Featured artist
Madella-Mella Ursula

Born in Bregenz in 1971, I grew up in Bregenz, but have also lived in Zurich in Switzerland, in Baden near Vienna in Austria, in Hörbranz, in Mljet in Croatia, and in Puerto Merolos in Mexico. But I considered myself at home in Bregenz, where I still work today. While my professional career developed exclusively and successfully in painting, I was lucky enough to be the mother of 4 children. In 2011, however, my family obligations eased and since then she has been able to concentrate exclusively on my artistic work.

I prefer not to classify myself in a style dogmatized by words and the past, because that would be a limitation in my eyes. Therefore, I prefer to write here only about the painting technique I use. My preferred painting technique is encaustic painting. The love for this painting technique with its unlimited possibilities of expression, the intensity and luminosity of the colors speaks for joy and liveliness. An old handicraft technique, implemented in the modern zeitgeist, colourful, playful in detail and yet with a certain straightness – characterizes my style. Characterized by the spiritual transformation following the movement of the moment be free from any imagination to arrive at the destination with the gift of deep contentment.

The technique used is called encaustic, which means, translated from the ancient Greek, hot baked. I use pigmented beeswax, which I apply hot to cotton canvas and burn in. I share the opinion of previous artists, who believed that they materialize their own thoughts and feelings and shape and solidify them with fire, irrevocably, so to speak. Since this technique originated around 3000 BC, I see myself as the guardian of an old technique, in which I keep it alive through practice, improve it and also pass it on to others, so that it does not, as almost in medieval times, falls into oblivion.

I also really appreciate working with an absolutely natural product. Eco art is a term that hasn’t been invented yet, but it probably describes it best. All materials used are absolutely natural (beeswax, natural pigments, cotton canvas, wooden frame). While painting, I am always aware that it is the bees that provide me with the raw material for my materials. A living being that I value highly, because if they didn’t exist the world and man would be doomed.

Since 2021 I’ve been working on a series project that reflects current society. Motto: Words have power. The collective, now that we have been very limited for a while, is very much about becoming aware of personal and collective values. A change in values is taking place, and each individual is helping to shape it. Some old ones are said goodbye and new ones brought in, but existing ones are also strengthened even more. Everyone has their own values, and yet we are all one society with each other and with these different values.

The current split shows us the difference, but also the lack of acceptance of this different awareness of values. Unfortunately, man is not yet fully aware that just because he doesn’t agree, doesn’t have the same values, doesn’t mean that the other can’t be a friend, let alone therefore must be an enemy. Likewise, people are not yet so conscious in dealing with words. Words can be encouraging, but they can also be totally scathing. In order to improve this awareness, to show this deficit, art is a form of expression, I started to paint a series. On canvases measuring 40×40 cm and 50×50 cm and 60×60 cm as a background, I paint hidden words that represent and express these different values. A series that should stand for all of us together, for all different values and yet we are all the community, the society.

more. www.madella-mella.com

Image courtesy of Madella-Mella Ursula

Image courtesy of Madella-Mella Ursula

Image courtesy of Madella-Mella Ursula