GABRIELA-VALENTINA GROZAVU LOOKS UP TO THE SKIES OF GODS
DPS illustration graduate Gabriela-Valentina Grozavu has graduated with a 1st class degree and an inspiring body of heavenly work.
“The Skies of Gods” started as an exercise of imagination, following the outlines in the clouds, and seeing where they would lead her. Surrendering to the playfulness of the unconscious, looking, reflecting, and generating was the first step in her process. Bringing Greek mythology and symbolism into the play, the spectacle of the clouds and the dynamic stories of the gods started to come together as a whole.
Growing up in a place where the sky was wide open and Gabriela could easily see the horizon line, and always had a fascination with the clouds and the shapes that loomed over her landscape. She enjoyed lying on the grass and watching the wind turn the fluffy cotton balls into giant creatures fighting with sticks, old men sleeping with their bellies up, their faces seeming to be blown away by the wind and re-emerge quickly into another form. Moments like this, when she let my imagination run wild, inspired her to create stories, see supernatural beings and admire their unique shapes. This turned into an awesome graduate project.
Combining her imagination with her passion for Greek mythology, Gabriela portrays gods in a fantastical way, highlighting their heavenly charm through alluring skies. Because of their complexity and zealousness, it would be an insult to cram them on only one cloud, so she dedicated a sky to each of them. In addition, she added hidden symbols and shapes for you to discover and to provide a larger playground for your imagination.
“I am a Romanian artist living in London. I juggle between illustration, animation and fine art because I love experimenting and finding a suitable medium for each project I work on. I love coffee, books and giraffes, and I find inspiration in nature, mythology and the subconscious.”
“I like to add emotion and a deeper meaning to my works so that they can break the barriers of the mind and touch the soul of the viewer Spending an extra year studying at LCC and being awarded a Diploma in Professional Studies allowed me more time to develop a deep interest in my subject matter.”
In order to create her mythical skies, Gabriela felt it necessary to study the works of great masters. Since her artworks are exploring landscape painting, she was guided by the atmospheric and turbulent horizons of William Turner and was inspired to create a subtle balance between haziness and resolution.
For the mystical dimension of her skies, she examined the work of Gustave Dore and William Blake and for the mythological side, she read in more depth about Greek mythology and researched how gods were portrayed in literature and in art.
Studies of the clouds
The sketchbook above shows a part of her experimentation and study of the clouds. Gabriela explored the sky through different textures and mediums, in different moments of the day, either from memory, observation or imagination.
Gabriela wants to share the joy of looking at the clouds and letting your imagination run wild. At the same time, she wants to challenge you in discovering which Gods she has portrayed in my skies, and maybe you will discover even more…