And another interview ith an artist I like. I got to know Silja online when she and her husband Guido joined our documentation 2sames (not online anymore) some years ago. We kept in touch even after the project was finished and I got to know about her being an artist too:
Please present yourself:
My name is Silja Korn and I am 45 years young. Diue to a car accident I became totally blind. I’m married for 12 years now and we’re having a son. I’m working as the first state registered nursery teacher.
What is your definition of art?
To me art is if you can see more tan the obvious.
Why have you become an artist?
Painting has already been one of my great passions before I became blind. It helped me keep my balance after school. When I couldn’t do it anymore I fell into a deep hole. And I thought I’d never be ale to do it again. Until I ot to know through a mailing list fo parents that there are blind children who are painting. So I thought if they can do it, well so can I! Making art is helping me to express my feelings in a better way.
Which is your favourite artwork of yourself and why?
I don’t have a favourite artwork. But one has especially challenged me: it was created during an exhibition. It easures 120cm x 120cm. The organisator of the exhibition asked me to finish it during the exhibition. It was challenge because I usually paint on smaller canvasses. It’s not easy to keep the orientation working on a big canvas if you cannot see anything. But I realised it can work but I have to concentrate much more. And it also takes longer to fill it. It needs more persistence.
How do you work?
I’m painting with my hands, with spatulas, brushes and other material. I use a lot of feelable material in order to help me find the colors again later.
Who is your favourite artist?
I don’t have a favourite artist who inspires me. Everything I’ve made so far came out of myself.
What is your favourite material to work with and why?
With sand, mussles, stones, paper, splints and structure pastes. This helps me to get the necessary structure on the canvas. After the painting has dried I can have a haptic experince with it.
Could you live without being an artist?
Well it would be possible but making art is satisfying me more. It makes me proud to finish an artwork and to present it to the public. I’d miss that feeling.
Where can others find you on the web?
On my website www.siljakorn.de
and on Facebook.
All photos (c) Silja Korn
Translation: Annette Schwindt
Thanks for the interview, Silja!
Dies ist mein persönliches Blog, auf dem ich alle meine vorherigen Websites zusammengefasst habe. Daher die buntegemischten Themen: Ich führe Bloggespräche und blogge über Persönliches, Digitales und Kulturelles. Ich liebe es, Menschen zu fotografieren und mich mit Kunst zu beschäftigen. Manchmal schreibe ich auch noch was anderes als Blogbeiträge. Für andere bin ich als Wegbegleiterin in Sachen Kommunikation aktiv. Vor allem bin ich aber eins: Ein Mensch!