&H Interviews | Shira Barzilay on Digital Media, human forms and the creative process

Our talk with Digital Artist Shira Barzilay was inspiring, dynamic and full of the creativity, imagination and energy that the we have come to expect from her art. Find out Shiras view on the future of art, her creative process and why digital media is her preferred medium.

 

SB: Art is first and foremost my bread and butter. My air supply in every way. Emotionally to financially. It is the language through which I communicate with the world. It’s my cure.

 

 

SB: In my opinion, art, at its best, is meant to shake you to your core. Inspire you. Awaken you. My hope is that the work I create with deep thought and emotions transfers to the hearts of people and moves them in some way. I don’t wish to impress; I wish to inspire.

 

&H: You refer to yourself as a Digital Artist. Has that always been your artistic identity? 

 

SB: Not at all. My artistic journey has been years in the making. I studied fashion design and focused mainly on being a fashion illustrator for quite a while. Gradually I navigated away from fashion to discover other areas. Deep down, I knew I eventually would (because deep down, we all know the answers, we just can’t handle them), but I was persistent. The only difference between an illustrator and an artist for me, is the context of the work (not the craft / skills itself). I no longer wanted to illustrate other people’s point (that being clothes and fashion) – I wanted to speak out my own point of view. Took me a while to figure out what I wanted to say.

&H: What does creating in digital media mean to you? 

 

SB: Infinite possibilities. Exploration. Enjoying the advantages of technology and subsequently always seeking change. I love mixing it up – playing with different apps, different electronic devices. I’m interested in seeing where the future of art will go – i am certain it’s a digital one. 3D animation, holograms, people walking through digitized art halls. It’s already here, like the digital art museum in Tokyo or the digital Van Gogh exhibition in Paris. Being a digital artist also means that I don’t have to deal with physical mess of a studio.  Im very messy – so drawing with the Ipad saves me a lot of cleanup time.

 

&H: Your work is centered on abstract human figures layered over realistic photography. Are the human figures based on real-life characters or are they purely born out of your own imagination?

 

SB: All of those images are created freehand out of my imagination. For years I studied the human form. Sketched nudes, fashion illustrations and what not. At some point you acquire enough visual memory of what the human figure looks like. It takes a whole lot of practice – like any skill. Once you have that, you’re pretty much free to go freestyle – and to me, that is the most fun. When drawing abstract, one can break away from the anatomy rules and draw more expressively – like Picasso did. That’s liberation. I have a suspicion that only when one has this basic classical training, one can properly achieve this.

 

&H: We see a duality in your work, with the abstract figures being both in harmony and in contrast with their environment. Do you agree? What would you say are the guiding themes of your work?

 

SB: I use the image / the environment, as the set of my story. The image tells a story in and of itself. The abstract interfering by my lines are simply my way of changing the narrative of that story. Sometimes it shifts a little and other times it gives the image a whole new meaning. Choosing a photo is arguably the most important and significant part of my process. Its like the saying that creation is 90% idea, 10% execution. I love this process because it has taught me how to examine things from a different angle and try to reveal the unseen. I’ve always had a pretty wild imagination. I’m a little nutso that way. Some people see shapes in clouds. I see shapes everywhere. I found a way to utilize this otherwise useless capability.

&H: Where do you go to find inspiration for your art?

 

SB: Inspiration is everywhere. But the best answer to that would be – I go inward. Listening to great music, and sketching away. Its like training the muscles of creativity. The more I practice, the more inspired I become. That’s a pretty accurate equation. I say this all the time – its not enough to have talent. Practicing one’s craft is super important. This is why I love Instagram so much – it gets me to practice creative thought on a daily basis. What a gift!

  Shira Barzilays abstract human figure overlayed on photography

&H: You have recently ventured in to live paintings. Can you take us through your process? 

 

SB: I love the energy from an engaged audience. Whether I’m sketching live at events in front of a live audience or going live on Instagram, there’s something about my process being observed that’s electrifying to me. Who knows, it may even affect the outcome of the artwork. In that moment, the audience is a co-collaborator. I used to fear drawing in front of people and dreaded it. Now I love it. Its such a rush!

Check out more from Shira Barzilay on her Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/koketit