Flower or frosting?
Artist Nicoletta Belletti creates dramatic, highly sculptural flower artwork from her magic paste. East West Fine Art owner Leeza Arkhangelskaya interviews the Italian artist on her inspirations and innovative approach to floral painting.
LA: What is your mission as an artist?
NB: My mission is to make people feel good. My hope is that when one of my collectors enters her home and sees my painting, she will feel happy to be there.
LA: Why did you pick flowers as one of your main subjects?
NB: Flowers were my first love! When I began creating art, there was no internet, and I gathered ideas from newspapers.
At the dentist, there was a newspaper that talked about an American who painted big flowers, and the image of his paintings inspired me. I secretly tore out the page and looked at it every now and then.
LA: How did you develop your signature paste medium? Why do you choose to work with this paste?
NB: Working with acrylic paste was one of the many techniques I tried. When I tried working with paste, I immediately thought that it was the perfect medium. The flower petals would come to life so vividly, that they seemed to explode right out of the painting.
My technique is close to “action painting.” The image takes shape and becomes beautiful only if the paste is spread with the spatula in a few confident steps.
I have been working with this material for more than 20 years. At the beginning, I used a paste that I found in a paint shop. Then, I perfected the formula and produced my own paste with the help of a small chemical company.
LA: What do you like most about being an artist?
NB: I like being an artist because it's what I love to do. I dreamed of it as a child, and I was lucky enough to be able to achieve my goals. I enjoy entering my studio and seeing all my paints and colors. Their presence makes my eyes sparkle with glee, more so than if I were looking at jewelry!
LA: Are artists important in modern society?
NB: Artists are important because they can make you notice an aspect of something from another point of view that you hadn't thought of. My point of view is joy, serenity, and happiness.
Nicoletta Belletti’s paintings are displayed at East West Fine Art in Mercato.
9118 Strada Place • Unit 8130
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