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What inspired you to create art and become an artist? (events, feelings, experiences...)
I began painting and drawing shortly before starting my architecture studies. For me, it has always been a way to reflect on reality and express oneself in each moment.
The creative process holds great value for me. These are moments of deep connection with the spirit and the environment. These creative processes have now become a part of my life...
What is your artistic background, and what techniques and themes have you experimented with so far?
I trained as an architect, and through that process, I was able to delve into the history of art and developed the habit of drawing as a constant way to express ideas and feelings.
In painting, I have always been self-taught. I experimented with painting and drawing on all kinds of surfaces and explored a variety of themes. I have always been drawn to the idea of habitat and the implications of sensitivity and the poetics of images.
What are the 3 aspects that set you apart from other artists, making your work unique?
I believe these aspects could be the freedom of technique, the sense of "open-endedness" in my works, and the possibility to explore them, discovering more underlying elements each time.
Where does your inspiration come from?
In general, from nature—colors, shapes, energy... I try to connect with all of that through painting.
But once I start working, the inspiration comes from the canvas itself. What is happening on the artwork begins to suggest what comes next.
I believe the sensitive relationship with the work and what the piece gives back to me with each action is the main source of inspiration.
What is your artistic approach? What visions, sensations, or feelings do you want to evoke in the viewer?
I work with the unexpected.
I follow everything in the piece that surprises me, that turns out different from what I imagined. Along that path, I try to deepen the sensitivity. I aim for my paintings to touch something deep within both myself and the viewer, creating a sense of disorientation.
Sketches and ideas for a painting help me think about the subject, framing, colors, and size...
But what truly excites me is the fact that what I’m creating can astonish me at any moment.
That same sensation is what I try to evoke—the idea that something profound yet elusive is happening.
And then there are second and third interpretations.
The works have successive layers of depth. Within a color plane or an “empty” area, there will be multiple prior layers that are purposefully left partly visible—phrases you can glimpse, underlying drawings, and so on.
For me, these second and third interpretations are what truly connect deeply with the viewer. You begin to look, trying to understand what is moving you… Something you can’t see but know is there...
What is the process of creating your works? Spontaneous or with a long preparatory process (technical, inspired by art classics, or others)?
I draw to live. I’m always drawing and imagining paintings. I make sketches of works I want to paint, and they start to give me some clues about what that work could be.
Then, when I paint, those sketches give way to total improvisation. Some traits of those initial ideas remain, but the process is completely spontaneous.
All my works have writings, drawings, and underlying figures related to the sketches and the beginning of the work. They remain in the “history” of what is finally seen. I make parts of the earlier stages appear and disappear, but very intentionally, leaving covered layers that remain there—“invisible” yet permanent.
Do you use any particular technique in your work? If so, can you explain it?
My technique is action.
I always start by drawing lines and scribbles on the raw canvas while simultaneously applying the base. Layer by layer, the canvas begins to tell me something, and that’s when I start progressing based on what is suggested.
From there, I work both vertically and horizontally, constantly shifting depending on the moment.
I use brushes very little. I mostly use my hands, sticks, spatulas, cloth, and cardboard to apply the paint. I primarily work with acrylics, pencils, markers, and inks.
Are there any innovative aspects in your work? Can you tell us what they are?
There is a technique I’ve been working on for quite some time that could be called “autocollage”—a collage of small parts of my own works.
All the pieces that I consider finished have parts that I’ve cut from the final canvas and saved. Later, I cut these painted fragments into small canvases, sometimes using them as they are and other times painting over them. In this way, part of a finished work becomes the foundation for many new, tiny pieces.
Finally, parts of each work remain in my studio, and over time, I form a collage and a completely new piece from them.
Transformation, for me, is the manifestation of life. Everything is painted and repainted.
I’m planning a large-format series where all these “cells” will appear alongside new parts.
I’m also currently working with diptychs and triptychs where the result of juxtaposing the parts becomes a work in itself. It’s a compositional process with pieces that were originally created separately, and I then rework them into a new composition.
Is there any format or medium you feel most comfortable with? If so, why?
I draw and create my sketches on small papers, travel notebooks, etc.
For painting, large formats are my favorite. I work on canvases thick enough to withstand physical action. I love sizes that involve large movements and recognizable physical gestures.
Where do you produce your works? At home, in a shared studio, or in your own studio? And in this space, how do you organize your creative work?
My studio is at home, so I’m in with the works all the time. They accompany me in daily life like a question. I work in short, intense sessions several times a day.
Does your work lead you to travel to meet new collectors, attend fairs or exhibitions? If so, what does that bring you?
All travels have brought me broader perspectives. Understanding that what others see in the works can be infinitely richer than what you yourself have imagined. It's fascinating to see how the same paintings resonate with completely different emotions in each person.
How do you envision the evolution of your work and your career as an artist in the future?
I imagine a production that becomes increasingly unexpected and with larger formats.
My career is constantly moving, restarting. I don’t plan the future too much.
But I definitely envision myself in the near future participating in exhibitions and presenting some works of enormous size...
What is the theme, style, or technique of your latest artistic production?
I am currently working on a series that combines large formats with small drawings and collage. It addresses the theme of constant change and uses the metaphor of the river as an expression of eternal transformation.
Can you tell us about your most significant exhibition experience?
My best experience in this regard was when a French publishing house chose two of my works that are now book covers. So they are constantly traveling and accompanying readers. I think it’s a fantastic way to showcase art in a very personal and intimate way.
If you could have created a famous work in art history, which one would you choose? And why?
I would love to have painted one of the works from Cy Twombly's Roses series. I can’t imagine a more poetic legacy from a painter to humanity.
If you could invite a famous artist (living or dead) to dinner, who would it be? How would you suggest spending the evening?
I would invite the Argentine painter and architect Clorindo Testa. I’ve always had immense iration for him, and I would have loved to meet him in person.
We would talk about painting, drawing, and architecture as a unified constructive and expressive activity.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli 
