We recently welcomed Clare Dubina's new artworks to En Gold. The collection draws "underlying inspiration comes from the shapes, lines, silhouettes, gestures and negative spaces created by the female body."
As part of the release we caught up with the Melbourne-based artist to ask her about her career, inspiration and more.
How did you start your career?
The beginning of my art career started in May of 2020 with the assistance and nurturing of En Gold director Steff. I visited her showroom to pick up a sculpture, and was met with such a warm smile and comforting personality, that I stepped out of my introvert self and decided on the spot to ask her if she was taking on any more artists. I still remember the feeling of absolute disbelief and excitement when she messaged me about the first sale within the first hour of launch, and to be honest I still feel it every time! I officially transitioned to being a full-time artist in April of this year, and I will be forever grateful for being a small part of the En Gold family and the support Steff has given me.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
The underlying inspiration comes from the shapes, lines, silhouettes, gestures and negative spaces created by the female body. I try to stay inspired through my own body of work by evolving one piece to the next; paintings inspire sculptures and vice versa. It also comes from seeing the potential within something partially finished or something unsuccessful that I am in the process of changing, whether it be a painting or reworking clay. I still refer back to my sketchbooks from 20 years ago when my mind wasn’t influenced by social media, and I was furiously writing down ideas without a filter or care of judgment and concern for livelihood.
Describe your average work day:
I like to start my days quite early as that is when I’m most productive. Weather actually also plays a big part in deciding how my day will pan out, as my Brunswick painting studio can be quite dark on rainy days, so I will end up working at home on ceramics. After about 7hrs of painting, I tend to start questioning my palette choices or placements as I get a bit burnt out, so I’ll come home and work on sketches or unwind with playing with clay. As a sole trader there is definitely something different happening each day, whether it’s discussing commissions with clients, updating my website or doing the bookkeeping, I probably don’t switch off until about 8pm. I’ve just treated myself to new runners and a workout app, so I am going to be making time for myself somewhere in the day!
What are your go to songs/albums/artists when it comes to creating and working?
I love listening to podcasts while I paint, some of which include Offline, Art Wank, How to Fail and also TDF Talks. Occasionally I will put on a bit of Beyonce to keep the body moving between drying layers!
What would be the best part of your job?
The best part is that THIS is actually my job. I definitely don’t take it for granted how fortunate I am to be able to live out my dream every day as a full-time artist. It took me a while to find the confidence to make the transition last year, and I have never felt so fulfilled and more myself then I do now, and that is the best feeling.
