Above: Detail: Lotus Goddess

UNSPOILED SPONTANEITY

Having completed her diploma in Arts at the University of Fine Arts, La Plata in Buenos Aires in 1990, Leda Daniel explains she always had a passion for drawing and painting. “At the time I didn’t really think that it could be a difficult career to make a living out of. But the language of art is universal so when I emigrated to New Zealand I felt I had made the right decision to go with my heart by studying something I loved.”

Leda wisely comments that art is not an exact science, so you can’t be better or worse than anybody else. “Being of a competitive nature, I found this a real challenge and it has taken me a long time to accept that some people might not like what I do and that is ok. Trying to stay true to what I want to create has motivated me to do a lot of deep thinking and to become a stronger person. I also love the idea that something that I have created will be loved by other people and be part of their lives.”

Taking inspiration from the likes of Klimt, Hundertwasser, Monet, Gaudi and many present artists, like Tahlia Stanton, Eric Robitaille, Iris Scott and many more, she explains: “Klimt’s art is so full of intricate detail and the use of gold leaf gives his art an incredible richness. He has probably been my main source of inspiration over the years, because I like busy art, lots of details, hidden meaning, an aura of mystery, the human form. Like Klimt, Gaudi and Hundertwasser’s art is colourful and with lots of detail. I visited Hundertwasser’s gallery in Whangarei, which I highly recommend, as it’s an incredible homage to this great artist. At present there are many artists whose art I follow and deeply admire, not necessarily similar to mine although sometimes I will include very small details in my art inspired by other artists’ work, like a bit of finger painting or symbols.”

Leda enjoys participating in exhibitions, interacting with people, listening to their stories and what her art invokes in them. “Setting up my website during 2020 (with the huge help of my bright son) was a learning curve: taking the right photos, writing the descriptions to each piece, replying to enquiries, it was such a busy time! I never thought there would be so much work involved in this but it was definitely worth my time. I have participated in many exhibitions over the years, but every time I still get nervous about showing what I create. I have had the privilege of winning a few awards and that is always nice but my biggest pride is every time one of my pieces finds a new home. It’s such a joy, especially if I have the opportunity to speak to the collector. That’s one of the reasons I love participating in art shows, to have direct contact with the collector is awesome. If you ask me about one specific success, I would say when I sold my first painting to an international buyer from the USA, I was beyond excited that someone from the other side of the world would want to pay the shipping for not only one but two of my pieces!”

She has found that she has been her own biggest obstacle, having to conquer her own self-defeating thoughts and fear of failure. “I know it sounds silly, but the fear of failure can be crippling. I’m sure many artists will empathise with this, we can be our own biggest critics. In my personal life, I have learnt to forgive myself and do better the next time. But regarding my art, mistakes are part of the process. Sometimes, my best artworks have emerged from mistakes that I didn’t give up on, so when I make a mistake I see that as a challenge that I know I can overcome. Sometimes it has been months down the track after abandoning a piece in frustration that the idea of how to proceed will come to me.”

Enjoying always having something new to learn, being part of Helensville Art Centre Board has taught her public speaking, project planning and conducting interviews. “There is so much work that volunteer people do, definitely to be admired. I have donated some of my pieces to worthwhile causes such as our local Women’s and Family Centre for their fundraiser auctions and to our local school for Breast cancer, amongst others.”

She enjoys painting women, capturing the essence of femininity, strength and softness. “I also like including anything with wings in my pieces i.e. birds, butterflies, bees. To me they represent freedom, but also seeing things from above, having the ‘bird’s eye view’ of our life, and I think they give movement to my art. Water is also a preferred subject, as well as stars.”

As a mixed media artist, she finds she can’t stick to one medium in particular. She utilises collage, acrylics, oils and resin. “I strive for spontaneity in my art, especially when I begin a new piece. So every time I begin a new work I walk around my studio and collect a few materials I think I would like to work on. I also like using different surfaces, not just canvas but wood, fabrics, even wallpaper. I like that I can be spontaneous and childlike in my initial layers, playfulness should always be part of our lives. To be in the present moment with the piece I’m creating, thinking of every brushstroke, seeing something new come alive is something that keeps me coming back for more.”

Strategically having more than one piece on the go at any time, she explains her method: “I usually begin my piece with a completely abstract background, with inks, pens and acrylic washes or sometimes with an acrylic pour. After this I try to imagine what this evokes and decide what I will paint next. If it is a large piece, I might create an image (using Pixelmator) to guide my composition of where things will go. I draw this loosely on the canvas and begin slowly to bring the image to life from loose to more refined using several layers.

Being an idealistic person, Leda wants to paint things that are beautiful and untouched, things that will make you stop and take a deep breath, that will bring you joy and peace when you walk past. “Calming, relaxing, peaceful are words that I keep close to my mind when I create. Beauty drives my creative soul, finding beauty in our lives and without a doubt, creating something that will bring a hopeful feeling to the audience, a moment away from the negativity of our present world. I also like the idea of comparing the layers of my work to life experiences, each experience still shows through what you are today in one way or another, we are all a product of our life experiences so in my work I try to leave a little bit of each layer untouched. It’s not easy, believe me; it requires a lot of self discipline for me not to cover all the canvas all over in every layer.”

Leda attends gym, walks or does yoga every day. “I feel my physical health is very important and definitely makes me feel better. I’ve got a young grandson that is the light of my life, so I try to see him most days as well. Friendships are very important to me and also trying to keep my heritage alive, so speaking my language (Spanish) with whomever I can is a priority. I also want to keep my brain stimulated so I’m learning Russian at the moment.”

She has sold her art in many countries: Australia, USA, Russia, Israel, Brazil, Argentina and UK.

For new artists, Leda recommends that you keep practicing, research, visit art galleries and exhibitions, join a group and talk to other artists. More information about Leda can be found here: www.ledadaniel.com