DESTIG Interview with our Top 20 Artist of 2018, Inna Timokhina.
Read this interview in DESTIG Magazine
Read this interview in DESTIG Magazine
Gallery
DESTIG Interview
"My art is a quest of identifying and visualizing hidden energies behind familiar processes or objects, with particular focus on amplifying positive energies. I usually start with a small sketch, where a portrait, landscape or abstraction has a unique 'energy signature'. Energy can manifest itself, for example, as a wave pattern, glowing light or accelerating particles, and my “energy signatures” usually contain these elements."
Tell us about yourself and background.
I am an artist, scientist and inventor with a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Cornell University. Prior to my studies in Biology, I received a formal education in visual arts with an emphasis on transparent watercolor techniques. After spending more than a decade as a biomedical scientist, I realized that corporate environment was not a good match for my creative personality and that the most exciting aspect of science was inventorship. I also started to develop my “energy capture” technique in art, and quickly became an internationally exhibiting artist, thanks to generous support of my family and my art patrons.
Tell us about your work.
My art is a quest of identifying and visualizing hidden energies behind familiar processes or objects, with particular focus on amplifying positive energies. I usually start with a small sketch, where a portrait, landscape or abstraction has a unique “energy signature”. Energy can manifest itself, for example, as a wave pattern, glowing light or accelerating particles, and my “energy signatures” usually contain these elements. After the initial “energy signature” is captured, I begin the innovative process of “energy amplification”, described separately. The resulting artwork has a modern, cheerful and glassy look, with vibrant colors, areas of transparency and self-glow effects.
What makes your work and approach unique.
I developed an innovative approach of “positive energy amplification”, using mixed media, including fine silks, rare inks, resin and plexiglass. The “energy signatures” are transferred onto silks and I work out details with inks and create future areas of transparency by using a scalpel as a drawing tool. Next, I create 3D elements, where silks are embedded into the resin and plexiglass and I continue with details on both sides of the plexiglass, using translucent colors, aluminum and glitter. The artworks become semi-translucent and resemble sparkling surface of water. This is inspired in part by the incredible beauty of Lake Zurich.
Why is your work a good investment?
Because of the nature of translucent, multi-layered technique, my artworks can look somewhat different, depending on the light conditions and environments. Under bright light, they can look more like sparkling surfaces of water, while under lower light, they have a stronger self-glow effect. Stained glass projections onto the wall can be enhanced, depending on the angle of light. Sometimes I can create 2-3 variations of the same energy signature, but of different sizes (and hence energy impacts) and color variations, which can be ideal for commission work. Plexiglass and resin make the works durable, easy maintenance and relatively light weight.
Tell us about some of your achievements.
I feel that my technique of “positive energy amplification” reached the next level this year, due to significantly enhanced transparency and vibrancy of colors. This is reflected in many joyful comments, received from clients and art lovers about my artworks this year, such as: “It makes my heart sing!”; “I love the way it glows!”; “I am so in love with what I saw today, and this is heaven!”; “Your artwork is so radiant, I feel charged with a positive mood!” and many other wonderful comments like this. And that’s how I know that the positive energy sharing is working!
What are your sources of inspiration?
I feel inspired to create artworks with calming, harmonizing and uplifting effects on people. One special aspect is the therapeutic effect of light. According to MAYO Clinic’s website, light therapy is thought to affect brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep, easing seasonal affective disorder (SAD) symptoms, and that using a light therapy may also help with other types of depression. Another inspiration is the harmonizing power of nature and it’s empowering and meditative influence on people. I hope that my art can help viewers to take a breather from everyday stresses, and have a moment of inner harmony.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about the sustainability of our planet. It’s really alarming, how irresponsible we, as citizens of our planet, continue to behave towards environment, despite clear warning signs of climate destabilization and global pollution.
I am a passionate opponent of war and believe that chronic warfare creates colossal, long lasting damage not only on people and civilizations, but also by terrible poisoning of our environment, which in my opinion is far greater than from civilian or industrial causes. I cannot help but see the analogy between the detrimental effects of chronic disease on human health, and the chronic destruction and poisoning of our planet and its inhabitants by wars. I hope that my message of positive energy sharing via my art can help reduce negative divisive energies in the world and be a positive force for the noble cause of sustainability of our planet.
Tell us the back-story of some of your projects.
One of the exciting recent projects was the exhibition at gorgeous Saatchi Gallery space last year as “Wally Gilbert and Inka Collaborative” at StArt Fair. Wally Gilbert is a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980 for solving the mystery of DNA sequencing, which drove the development of biology as a gene-based science, culminating in the Human Genome Project. My interpretation of Wally’s abstract and vibrant digital art is that he uncovers hidden inner structures of objects through his creative artistic process. I believe that our Collaborative offers a very interesting perspective of art as a discovery process.
Share with us your upcoming projects.
One ongoing project is an exhibition with the theme “Macro-cosmos meets Micro-cosmos” in Zurich. The idea is to do this as a collaboration with Wally Gilbert, who never exhibited in Zurich and is interested in doing so. Another upcoming project is “minimalist” collection of artworks of predominantly single colors for an exhibition in Los Angeles, which is a fun challenge. Another exciting project is the creation of a “Happiness Bubble” in the format of small Curio booths – cabinets of curiosity at Design Miami, which consists of sparkling plexiglass panels and table tops, silk fabrics, printed mesh screens, lamps and vases.
Tell us about where you are based.
I feel privileged to live in a small village, Zollikon, located on the sunny side of lake Zurich, right next to the city.
I can take advantage of the very rich cultural life of Zurich and also enjoy the quiet village, where I can be creative.
This is an environment of majestic beauty, where one can see amazing effects of sunlight over the lake and take many unique photographs. I am currently collecting material for a series of digital works “100 Views of Lake Zurich” (inspired by “100 Views of Mount Fuji” by Hokusai).
Website: inkagallery.com