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Theodora
Jonsson is a multi-disciplined artist living outside La
Conner who began as a classical painter. She uses her
understanding of form, shape, and color to create works
that present a visceral experience of the natural
world. Her works are imbued with gestural movement,
projecting the light of transluscent underwater
landscapes, the mountainscapes of British Columbia, and
evocative natural forms of the Puget Sound.
Theodora studied painting at the University of
Washington, finishing two degrees in art and one in art
history. |
Most of my art education also came from traveling
extensively, which I did over twelve years,
including extending a scholarship to Italy when she
was studying in 1997. "I sold work on the bridges
and lived with four other artists. Basically, I used
any means I could to stay and work with experts I
had met in printmaking at the Galeria des Stampes
and Temple University in Rome. Working on giant
pieces of paper at night on ancient buildings like
the Colosseum gave me a night vision, an unexpected
"listening" guided by intuition and feeling rather
than following the laws of safe artmaking. I never
would have found this at home. I had to venture into
the unknown and let my voice come from somewhere
unfamiliar. I used to call it "re-writing the
script", and it did feel like a kind of
reprogramming of my mind, throwing out all the "shoulds"
and "should nots" of what it meant to make good art
and to be human." |
As one of my most vivid mentors,
Margaret Tomkins once said, “Each day the Sun gets up
and then crashes into the Sea. It creates a space for
anything to be done. So I do it....I Paint!”
Sometimes
when things have gone wrong in my life, such as illness,
death, or debt, there is an opportunity for inner
success. These are the times when I have nothing to lose
and have touched the source of my emptiness. Oftentimes
this is when I can most readily ask myself, What do I
crave or hunger for? It is this craving which precedes
rebirth. The opportunity was waiting for me to hold the
opening in all my frailty and uncertainty by making
marks. Expressing my inner discomfort changes it.
Instead
of asking why is there so much uncertainty, why not ask,
Why is there so much creativity and forgiveness? It is
natural |
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"Mine Eye" Blown, etched and
painted glass
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"Baleen
Whale Call" Blown, etched and painted glass
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As Agnes Martin once said, "I
would like somehow to express that these feelings
are the natural state of mind of the artist, that a
sense of disappointment or defeat is the essential
state of mind for creative work. In order to do
this, I would like to consider further those moments
when we feel joy in living..... I find the greatest
of those moments to be the transformative effect of
a furious gesture drawing or an honest attempt. The
reason I brought this up first is to address the
inhibitions we all have but are necessary." |
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"Orca Trail" Blown, etched and
painted glass
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"White-Beaked Dolphin Call"
Blown, etched & painted glass
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If you want to succeed be sure to fail first.
When I was a student studying in Rome on a grant, my
expectations were so high that I found myself
paralyzed, unable to work. I spent some time in
grief, angst and self pity and then finally came out
the other end with a decision that i would make the
worst art I possibly could. If I tried my hardest,
what would that look like? The scribbles and furious
drawings became paintings and are still some of the
best work I've ever done. |
“Fear and uncertainty is a prerequisite for
success.”- Richie Kehl. Give it all you’ve got. Make
it Big, throw yourself into describing those
forms.
At the other end is a feeling of fulfillment, empathy,
and peace, which I think comes from this kind of
work. Then, I find myself standing in everyone’s
shoes and am Conscious (not sure what you mean here,
either).
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"Haggen Water" |
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