Gosia is a talented sculptor based in Canada whose beautiful works have been exhibited in galleries across Canada and the U.S. This is our interview with Gosia.
Hi, how are you?
I’m doing very well, thank you. Hello, everyone!
So, are you working on anything new and exciting?
Definitely, I am always pushing my work forward and challenging myself. For my next piece, I will be creating a big full figure sculpture – my first! I am also in talks with another sculptor about a very exciting collaboration. It’s a secret for now, but I can’t wait to share it on social media as soon as I can!
What got you into sculpting?
I was drawing and painting my “characters” since I was a teenager, but as I grew older I felt a desire to bring them closer to life. One day I received polymer clay and some sculpting tools for my birthday and started sculpting little faces. I enjoyed it so much the medium became a regular part of my practice. Something about sculpting felt so right and natural like I was always meant to be doing it. From there it just got bigger and bigger until it became my main artistic focus.
What is your source of inspiration?
Most of my inspiration comes from people and nature. Those inspirations come in many different forms – music, lyrics, movies, news, stories as well as real life moments and experiences – but in essence, it’s about us – who we are, what we do, how we are in the world. There is a strong emotional aspect to my art which comes from very personal and private feelings, but they are still a reflection/reaction to the world around me.
What makes you do what you do?
I have this relentless need to create things, ideas pour into my head daily and I get really excited about them. I’m not sure I could stop it if I tried, it’s how I’ve been “wired”. When I’m in my sculpting zone, the whole world disappears and it’s just me, the clay and the music I’m listening to – it’s the best feeling. In a way it is like therapy, calming and quieting the mind; it’s how I process the world and it brings me a lot of joy. The other side of it is how much I enjoy sharing my sculptures with the world. There’s something so powerful about the way humans connect through art; it’s at times mystifying how inanimate objects can bring out deep and intimate emotions in a person. It’s a wondrous phenomenon to be a part of.
Do you have any creative routines?
Every piece starts with an idea that comes to my head, my studio is filled with pieces of paper with quick thumbnail sketches. When I decide to create a particular concept, I look for a model who I think embodies my idea. Next, comes a photo session with the model and I work from the photos we take to create the piece. I like to sculpt in daylight and will usually sculpt until the sun goes down, although I am no stranger to burning the midnight oil to meet a deadline. Music is very important – I have to be listening to music which inspires me and will often work with headphones. But if I have to push past daylight and I’m in a phase where I am working around the clock, I turn to binge watching old favorite shows to keep myself going. I think I’m on my 3rd round of watching all the seasons of “Friends” in under a year!
Do you have a favourite art movement?
I wouldn’t say I have a favourite, there are things I admire about all of them. However, there are two which have had the most influence on my style. In early years (going back all the way to high school) I was strongly influenced by Art Nouveau and it is still a great source of inspiration for me. I am also drawn to & draw inspiration from Romanticism, particularly the sculptures.
What do you hope to accomplish with your art?
I hope to inspire people. Most of us live in a very busy, noisy, complicated, material world which is exciting and colourful and I love being a part of it; but sometimes it seems we have lost our connection to some of the more “magical” things in life. I believe we are a part of nature and the cosmos and at our core, we are spiritual animals but we’ve lost our connection with the elements. I hope that when people take in my work, the world slows down around them and they experience emotions which they are usually too busy to let in; and walk away feeling a little different.
If you could give any advice for any aspiring artists out there what would it be?
There’s a million things, of course, but these are the most important things –
be yourself, believe in yourself, work super hard, make a LOT of art and share it with the world!
To find more about Gosia click here for her website. Alternatively, you can like and follow her Facebook page here.
