and now it is the main element in my paintings. Throughout this process, other elements, such as the sound, the rhythm of the stroke, the movement of the body, and so on, have surfaced and remained.
Where do you create your work now, and what kind of place is it?
My studio is in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona, a central location in a beautiful 19th-century building. It's a very cozy space with a plant-filled patio where I feel extremely comfortable and at peace. It's also a space where I enjoy sharing with friends, hosting lunches and meetings occasionally.
Is there anything that inspires you the most right now?
The rhythm. I pay special attention to the sound of the stroke on the canvas... especially in large formats where I utilize the length of my body to draw. The frequency and the sound on the canvas guide my drawing. Another constant in my work is understanding the paintings as landscapes, a broader image, and looking for specific details within them.
Years ago, I used to draw skies with graphite on paper. Those skies transformed into atmospheres, a less figurative and objective image that sought to recreate an environment and eventually evolved into delicate and clean gradients. From there, the line gradually gained prominence, and now it is the main element in my paintings. Throughout this process, other elements, such as the sound, the rhythm of the stroke, the movement of the body, and so on, have surfaced and remained.
Where do you create your work now, and what kind of place is it?
My studio is in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona, a central location in a beautiful 19th-century building. It's a very cozy space with a plant-filled patio where I feel extremely comfortable and at peace. It's also a space where I enjoy sharing with friends, hosting lunches and meetings occasionally.
Is there anything that inspires you the most right now?
The rhythm. I pay special attention to the sound of the stroke on the canvas... especially in large formats where I utilize the length of my body to draw. The frequency and the sound on the canvas guide my drawing. Another constant in my work is understanding the paintings as landscapes, a broader image, and looking for specific details within them.
If we talk about music, what would match your rhythm?
Something without lyrics. Maybe a mix of two Ludovicos... Ludovico Einaudi and Ludovic Navarre.
Would you like to share your plans for the rest of this year?
Soon, I will spend some time at the Alzueta Gallery's art residence, an incredibly inspiring and perfect workplace space. During the summer, I'm unveiling a collaboration with "Nordic Knots" which I'm very excited about. In addition, I have an ongoing collaboration with another artist where we are exploring the relationship between sound, light, and drawing, and we will continue to investigate it. I'm also planning for two exhibitions I have lined up for 2024.
Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
There are no problems, only opportunities...
Something without lyrics. Maybe a mix of two Ludovicos... Ludovico Einaudi and Ludovic Navarre.
Would you like to share your plans for the rest of this year?
Soon, I will spend some time at the Alzueta Gallery's art residence, an incredibly inspiring and perfect workplace space. During the summer, I'm unveiling a collaboration with "Nordic Knots" which I'm very excited about. In addition, I have an ongoing collaboration with another artist where we are exploring the relationship between sound, light, and drawing, and we will continue to investigate it. I'm also planning for two exhibitions I have lined up for 2024.
Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
There are no problems, only opportunities...