Dubina, is a multi disciplinary artist located in Naarm (Melbourne), holding a BFA in Printmaking from the University of The Arts, Philadelphia USA.
Since graduating, in 2001, Dubina has moved through various creative roles within fashion photography and visual merchandising, redirecting her path in 2020 back to painting and ceramics to pursue art as a full time career.
Clare draws on the female form as an ever evolving source of inspiration in her art practice.
We are pleased to share our recent interview with Clare which highlights her journey as an artist and her recent El Rancho collection.
Can you share your journey about how you became practising as an artist?
Being creative has been a consistent and necessary part of my life since early childhood, and was always encouraged by my parents. After graduating from The University of The Arts with a degree in Printmaking in 2001, my career path led me away from fine art and instead through various creative roles, including fashion photography, stationery design and visual merchandising. In 2021, I was faced with the decision to choose between my secure job or to finally back myself and jump into the unknown and unstable world of art, which has turned out to be more rewarding on so many levels than I ever imagined.
What is your preferred medium/s to work with?
I currently work with acrylic paint, acrylic inks and oil pastels, but I'd love to someday try oil paints. This body of work requires quite a bit of flexibility to find harmony with all the different colours working together, so I need the freedom to be able to adjust direction immediately, which I don't believe oil paint would allow.
How did you develop your distinctive style and how has it evolved over time?
A clear direction was always important to me, as I liked each series inspiring the next. However, this particular style evolved whilst visiting my parents in New York, where I began to experiment with colours and layers I had always shied away from. This series eventually revealed itself and also highlighted to me the importance of play.
What can you share about your creative process and how you go about creating a body of work? When you're painting, do you think you are always trying to set out to make something specific?
I definitely start out with a basic line sketch, but from there onward I have no specific outcome in mind as far as my colour palette. It's pretty common for me to finish a section, only to adjust it after I've put down another colour next to it that completely changes the look of how it was prior. My previous works were all neutral tones, so working with this amount of colour is about trial and error, with a good dose of intuition.
What do you hope people feel or take away when experiencing your work?
Having any feeling at all, no matter what it may be, is the greatest compliment as it means they have taken the time to have a look. If my work evokes a memory from seeing a certain colour, or the pose of the figure reminds them of a scene from their life story, then I think that's pretty special.
What does this work mean to you?
This collection challenged me to broaden my familiar colour palette and experiment with new tonal combinations outside of my comfort zone. California in the 70's was a period of artistic freedom and self-expression, which I wanted to honour in my own way, by using the free-spirited energy as a jumping off point into the unknown direction of these pieces. The combination of the era’s vibe and my personal push to try something new made these paintings feel quite transformative.
Is there one piece in particular that stands out to you and why?
'Bird of Paradise' is probably my favourite. The composition of her pose worked really nicely within the frame, but mainly because it gives off an air of confidence, even though her body is tightly wrapped up. I was listening to Lana Del Rey as I worked on this collection, and this particular piece has almost become a representation of her laid back, cool-girl essence.
