Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself
Kia ora, my name is Andrea Bolima and I’m an artist. I was born in the Philippines, grew up in Auckland and now living and working in Naarm/Melbourne. Painting is the main medium I operate in. I like its fluid and immediate nature.
What was your first reaction to the concept of Sable as a colour, and how did it inspire your creative process?
My first reaction was how the colour reminded me of previous artworks Walk the wine, and Nightshift which have a reddish brown colour. I have been trying to work with this particular tone for a while now but the blue paintings have always been very dominant in my practice. I just can’t help myself. I always gravitate towards blue. It’s the same pull I get when you’re at the beach and you’re just waiting to dive in.
And so having Sable as something to work with opened up my painting practice even more. I like that something warm has set the tone for a change. I started with Sable and then everything fell into place. I’ve always been inspired by anything rich and lush and so working with Sable enabled me to continue the dialogue between hot and cold.
How does Sable’s rich, warm tones align with the themes explored in your new exhibition, Dusk Till Lawn?
The overarching concept in Dusk Till Lawn, as well as my painting practice, is how the various intensity of tones can open up ways of how we can perceive colour. The richness and deep intensity from Sable has influenced the other paintings in the exhibition such as It feels much butter. When I was painting it, the light yellow reminded me of butter - rich and creamy.
What does the title Dusk Till Lawn represent to you, and how does it connect to your broader artistic vision?
I used to have a hard time naming and labelling things. It doesn’t come second nature to me. One day I woke up and decided to have fun. And so I have been playing with words ever since. Dusk Till Lawn is a play on my ongoing exploration of how different colours can interact within a space and how these interactions can make us feel. I’ve been looking into my natural surroundings, in this case the lawn outside my house.
It’s also very, very loosely based on Quentin Tarantino’s film From Dusk Till Dawn where the ending feels like it’s been drawn out of a hat. It’s bit like my painting process but without the vampires.
As an artist, what excites you most about working with a brand like OHEN on a project that blends art, fashion, and design?
I’m excited to showcase how the three converge in my painting process. From a technical perspective, I’ve always felt very close to fashion because I sometimes get my canvases from fabric stores. Whenever I look at paintings by the old masters, I always look at the use of drapery of the figures. I can see how stretching the canvas on a wooden frame to make a painting can also be like how we drape ourselves to form a piece of clothing. Fashion is art and art is fashion.
What does the concept of softness meeting strength mean to you, and how did it come through in both Dusk Till Lawn and your collaboration on Sable?
I’ve always been a bit of a feather - soft and light but resilient. I can easily move with the times but I have a spine. It is through that spine that I happily flow from. The concept of softness meeting strength to me suggests flexibility in being both. You have to be soft to be strong and strong to be soft.
If Sable were a feeling or a moment, how would you describe it in your own words?
A lush and warm gathering just after twilight.
What is next for you as an artist?
Lots and lots of painting. Whenever I finish a series I’m always already thinking about the next one. The painting process itself gives me ideas. For my next series I want to work with colours I don’t usually work with. I’m looking at possibly some neutral tones and maybe work on that glorified council green.
What do you think has had the most profound influence on shaping the woman you are today?
Definitely being raised by my mother. She wore the pants and was always in charge. And so, I grew up with the mentality that women are already in power. It was only when I grew up I realised there’s still lots to be done about equality. It’s through a place of already feeling empowered I emerge from as an artist. This has shaped the woman I am today.
If you weren’t an artist, what do you imagine yourself doing?
I always think about Alternative Andrea and the life she would have led. I would probably follow my mother’s dream of becoming a doctor. This would have probably made me feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled. So I would have had an existential crisis and then pursue an arts degree eventually. Looks like I took the shortcut.
What are you reading, watching or listening at the moment that you would recommend?
I’m currently listening to a Melbourne based artist, Cursory Lance. I love their tunes. It reminds me of being in the Riviera and their songs are also good to paint with. If you don’t paint, then it’s a good song to do chores with around the house or to lounge in. I’ve just finished watching the movie Sisi & I which is a German film loosely based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. The visuals are stunning and the fashion is so inspiring and different to most period dramas. I highly recommend watching it.
OHEN is about giving women a little luxury everyday, how do you take care of mind, body and soul?
Over the years, I found that if I’m ever in a situation where something feels a bit off, I would just leave. Whether it’s a job you’re not happy with or a dinner party, I have trained myself to withdraw from anything that doesn’t fully agree with me. Our bodies are very smart and all we need to do is listen to it very closely. Our surroundings tend to inform how we live and so if there’s a lot of negativity around us, this will affect our minds and bodies.
I also like going for walks with my partner either around the neighborhood or a hike somewhere near. And I really love food. If I’m not in my studio, you’ll find me in the kitchen pretending to be Nigella. I can make broccoli taste yummy.