Sunia Gibbs is a painter living in Portland, OR. Preferring a palette knife and a large brush, she works while listening to music, often chewing on an idea or contemplating a current event.
Creating with the intent to convey a mood, she utilizes layers and textures, blending colors unique to each piece. Just as musical notes create harmony and dissonance, each paint stroke blends and contrasts, communicating the calm and tension experienced in life.
Each creative work depicts the journey towards authenticity. The results are images that embrace imperfections and convey honest emotion.
How did you find yourself in the arts – or how did the arts find you?
My formal training is in music – piano, voice, and choral conducting. It’s where I learned to express my emotions and communicate artistically. I’ve always loved visual art but only began seriously approaching it within the last three years.
Who has been a big influence to you in your career?
From a distance, artists like Hans Hoffman and Gerhard Richter are two that continue to inspire me and capture the freedom and emotion I want in painting. I also have a handful of friends who 1) came to my early shows, 2) bought pieces, and 3) continue to encourage me in developing my art.
When you hit a creative block, how do you move forward?
I’m a documentary junkie. So if I watch something that moves me or makes me process an idea, usually the output is creative – a piece or art of music. Also, beautifully constructed film – colors, imagery and landscape set to music sends me to the canvas.
How do you define success?
When my work connects with someone emotionally, I feel successful.
What do you hope your work communicates?
I love lots of layers, textures, bold and subtle moments in each piece – this is how I would express what it is to be human. We are complex individuals with mixed motives, feelings, ideas, living in tension – internally and externally. As I paint, there are always parts I love and parts I dislike, but even the “mistakes” are part of what adds to the beauty of the final product. I hope we can accept the same about ourselves and who we are becoming. I guess in the end I want my art to convey honest emotion and display beautiful imperfections.
Explore Sunia’s latest work and installations at SuniaGibbsArt.com.
