Ida Mitrani
BA Hons. Fine Art, Dip. Botanical Art , Dip. History European Painting, Dip.Animation
MA in Art and Process
https://www.facebook.com/IdaMitraniArtist.ArtTeacher/
Instagram: @idamitrani
I recently completed my studies in the Crawford Art College in Cork where I was rewarded the 2020 scholarship student for the Masters in Art and Process course. In the past 17 years I have acquired significant teaching experience, worked in various community art projects, while also working as theoutreach officer in Temple Bar Gallery and Studios in Dublin for seven years. I have taken part in many recognised exhibitions in Ireland and Europe, including Uilllin, West Cork Arts Centre (Outdraw, 2019);
My work is included in a number of publications and is now part of the public collection in the National Library in Dublin, the National Archives of Ireland, and the Arts Office in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.
I was commissioned by Dublin City Arts Office, as part of the 2016/2017 Dublin Culture Connects Community art project, to design and draft drawings depicting the multicultural food history of Dublin’s inner city.
STATEMENT
My artistic concerns and interests are influenced by concepts and theories of plant culture in the current environmental crisis, including plant blindness, post-naturalism and hybrid materials. The creative process explores the relationship and the interaction between humans, plants and technology, looking at the function and meaning of weeds in today’s society.
By bringing the viewer’s focus to the vegetal world in an evocative and thoughtful way, I examine the symbiosis and conflict between man and nature while making the familiar more visible. Using an environment of textures, my aim is to capture a memory of the present era that reflects the diversity and adaptability of life, and contemplates a vision of a possible new understanding of a ‘clean landscape’ where plastic is incorporated in nature.
The work is comprised of large and small drawing installations together with three-dimensional objects; mixed materials combined with plant-life forms; and layered digitised images. Their positioning in unexpected places evokes the idea of reproduction, sprawl, growth and transformation within the natural world in contrast with the stasis of non-degradable materials.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
National Library of Ireland
Arts Office Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown
Soho house Istanbul
PUBLISHED
Eireannach, Celebrating the native plants of Ireland,2018
Dublin Culture Connects, ‘Around the Table’, 2017
Commissioned (3 maps)
Heritage Irish Plants, 2016
Irish Society of Botanical artists/Irish garden plant society
closeup
archaic bio-metamorphosis I, 2020
20201216_165014
archaic bio-metamorphosis I, 2020, watercolour & mixed media on paper (recycled materials, organic life forms, plastic, collage, stitches), 69 x 49 cm
20201116-124615-Original (1)
archaic bio-metamorphosis II, 2020, watercolour & mixed media on paper (digitised image, recycled materials, organic life forms, plastic, collage, stitches), 69 x 49 cm
archaic bio-metamorphosis II, 2020
MY ARTISTIC JOURNEY
As a child I was always drawing and colouring. I cannot remember a time when creativity wasn’t an important part of my life. I would draw characters based on my vast collection of Walt Disney illustration books. My brother and I spent many afternoons drawing space scenes with imaginary planets and stars.
My mother once told me that I tried to eat a whole set of paints when I was two years old. I often say that’s the reason why I’m so sensitive to colours.
I loved looking at art material magazines and fell my heart beating every time a large box of coloured pencils appeared on the page. Now as an adult I have a full collection of beautiful expensive pencils; what a pleasure it is to open the box and and see the vibrant colours.
I particularly enjoyed the art classes at school. I had a couple of very talented art teachers who nurtured my interest in Art. In 1999 I was admitted to Art college where I studied Animation followed by Fine Art.
Being an artist…
I see creative possibilities everywhere and in everyone. Mental and sketchbook work are essential to my creative expression.
Isolation is also important in allowing a range of creative people to produce their strongest work.
One has to stay in connection with one’s internal monologue in order to express it. It’s very difficult to find my creative voice if I don’t self reflect and daydream.
I enjoy exposing myself to new experiences and environments especially to nature where I can feel strong sensations. They are all part of my creative process.
Intellectual curiosity and emotional openness are, for me, very closely linked. I look at the world and regularly question it.
Perseverance leads to creative success. Many times, artists will encounter rejection and feel worthless until the day comes when a new opportunity presents itself.
Failure pushes me to reinvent myself and look at my artwork from a different angle. It can be a painful process but I always remind myself that the opportunities are limitless.
Being an artist is a risky business. I haven’t chosen this path for the love of money.
It’s part of me, a need.
There is a strong link between taking risks and creativity. An artist has to produce work based on an idea and make it concrete.
Motivation is another important part of my artistic achievement. It has to be internal first. Artistic recognition can be a factor to motivation but it shouldn’t be the main one, otherwise it will have a detrimental effect.
I find my motivation and energy in teaching, where I can interact with my students, and question, dissect and construct new ideas for my art.
The moment of creation feels magical. It’s like being in a mental trance where everything feels right. I’ve always enjoyed drawing, its physical and mental freedom. Being able to connect with the paper gives me an intense feeling of serenity.
My studio is at home. Everything surrounding me has a purpose, be it purely aesthetic or purely functional. I make sure to always work in a tidy and clean environment; otherwise my thinking and creative process is affected. Once all the preparatory work has been completed I tend to listen to classical music and documentaries while I work.
EVENTS
MARCH 25 – ArtNetdlr Annual General Meeting @dlrLexicon20th March 2023 - 4:54 pm
MARCH 25 – Artist Talk | EDDIE KENNEDY20th March 2023 - 8:00 am
MARCH 23 – Exhibition Opening| Deirdre Bracken & Barbara Lee19th March 2023 - 6:02 pm
FEB 1 Wednesday – ArtNetdlr COFFEE DOCK is back!19th January 2023 - 4:41 am
FEB 11 Sat – Take the love train, Valentine’s weekend, with poet Katie Donovan18th January 2023 - 9:19 am
