Creative Profile: Hannah Della Bosca
Unveiling the Extraordinary: Hannah Della Bosca's Captivating Fusion of Shape and Colour.
Step into the enchanting realm of Hannah Della Bosca, a visionary artist whose mesmerizing blend of shape and colour captivates the imagination. As our Inner West Creative of the Month, Hannah invites us on a journey through her artistic evolution, from repurposing discarded materials to the confident mastery of her unique style. Beyond her artistic pursuits, Hannah's academic endeavours at Sydney University explore the intricate connections between humans and the natural world, weaving a narrative of ecological justice. Get ready to be inspired as we delve into the extraordinary world of Hannah Della Bosca, where creativity and advocacy intertwine in a powerful embrace.
1. Can you tell us about your background and how you came to be in the Inner West of Sydney? I grew up in Lithgow, on the other side of the Blue Mountains but have moved around a lot since then. I’ve lived in the Inner West on an off for about 10 years, and Newtown feels like home to me now. I love the energy of this area and the eclectic bunch of people who bring it to life. 2. Can you walk us through your creative process? How do you approach a new painting, from initial idea to finished work? For me, painting is a way of following a breadcrumb trail of small impulses that never quite make it to the realm of decision-making. I start with whatever colour feels most interesting to me in the moment, and make a series of shapes around the canvas. Then I pick another colour and repeat until there is no more white space. The composition of the work evolves on its own, as the colours and shapes interact. That sense of working without a blueprint or template, and instead working moment to moment with what’s on the canvas gives me a sense of freedom and wonder in the work that is eventually created. I paint each work twice, once for the design and then again to saturate the colour. The first layer of the painting is the creation stage and is a time for following impulse and not consciously thinking too much, while the second requires more patience and dedication to see the painting complete. 3. Your paintings often feature bold shapes and vibrant colours. How do you decide on your colour palette, and what role does colour play in your work? Each colour has its own distinct appeal, and I enjoy mixing each one on its own and then seeing where it can be added to the work and how it changes the nature of the composition. It’s like a kaleidoscope, or confetti - it’s always changing and moving. The final painting is a testament to the way colours interact with each other to bring either contrast or harmony to the work. I am not very discerning in terms of the palette I use, because there are infinite colours and I love the variety and vibrancy that comes from using them all. For me, creating abstract work is a mysterious and sacred process, and colour is a bridge into that - which makes it playful and inviting. 4. How has your artistic style evolved over time, and what have been some key influences or experiences that have shaped your work? I started painting in my early twenties, and would find canvases and house paint on the street and repaint them in the kitchens and backyards of the share houses I’ve lived in. I never considered myself particularly artsy, but even at the start I enjoyed the process of creating. At some point I came across a painting by Sydney artist Sibylle Werner in a magazine, and was drawn in by the fluid and free combination of colour and shape in her work. With that as a reference, I had my first experience of making something that truly made me wonder, and introduced me to abstract, process-based painting. Over time I switched from acrylics to oil and began to work on larger and better quality canvases, and gained confidence in my own style, and eventually of the ability of the work to connect with others. I’ve been at Lennox St Studios for two years, and it’s an incredible privilege to be part of an artist-run space that has been supporting local artists for nearly thirty years in the heart of Newtown. Having a dedicated place to work, spend time with other artists, and exhibit has definitely expanded my practice, and I’m profoundly grateful to have that experience. In the last year I have experimented with different processes and materials, and worked with everything from string and ink to pastels and drawing. My process has loosened up, and while I have my own style I am also open to experimenting with new ways of doing things. 5. How do you see the intersection of art and activism, and how do you hope your art and research can contribute to positive change in society? I think the most interesting thing about art is that the process of making can take you on a journey that spans enthusiasm and doubt, wonder and despair. The ability to keep going and ride those different waves throughout the process requires a belief that creating is a worthwhile act, in and of itself. Not with any grandiose belief that a painting will change the world, but a humility that there are deeper things that connect us all and that by sharing your work you are also sharing the intangible things you believe in. I think activism is that same process of creating new modes of community, and a stalwart belief that there is something deeper that connects us outside of the consumption-based, capitalist, and colonialist systems we find ourselves in. There are other ways of living here on earth, and bringing them into reality requires shifting the ways we know and express ourselves in order to connect with and value those qualities in others. As well as being an artist, I am an academic at Sydney University working in ecological justice and questions of how humans interact and live with each other and the nonhuman world. Instead of using colour and shape, my work there is a process of bringing ideas together and mixing them into something new. I am currently doing a PhD on ants as a way of rethinking the narrative of human supremacy and domination, and to recognise the myriad worlds and lives that many of us dismiss as unimportant and disposable. I think my experience as an artist gives me the confidence to embrace and experiment with unusual ideas, and to follow them even when I don’t know where they’re leading. 6. How do you stay motivated and inspired as an artist, and what advice would you offer to others looking to cultivate their creativity? I love to follow my curiosity, and the process of making art is something that fuels that through its ability to surprise and challenge me if I am willing to just try. My advice for people looking to develop their creativity is to realise that the magic of art is not in how technically accomplished you are, but to what degree you can cultivate your own sense of courage, adventure, and kindness within yourself. It doesn’t really matter what your art looks like; what matters is that if you have an impulse to create you don’t let fear or self-judgement block your enjoyment of whatever sparked that impulse in the first place. 7. What upcoming projects or exhibitions do you have in the works, and what can we expect to see from you in the future? Lennox St Studios will have an open studio weekend in November, and everyone is invited to come see the work of all 30 artists in their working studios (@lennoxstreetstudios). People can have a look at my work on instagram @hannadyoctogram, and everyone is welcome to reach out to me there. Member Profile: http://innerwestcreativenetwork.org.au/new-south-wales/newtown/hannah-della-bosca
