A Conversation With Ms. Ernestina
Gallina
This month Word Catalyst Magazine is featuring
the art of Ms. Ernestina Gallina.  Not
that a viewer needs to hear from the artist to add to their art,
but Word Catalyst would like to add depth to our understanding
by hearing directly from the artist. The following is a conversation
with the artist, and we hope that we provide the artist with
a voice as well as vision. Pietrivive in Italy is called "sassi
dipinti", in Spanish "piedras pintadas", in French
"galet peint". In any language it translates into turning
a rock into a work of art.
Pietrevive - Living Rocks by Ernestina Gallina
Greetings and first of all congratulations
for being selected the artist of the month for June, 2008. You
currently live in Cesenatico, Italy (on the Adriatic sea between
Rimini and Ravenna) and have stated on your internet site, "Pietrevive"
which is the Italian translation for "living rocks"
that you have been painting since you were a child.
What first enticed you to start drawing?
Drawing has always been one of my favorite
pastimes.
Since I was a child I dreamed of becoming
an artist, but I thought that I wasn't good enough to make a
living from it. So I decided to study education and became a
teacher. Another great passion of mine is the natural world.
I have enjoyed rock collecting since I was a teenager, and it's
no surprise that I fell in love with rock painting. In the winter
of 1998 I discovered a book on painted rocks, which I found in
a bookstore by chance; it fired my imagination and my enthusiasm.
I absolutely had to try it! I still remember my first painted
rock, it was a cow and I was fascinated by how paint could transform
an ordinary rock into a life-like looking creature. From that
moment rocks took on a new meaning and became a significant part
of my life. I have painted thousands of them and continue to
find this art form irresistible and magical.
Even though you have never had any formal
art school training, have you ever studied under another artist?
What is your background?
I have never had a drawing lesson in my
life. My favorite learning mediums have always been books, online
resources, and experimenting by trial and error. Also, when I
teach rock painting classes I often learn from my students, watching
them painting and drawing.
In my artistic experience I have learned
a valuable lesson: passion is the key, never let fear of someone
else's judgement stop you. Too often we allow our insecurities
to restrain our creativity. Paint to please yourself and not
others; do it for your own personal joy and pleasure and people
will sense it and appreciate your work.
And now you teach - as you have stated
on your site. You have stated that you happened upon a book that
opened up the world of "Pietrevive" to you. Do you
look for a certain shape for an animal or does the rock itself
dictate what you paint?
Both. Sometimes I have an idea of what
I want to paint and I seek out a rock whose shape matches what
I want. More often it's the rock itself that will spark an idea
and I'll go from there. Some rocks tell me at once what they
want to be.
For others I have to wait; I examine them
carefully, trying to find patterns in their shape, waiting for
inspiration, with no haste. Sometimes it takes weeks, or months.
I put the rock back with others on a shelf or in my garden among
plants. Sooner or later a random glance will reveal to me its
hidden design.
What provides inspiration for your art?
The beauty of nature and rocks. I am a
careful observer. I watch animals, study their anatomy, draw
sketches, and collect photos. That is one way of learning how
to see an animal in a rock.
Your art that I've seen uses acrylics
on rock, a three-dimensional art form; do you work with other
mediums?
I work exclusively with acrylics. They
are incredibly versatile, they take to the most unusual surfaces
and work wonderfully on rocks.
What do you look for in a work of art?
Art is a language, a visual form of communication.
So first I look at the formal aspects that convey the message:
composition, form, colors, skill, originality, and craftsmanship.
Then I look for something more: mood, authenticity,
emotion... A work of art should strike a chord.
Who is your favorite artist and why?
Living in Italy, I have always been impressed
by all the masterpieces that surround me. I love the great artists
of the Renaissance: Michelangelo, Raffaello, Caravaggio... On
a more contemporary note, I love the French impressionists for
their colors and emotional use of paint.
Where do you see yourself and your art
in five, ten, and twenty years?
I love what I do. I wouldn't do anything
else.
I don't see an end to the journey that
art takes me on. It's an adventure and an opportunity. I'll go
on as long as my eyes and my hands will let me, hoping to constantly
improve.
You are an active member of several
artistic associations and are the founder of the Rock Painting
Club Italia on Yahoo Groups. What are those associations and
how would one of our readers join in?
In 1998 while searching the Internet for
information about rock painting, I found an  online
group that was made up of rock painters from around the world.
Members shared ideas, skills, and talents and it was very helpful
to me as a beginner. In 2001 I began a new "satellite"
group to give the non-English speaking people of my country the
chance to meet and exchange experiences within this art form.
This is how the Italian rock painting club,
that today numbers around 70 active members, was born. For your
readers interested in rock painting I would suggest to subscribe
to the English club on Yahoo: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rockpainting/
It is the best place to meet other artists
and exchange information that would help beginners.
Thank you so much for your time and
art. For more information about Pietrevive and Ms. Gallina visit
her internet home at: http://www.pietrevive.it/en/index.html
To view last month's artist visit
Lynne Taitzsch.
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