TAG interviews Andrea Kichaven

+ & - / Textured Terrain is Andrea Kichaven's current show at TAG.
On Saturday, June 8, she will be at the gallery to talk about her work.
We asked her a few questions:

What excites you about the medium/genre that you work? 
My excitement for a new piece begins with the canvas size and the blank canvas. I look at all the canvases and one will just speak to me, as if it is saying, "paint me!" I am not afraid of the blank canvas. The first thing I do is layout the page and divide it into sections. I suppose this is my graphic design background speaking.

Una Nueva Vida (Renewed Life), 2013 Mixed media on canvas, 36 x 36"

Can you share about your technique? Or is it a secret?
The title of my current show is + & - / Textured Terrain. The + & -, or addition and subtraction, refers to my process of layering color and texture. My grounds are made with texturing pastes and gels to create texture. Then I build color and texture one layer at a time. Once I add a layer of color, I quickly wipe away most of it and then seal it so that I can add another layer. This process goes on for many layers (10-30). My hope is to have fragments of each layer coming through from beneath, leaving a history and creating depth. Often, more texturizing layers are added for more depth. Complementary colors are used to add harmony and unify the different textures throughout the piece. I believe that my work in monotypes (a type of printmaking) inspired me down this road of experimentation of textures, colors, and layers.

How do you know when a work is finished? 
I generally don't know where I am going and I rely on my instincts during the process. Eventually the piece tells me when it is finished, and whether the environment I have created needs an animal or not. I have a collection of animals (hand painted photographs, illustrations, renderings, paintings) and if the piece calls for an animal, I will add it. I prepare the animals separately so that I don't spoil the grounds I have created thus far.

Traves de la Bahia (Across the Bay), 2013, Mixed media on canvas, 24 x 24"

Tell us about your studio -- where do you create?
My studio is my converted two-car garage. I generally work on three to four pieces at a time, so I also utilize the garden tables for drying between layers.

What would you like your viewers to take away from their encounter with your artwork? 
I hope that the textures and colors draw the viewer into these abstract environments and provoke their imaginations and curiosity.

This is your first show at TAG. Have you had any surprises? 
Becoming a member of TAG has been a wonderful experience. I am enjoying the camaraderie of the other artists and the professionalism of the gallery.

Do you have some questions for Andrea?
Come ask her at TAG on Saturday, June 8, 3-4pm.