Could you tell us a little more about your background? How did you start getting interested in arts?

I’m the daughter of Serbian immigrants to California. Both of my parents were very artistic and creative which meant they just naturally had a different approach to seeing patterns in life. So, I grew up around innovative people with a naturally artistic eye and outlook. This coupled with visiting former Yugoslavia (I had family in both Serbia and Croatia) during much of my youth exposed me to European and Yugoslav art movements — from the cities to the villages. I don’t feel like I ever “got interested in the arts,” but rather it was a normal everyday part of life — for example listening to stories about how my great grandfather studied art in Hungary and then was a sought after horse carriage painter in the village, to having my mother teach me how to draw portraits instead of watching Saturday morning cartoons. Artwas part of normal life.

From research to sculptural practise…How does your personal life influence your art?

You know, life is a journey and early on I realized that I had quite a different outlook than many of those around me. I think when I was in highschool I read a quote from Robert Frost that struck a chord.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

So I think from a very young age, I consciously, and sometimes unconsciously, tried to choose a path that seemed more interesting and less common. This led to me researching, writing, and starting my own publishing company, to now focusing on sculptural forms. I think I also like to choose paths that are not well-trodden by women.

Materials, forms, symbols, seem to be very important for your work to convey messages. Can you tell us something about that?

I think there are many types of artists. Some are “technical” artists — where the technique of creating the art is of paramount importance. Some are “message” artists, where the thought process or message conveyed in the art is the most importance. Some are “internalized” artists, where the art is created out of something internalized that is waiting to come out. I think I fall into the latter category.

I’m a big believer in working with a material and coming to an agreement, a partnership, a dance. Where I cancelebrate the material, but still have evidence of human involvement in the making. Material plus man, both celebrated. When I start a sculptural piece sometimes I have a vague idea of what I’m trying to create and sometimes I do not. I try to allow the material to inform and tell me what it wants to be and then I try to infuse this idea with strong emotion.

But in general, I’m drawn to forms that are a bit stronger. There is so much art created by women where the focus seems to be on “delicateness.” And although many of these are exceptional pieces of work, this is not part of my dna. For myself I’m revolting against this notion that women must create delicate things.

What are some of your favorite projects you are proud to have been a part of in your career? What is your personal aim as an artist?

I’m actually quite proud to be part of the Belgrade online art residency. Belgrade and Serbia very much hold a piece of my heart and it feels like coming home. I’m also quite proud of having a piece be selected as part of an exhibition at the Long Beach Museum of Art, where I had worked as a teenager. Another “coming home” experience.

My personal aim… make art. Lot’s of it. Make some that people like and hopefully consider good. I have a few pieces
in wax that I think would be incredible as a large metal public installation. But that is a long term goal.

What’s a moment from the last year you’ll always remember? If you’d known that you’d be isolated, what would you have done differently?

Going to the grocery store and having the shelves empty. I recognize that this has been a common occurrence in other parts of the world — but is nearly almost unheard of in the US. This was a clear indication that a year with Covid 19 would be very different.

If I knew beforehand that we’d be isolated, I would have created a separate work space earlier. We have a school aged child at home and everyone working together in the same space was nearly impossible until we started carving out our own corners.

How do you feel about being involved in an online residency program? How important is to stay connected with the international art community?

I love it! When we’re all unable to travel, to be able to connect with other people around the world is so refreshing. Seeing that we are all experiencing similar challenges both in our regular lives and in creating artwork is humbling. But at the same time, getting to see how others are working through these challenges is invigorating and stimulating. To see what is motivating and influencing people’s art is inspiring. I hope to stay connected with all of my cohort.

What are your thoughts about the theme ‘artist on standby’? Tell us a bit more about your project…

Artist on standby, as a theme, is reflective of the whole world on standby. How “artists” as a unique populationnavigate this “standby” is quite an interesting concept to explore.

I’m using the Belgrade online arts residency as an opportunity to explore some of my Serbian roots. Additionally, because Belgrade is really known for some exceptional contemporary and avant garde art — to really push myself to experiment with materials and process in a safe, communal space.

One of the pieces I’m working on is my take on some of the spomonike from WWII that dot the countryside of former Yugoslavia. I’m currently fascinated with the “Three Fists” spomonik and am creating a version of one of the fists in ceramic. It’s not a direct translation, but is combining a sense of a fist along with pieces cut out to represent the diaspora of Serbs around the world.

What do you want to achieve before things return to normal?

I’m actually really enjoying this focused and extended time at home. It’s giving me an opportunity to develop a largerbody of work. Before things get back to normal, I hope to find a home for some of my sculptures in order to make room/space for more.

Any future plans/projects?

Right now, I have my head down making work. When I work, I work in volume. So for the foreseeable future, I’ll be in the studio up to my elbows in clay.