IN CONVERSATION WITH ALICJA MROZOWSKA, ARTIST & PAINTER
PORTAL 8 || Artist: Alicja Mrozowska
It was on the eve of one fateful November Monday last year that we first met. We both applied for a space on HOME's Digital Reporter Scheme and had gotten accepted, along with 10 others. Slightly unsure of what to expect but eager to take a step towards a future more bespoke to our true interests, we turned up for each monthly workshop to tackle a new skill and push the envelope of what we were capable of; she a final year art student at the time, me an engineer looking to switch lanes.
On a rather hot Sunday afternoon in June, tucked away in a booth at the lovely Chapter One Books in NQ, Alicja and I spent a couple of hours pouring over pictures of her mesmerising degree show art pieces (some she has kindly allowed me to include in this post) whilst chatting about how she found art, her love of oil paints and much more. And of course I recorded our conversation / interrogation / interview (call it what you like) for all you art lovers and have popped it on here for you to enjoy.
If you’ve heard of my ‘The Storyboard’ project then you know of my current problem with art and illustration. Thankfully, it does not extend to my absorbing all I can about the various mediums out there and the artists who are not afraid to play with them. I cannot say I have ever tried oil paints but I hope one day I will give it a go and share my attempts on the ’board.
Thank you Alicja for being an absolute star and willingly answering my many questions!
The cafe music and tinkering of mugs in the background may make you want a cuppa yourself so I advise you make a hot beverage, get comfy and listen in on our chat.
Here are some topics we covered:
Studying art at uni and the value of art residencies;
Trusted art tools;
Her art process using Morning Routine as an example;
Brooklyn 99;
Artists who inspire her such as Christina Quarles, Maria Lassnig, Picasso and Matthew Stone;
The complexities of identity.
Find out more about Alicja's work here: website || instagram
Images: All photos are courtesy of Alicja Mrozowska.
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Artist: Alicja Mrozowska