Steffi Rodigas. Art-Passion-Emotions

Art gives me the opportunity and the freedom to work through and process issues as well as expressing my thoughts and opinions. The result was a collection of many critical works on a whole variety of topics and conflicts of our world. In 2018 I tried to summarise the catastrophic, often ignored and overlooked consequences of climate change in the piece “Climate apocalypse”. Equally, I wanted to denounce the careless handling of our bodies of water in the three-dimensional depiction “If the oceans die, we die too”.  I explored this matter further with the paintings “Too late”, “Safe travels” and “Enjoy your meal”. Topics like the overflow of media, the extortion of the Amazon region, chick shredding or world politics filled my canvases in a similar manner.

From my urge to try different techniques and styles or even to abstract, the most diverse pictures have emerged. I developed a new kind of art for myself accordingly, which I call “Art in Art”. The origin for this is based on my own philosophy “Don’t waste anything”. Carefully foraged leaves with blended paint scraps found their place in the form of squares, later circles, birds or feet. Art in Art is one whole result, made up of individual small artworks. The viewer is treated to a vast number of tiny parts, each with its own colourful meaningfulness that can inspire imagination. Simultaneously, the big picture sets no boundaries to the joy of exploration.

Another drive spring is my weakness for three-dimensional things. I often have added physical elements to pictures to accentuate the sense of space. Wood would be my favourite working material, if not for the need for chainsaws and similar tools to shape it, effectively preventing me from using it. After I had painstakingly hand-carved a figurine from basswood, I ultimately specialised on the building insulation material “Styrodur”. With a saw, cutter knife, sandpaper and a lot of dedication I bring my sculptures to life. For elaborate, lovingly decorative designs I usually employ the pouring technique.

Since the pandemic, watercolour is a defining method in my everyday life as an artist. First I had used it because of the better stacking capability, but in the meantime it has become a favourite way to handle paint and water. Countless tutorials and teaching videos with the most diverse approaches have guided my way to a style of my own. Videos from M. Solovyev with his ease and L. Hunsung with his precision were especially helpful. As well as with oil or acrylic paintings my passion for details also forms part of the water colouring. Innumerable studies preceded my portraits and pictures, such as my New York-Series. I am rarely satisfied with my work, therefore my mantra is “Practice, practice, practice!”.

To conclude, let me add a few words regarding the motifs in my paintings. The catalogue containing my own photographs of landscapes, animals and people is nearly inexhaustible and yet I am constantly on the hunt for the extraordinary. The research for my series “Children of the world” led me to the world-famous photographer Steve McCurry. I got his permission to reimagine his incredible, meaningful pictures in artistic form and I am highly proud of it!