An In-depth Conversation with Bettina Zapp: Exploring Life and Human Relations through Color
Delving into the life and work of the artist known as Bettina Zapp, we discover an individual whose passion for color and communication is vividly reflected in her art. We will explore her journey from a career in interior architecture to the freedom of artistic expression, her interaction with color, her challenges, and her future plans.
Image: Bettina Zapp's 'Family and Friends', a painting that exemplifies her approach to communicating through colors.
Artistic Journey and Background
Zapp's journey into art began in her childhood, with an extraordinary collection of colored pencils and an affinity for colors that has remained with her to this day. She initially worked as an interior architect, where she was involved with houses and the people who wanted to live happily there. Her work with light, color, material, structure, and proportion was fulfilling, but she felt a lack of freedom. She decided to study arts and found that artistic work opened a realm where there were no explicit conditions, a place where any form of thinking and feeling could be visualized and refined.
Connecting With The Audience
Zapp's connection with her audience is facilitated by galleries that showcase her work and offer contacts. She believes that her paintings keep up their own view of the world, affiliating personal experiences, sensations, and sentiments with the immediateness of the painterly act. This unique interaction with color is what she hopes will speak to her audience, leading to a connection and eventually, communication.
Inspiration and Challenges
The silence of nature and the dynamic of people are key sources of inspiration for Zapp. These contrasting elements help her create unique works of art that tell a story and communicate a message. Every new work presents a challenge for her, moments where she fights against herself, unsure of how to proceed. However, she never gives up and perseveres until she overcomes the obstacles, always finding a way to express her thoughts and feelings through colors.
Artistic Style and Medium
Zapp's unique artistic style involves interacting with color in a way that translates life and human beings and their relations into colors. She works primarily on canvas and raw cotton, using mediums such as pigments, acrylics, charcoal, and oilsticks. This interaction with color is what makes her work stand out in the industry. As E.Strauss once said, "color always is the most personal thing in painting .... impossible to assign, impossible to adopt."
Future Plans
Zapp's future plans are clear: she will always continue to paint. Her goal is to be seen by a multitude of people who feel connected to her art, to communicate with them, and to foster connection and communication through her work.
The Story Behind 'Family and Friends'
One piece that Zapp is particularly proud of is titled 'Family and Friends.' In this piece, colors communicate with each other - they connect, separate, dance, and reunite, much like in real life. This painting is a vivid representation of Zapp's approach to communicating through colors and a testament to her belief in the power of visual communication.