10 Questions with Ekaterina Lestienne

Born in Ukraine, Ekaterina (Eka) Lestienne is a French digital artist and creator of a colorful world full of positive vibes.

As an intuitive artist, Eka is passionate about the harmony of colors. Her works are unique, vibrant, and sparkling. Eka melds the pieces of digitally transformed images together, mixing them with other media creating an intuitive fresh layered imagery.
She seeks to share her vision of a world of happiness and joy. The magic of colors she creates is capable of boosting motivation and increasing vital energy. For this reason, her works were called "energy powerhouses."

In love with our planet, Eka opted for zero-waste digital art practice.
Eka's artistic goal is to deliver one message: beauty is everywhere, and it is intense. Her works are artistic conversations addressing many different subjects. She celebrates beauty in all shapes in her work and reinforces ideas about an optimistic vision of the world, inspiring others.

www.ekavibes.com | @ekavibes

ARTIST STATEMENT

“My layered, detailed, textured digital collages refer to the multi-dimensional soul of the world: the combination of the seen and the unseen.

It is my intention to inspire those who see my work to look more carefully at the world around them and feel the connection to the beauty surrounding us.

I ultimately hope to create a space where people embrace creativity, humanity, and compassion, celebrating every moment of life.” - Ekaterina Lestienne

New Consciousness, Digital Collage, 80x80 cm, 2022 © Ekaterina Lestienne

INTERVIEW

First of all, how would you describe yourself and your work?

My name is Eka, and I am an intuitive artist passionate about the harmony of colors. My works are colorful mazes where you can find your source of energy. I meld the pieces of digitally transformed images together, mixing them with other media creating an intuitive fresh layered imagery.

Why are you an artist, and when did you first become one?

I have been doodling, drawing, and painting before, but my true artistic journey started in 2020 with my current digital art practice.
My artistic journey is a result of spiritual awakening. During the years of my legal and financial career, my life has been stressful, it gave me anxiety, and it wounded me. In 2019 I had a burnout. For weeks I have been so tired that I could barely walk. Then, it took me a long time to reconnect to reality.
So, I started doing simple exercises to start feeling my body again and stimulate my senses: noticing objects around me, their colors, tastes, and smells, and practicing sky watching.
All these practices did not only help me to reduce anxiety, but they also made me realize how beautiful the world actually was. This was when I started taking and processing pictures and creating collages to reveal and share this magic I could see.

Unicorn Princess, Digital Collage, 80x80 cm, 2022 © Ekaterina Lestienne

You work primarily with digital collage, and in your bio, you mention opting for a “zero waste digital art practice”. Why did you choose this medium, and how does it help you in going zero waste?

Thanks a lot for asking! I love experimenting with mediums. For example, I’ve been practicing grain-painting lately: I enjoy creating intuitive images using rice grains and flour.
Nevertheless, my main medium is digital, as it has many advantages that allow me to be fully engaged in a creative journey. I enjoy creating series of images while I don’t need to worry about storing them or buying paints. It is both an eco-responsible and liberating practice.

Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? Do you have any routine or set of actions that help you get in the right zone to create?

My collages represent pieces of an image that I process many times using A.I. mixed with different media. Creating these complex, multi-layered, multi-textured images, to me, is a way to reflect the true structure of our world: a combination of the seen and the unseen.
I call my art style “Crypto Baroque” with reference to the Baroque style, which is very charged both visually and emotionally to give viewers as an intense visual experience as possible.

The colors you use seem to have an important role in your work. How do you choose them, and what do they represent for you?

Colors play indeed a central role in my artworks. There is a quote by Wassily Kandinsky: “Color is a power which directly influences the soul.”
I believe that the harmony of colors sends an important message of joy and happiness. The power of color is healing and nurturing, and it reminds us of what is really important in life.

Curiouser and curiouser!, Digital Collage, 80x80 cm, 2022 © Ekaterina Lestienne

What are your sources of inspiration? Do you have any artist or artistic movement that particularly influences your work?

Honestly, I’m influenced by pretty much everything I see, life itself in all its manifestations. Creative ideas just come, and I am liberating them. This is why I am addressing such a large variety of subjects. It is part of my process. When a creative idea is not liberated and given an opportunity to speak, it is somewhat offended and blocks new inspirations. So I just let the beauty live, helping it to become visually tangible.
At the same time, I am truly artistically independent in what I am doing. I’ve never seen anyone create in a similar way, and I’ve been told many times that my process and art style are truly unique. I guess I just follow my own weirdness.

What’s the essential element in your art?

In my art, I embrace the concept of imperfection, which is essential to me and truly enjoyable to explore. Imperfections help create the most beautiful visual harmony, reminding us that flaws are an integral part of being human.

There Is No Spoon, Digital Collage, 80x80 cm, 2022 © Ekaterina Lestienne

Do you find that the shift to digital exhibitions and art fairs has helped you promote your work?

I truly enjoy participating in digital exhibitions and discovering talents from all around the world. I’m also part of the NFT movement, which is a truly exciting adventure.

What do you think about the art community and market?

My life has been so much better since I became an artist! I love the art community, and I believe that art has the answers to practically anything. We are now experiencing a major shift.
I believe that this shift is towards kindness, enhanced creativity, and meaningful connections between people.

Finally, any projects you are looking forward to for this year?

I’m absolutely thrilled to participate in the prestigious Salon d’Automne in Paris this October. It is an exciting opportunity to meet art lovers and other artists who work in different disciplines.
My biggest upcoming project of the year is a collaboration with famous composer and pianist Alma Deutscher. We will be creating audio-visual NFTs together. This is an exciting and absolutely pioneering project.

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