1. Can you tell us about your background and how you came to be in the Inner West of Sydney? I grew up in Lithgow, on the other side of the Blue Mountains but have moved around a lot since then. I’ve lived in the Inner West on an off for about 10 years, and Newtown feels like home to me now. I love the energy of this area and the eclectic bunch of people who bring it to life. 2. Can you walk us through your creative process? How do you approach a new painting, from initial idea to finished work? For me, painting is a way of following a breadcrumb trail of small impulses that never quite make it to the realm of decision-making. I start with whatever colour feels most interesting to me in the moment, and make a series of shapes around the canvas. Then I pick another colour and repeat until there is no more white space. The composition of the work evolves on its own, as the colours and shapes interact. That sense of working without a blueprint or template, and instead working moment to moment with what’s on the canvas gives me a sense of freedom and wonder in the work that is eventually created. I paint each work twice, once for the design and then again to saturate the colour. The first layer of the painting is the creation stage and is a time for following impulse and not consciously thinking too much, while the second requires more patience and dedication to see the painting complete. 3. Your paintings often feature bold shapes and vibrant colours. How do you decide on your colour palette, and what role does colour play in your work? Each colour has its own distinct appeal, and I enjoy mixing each one on its own and then seeing where it can be added to the work and how it changes the nature of the composition. It’s like a kaleidoscope, or confetti - it’s always changing and moving. The final painting is a testament to the way colours interact with each other to bring either contrast or harmony to the work. I am not very discerning in terms of the palette I use, because there are infinite colours and I love the variety and vibrancy that comes from using them all. For me, creating abstract work is a mysterious and sacred process, and colour is a bridge into that - which makes it playful and inviting. 4. How has your artistic style evolved over time, and what have been some key influences or experiences that have shaped your work? I started painting in my early twenties, and would find canvases and house paint on the street and repaint them in the kitchens and backyards of the share houses I’ve lived in. I never considered myself particularly artsy, but even at the start I enjoyed the process of creating. At some point I came across a painting by Sydney artist Sibylle Werner in a magazine, and was drawn in by the fluid and free combination of colour and shape in her work. With that as a reference, I had my first experience of making something that truly made me wonder, and introduced me to abstract, process-based painting. Over time I switched from acrylics to oil and began to work on larger and better quality canvases, and gained confidence in my own style, and eventually of the ability of the work to connect with others. I’ve been at Lennox St Studios for two years, and it’s an incredible privilege to be part of an artist-run space that has been supporting local artists for nearly thirty years in the heart of Newtown. Having a dedicated place to work, spend time with other artists, and exhibit has definitely expanded my practice, and I’m profoundly grateful to have that experience. In the last year I have experimented with different processes and materials, and worked with everything from string and ink to pastels and drawing. My process has loosened up, and while I have my own style I am also open to experimenting with new ways of doing things. 5. How do you see the intersection of art and activism, and how do you hope your art and research can contribute to positive change in society? I think the most interesting thing about art is that the process of making can take you on a journey that spans enthusiasm and doubt, wonder and despair. The ability to keep going and ride those different waves throughout the process requires a belief that creating is a worthwhile act, in and of itself. Not with any grandiose belief that a painting will change the world, but a humility that there are deeper things that connect us all and that by sharing your work you are also sharing the intangible things you believe in. I think activism is that same process of creating new modes of community, and a stalwart belief that there is something deeper that connects us outside of the consumption-based, capitalist, and colonialist systems we find ourselves in. There are other ways of living here on earth, and bringing them into reality requires shifting the ways we know and express ourselves in order to connect with and value those qualities in others. As well as being an artist, I am an academic at Sydney University working in ecological justice and questions of how humans interact and live with each other and the nonhuman world. Instead of using colour and shape, my work there is a process of bringing ideas together and mixing them into something new. I am currently doing a PhD on ants as a way of rethinking the narrative of human supremacy and domination, and to recognise the myriad worlds and lives that many of us dismiss as unimportant and disposable. I think my experience as an artist gives me the confidence to embrace and experiment with unusual ideas, and to follow them even when I don’t know where they’re leading. 6. How do you stay motivated and inspired as an artist, and what advice would you offer to others looking to cultivate their creativity? I love to follow my curiosity, and the process of making art is something that fuels that through its ability to surprise and challenge me if I am willing to just try. My advice for people looking to develop their creativity is to realise that the magic of art is not in how technically accomplished you are, but to what degree you can cultivate your own sense of courage, adventure, and kindness within yourself. It doesn’t really matter what your art looks like; what matters is that if you have an impulse to create you don’t let fear or self-judgement block your enjoyment of whatever sparked that impulse in the first place. 7. What upcoming projects or exhibitions do you have in the works, and what can we expect to see from you in the future? Lennox St Studios will have an open studio weekend in November, and everyone is invited to come see the work of all 30 artists in their working studios (@lennoxstreetstudios). People can have a look at my work on instagram @hannadyoctogram, and everyone is welcome to reach out to me there. Member Profile: http://innerwestcreativenetwork.org.au/new-south-wales/newtown/hannah-della-bosca