Artist Interview - Maddie Rose Hills

Listen to an exclusive artist interview with the London based fine artist who was featured in our latest issue of OPALUS.  She discusses her series and process of her latest series about DECAY.  

Interviewed by OPALUS Creative Director/Editor Malorie Shmyr.

Artist Interview - Krista Acheson - Part 1

We are honoured to have the fine art series "This one goes out to the one I love..." by Krista published in our latest issue of OPALUS.  This truly engaging series addresses her experience of "...working through frustrations and the emotions inherent in wanting to help, support and 'save' a loved one who really may not want, need, or even, at this point, be capable of being 'saved'."

We found this series so fascinating and each piece so individually strong that we felt we needed to create a special 3 part interview series with Krista to give us more insight on three of our favourite pieces from the series, and discover more about her brilliant perspective and imagination.  

Part One - "The Decline of the Elephant King."

Title  -  The Decline of the elephant king

(Sculpture)

Size  -  27” x 16”  

Medium  -  polymer clay, acrylic paint, wood, plastic diamonds

OPALUS

Please tell us about the meaning behind the sculpture, "The Decline of the Elephant King."

KRISTA ACHESON

That piece had multiple meanings so I actually included a little plaque at the exhibit with a legend explaining the symbolism behind each elephants color.

 The elephant was chosen, again, as an allusion to the idiom " elephant in the room" and also because elephants are extremely emotionally complex animals. I built a 4 tier shelf, decorated it like a circus tent, and it represented the changes that happened within a four month period.

The decline was quite dramatic and it was quite a circus.

Here is the info from the placard, but you don't necessarily have to include it...

Symbol chart for the elephants in the room.

"Elephant in the room" is an English metaphorical idiom for an obvious truth that is either being ignored or going unaddressed. The idiomatic expression also applies to an obvious problem or risk no one wants to discuss.[1] It is based on the idea that an elephant in a room would be impossible to overlook; thus, people in the room who pretend the elephant is not there have chosen to avoid dealing with the large looming issue.*

• White Elephant: An idiom for a valuable but burdensome object of which its receiver cannot dispose and whose cost (particularly cost of upkeep) is out of proportion to it's benefit.**
• Grey Elephant: Thought to be among the most intelligent beasts, an elephants capacity for memory and emotions is remarkable and this is due to it's well-developed hippocampus. This is also the area responsible for emotional flashbacks and is the reason that elephants experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. [2]
• Black Elephant : In the mnemonic diagram that illustrates the " nine stages" of calm abiding, a black elephant is used to represent the undisciplined mind.[3]
• Pink Elephant : "Seeing pink elephants" is an euphemism for hallucinations usually caused by alcoholic hallucinosis or delirium tremens.***

OPALUS

What color is most inspiring you at the moment?
 

KRISTA ACHESON

Saffron yellow

OPALUS

When you close your eyes and enter your imagination, what does it look like?

 

KRISTA ACHESON

It's pretty blank to be honest. I actually don't spend very much time imagining the artwork I create. The images are either the result of a dream I've had in the process of waking up or falling asleep or they will pop randomly into my minds eye at the most inopportune time . I see a completely composed image and it occurs when experiencing strong emotion. It's like my brain compartmentalizes emotion into images and I just create to clean them out.

 

 

OPALUS

Where can we buy a piece from this series to have in our home?

KRISTA ACHESON

You can either contact me at kristaacheson@kristaacheson.com or on my etsy shop. (www.etsy.com/ca/shop/FetusFactory)
 

Thank you to Krista for sharing your imagination and fascinating perspective with us!  Enjoy the rest of her pieces in OPALUS starting at page 22, and come back soon for part 2 and 3 of this artists' interview, something not to be missed!