Last November, Bianka Perlick decided to try her hand at painting for the first time.
Not even a year later, Perlick has fallen in love with creating abstract paintings. Since the Lac La Hache artist began, she has made well over 100 paintings and is set to open her first show at Parkside Gallery this month. Even she is shocked when she stops to think about it.
“I was not thinking I can paint but I started with pour painting, when you pour the paint on the canvas. I thought ‘this is boring’ and then I messed up one picture and I thought ‘oh this abstract, I like that,” Perlick said. “I’ve always loved paint and then this came up.”
After discovering her love for abstract paintings, Perlick did some research on YouTube for techniques and tricks. Deciding she could easily do what she was watching she picked up a brush and turned her home’s basement into her studio.
Before long Perlick was painting up to three paintings a day as she honed her skills. She began finishing her paintings with resin to give them a glossy finish, which she said also required a little trial and error.
“I taught myself. I’d say ‘oh no, this does not look good’ and then I’d try something different. I tried different tools like sponges and I experimented as I went,” Perlick said. “I think when you paint, you never stop learning.”
Perlick said she shared her joy of painting with her dog Esso. Her canine companion of 12 years loved watching “mummy go to her happy place” and would follow her down to the basement to watch her either paint or do yoga.
“Every single painting that I did she was always there from the beginning to the end with me,” Perlick said. “She was always with me even at four o’clock in the morning when I woke up after a dream and went down to capture it. Dogs can feel when you are happy.”
Sadly, Perlick said Esso died at the end of August. To honour her memory she put together a photo collage of her loyal companion, which will be featured in her new Parkside show Empathy and Understanding. The show includes 70 different paintings both big and small.
“I want to put myself out there. You cannot put me in a box. A lot of people say you have to paint a certain way so people know you and I say I don’t need to. I have so many different varieties and that’s what I like.”
READ MORE: Solastalgia showcased at Parkside Gallery
Perlick said interpretation is her favourite aspect of abstract paintings. When she paints she never intends to make a specific design but instead captures her feelings at the moment. She enjoys watching how people can interpret a painting in wildly different ways.
“What’s very hard for me is when you put a painting up in the show you have to name it. In one way this is not really what I like. When you see an abstract painting you should have only your own thoughts and when you name it you take something away from it,” Perlick said.
Empathy and Understanding opens at Parkside Gallery this Saturday. Perlick said she will be at the gallery to greet attendees and answer any questions.
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter