Interview with Sylvia Hennequin

q)So, can you tell me a little about yourself? Full name, age, some background info, etc?

a)I was born in Swaziland but grew up in the west part of the Netherlands, my parents are Dutch. I’m 37 years young; I’ve got a brother of 39 and a sister of 30. Now I work and live in Rotterdam. I studied Art Therapy, Visual Arts , Graphic Design and Webdesign, but mostof all I'm self-taught . Also I worked with mentally retarded people and I was a student-nurse in an hospital for a few years
I think that personality and life-experience is more important for making pure art than studying art, in my opinion an education in fine arts may be restrictive.

q)How did you get started making art?

a)I’ve always expressed myself with drawing and painting, but mostly when I was in my twenties and thirties I developed myself more as an artist. Especially after my daughter was born (she is 5 years now) I seriously concentrated developing my art on a higher level which is analogue with my life in a broader aspect.

q)How would you describe your art?

a)My art is expressive, emotional and pure with humour in it.


q)Where do you get the inspiration for your art?

a)From my inner world and depths, I’ve learned to express my unconsciousness feelings on canvas, my pure inner feelings, and make whatever I want to make, only thinking what is important to myself instead of what is important for the outside world.

q)What are you working on now?

a)I’m working on the Bunny series right now about my inner conflicts out of experiences from my childhood and growing up and developing myself as an intelligent, independent and sensual woman in today’s world where superficiality becomes more and more the standard and the pure and natural is not of importance. It also expresses the conflict of needing attention, to feel a right for existence and to be taken as a respectably member of the society.


q)Are there some web sites that you would like to recommend? Artists, art communities, xxx,...!?

a)www.mowa.be
www.monkdogz.com

q)What's your favorite medium to work in, and why?

a)Painting with mixed media such as photography, acrylics, oil on canvas sometimes plastics and textile. Because I have this need to experiment and explore new ways to expres myself. A palet with more possibilities on it, makes it easier for me to do so. I’m often very impatient and I like to work quikly because of much new thoughts in my head, therefore painting is for me the best way to expres myself, but I can also express myself in 3-D technics for example or music.


q)What advice would you give to younger up and coming artist?

a)Do what you really want to do and need to do, don’t make things for the satisfaction of others, go your own way and listen to your heart. I think it’s very healthy to be rejected and not fit in the valid perception of fine arts, but create your own renewing art that is natural to your own personality and inner world and that’s a real pure piece of art that only fits you. I think there’s too much mediocre art more suited for decoration purposes only. And laugh a lot about the things you create! Have fun!


q)What is your personal definition of life and art and everything else in between?

a)A process of developing and renewing myself and get rid of all the irrational fears and blocks, to feel free! Very important to me is humour!

q)Take us inside your process a little bit. How do you begin a piece? What inspires the concept?

a)In general I just begin with a vague idea of a direction. I really need to surprise myself all the time otherwise I get bored too quickly. But it will be always a continuance of the painting before in one way or the other. Maybe it will be the opposite of it but it must always be seen in a part of the process. I’m almost always making my art in series. I don’t think too much, but feel what I need to do. I can only paint driven by a strong inner (mostly unconscious) motif.
Ideas and feelings and urges to paint, what I feel at the moment, come to me when I’m doing other things like drinking coffee etc. I’m creating in my head the whole day, but really working with the material is happening in a short time with a lot of efficiency and power in my small studio.


q)What are your artistic influences?

a)My personal life; fears, depths, emotions, humour, thoughts, fantasies, early experiences, the human mind, the interaction with the society and culture.


q)How are the reactions on your work in general?

a)In general people think it is unsettling and a great part dislike it, but in a certain area of the art scene it is considered as strong.


q)What are you doing when you are not creating art?

a)Being with my daughter or drinking Italian coffee and read my book somewhere in town. But all the time in mind I’m also with my art


q)What are some of the greatest challenges that you think artists face today?

a)To be authentic and to be seen.

q)What is freedom to you as an artist?

a)To make and to do whatever I want and need to do!


q)Are there any particular works you've done that stand out as your favourites?

a)Often my present work, so now the Bunnies are the most favourite. But also it is often the opposite, it is fluctuating.


q)Last Books you read?

a)I’m reading at the moment Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the original English version, I enjoy the beauty of the language and the pleasure of the subtleties and humour in the little dramas.


q)Last records you bought?

a)I think it was K3 J.


q)Who are your favourite artists & Your favourite galleries?

a)Many unknown artists, in general I like the expression of the Cobra and the post-Cobra movement.

q)Which do you think make good art good? originality, or style? And, why?

a)For me real good art is pure and extracted from the inner world of the artist. Art that communicates with me through my heart, when I feel the soul of it, the emotions within. When I get really moved by it, authenticity, free of restricted standards and moral values. Art that really makes me laugh, gives me a big smile and make me think!


q)Do you get emotionally attached to your work and do you miss your work when it is sold?

a)I’m always sensopathically connected with my work, but when I’ve began a new work I’ll move on. With some work I’ve more attachment than with other work and then it will be missed more.


q)Your contacts….E-mail…links

a)www.sylviahennequin.nl
Info@sylviahennequin.nl