Interview: Aima Sodonienė
Luca Curci talks with Aima Sodonienė during the 14th edition of CONTEMPORARY VENICE 2024, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello.

Aima Sodonienė was born in Lithuania. She grew up and studied in Kaunas. She started her artistic path at Kaunas Art Gymnasium. There she delved into various types of art. Later, she continued her studies at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree. Starting her painting career with hotel and restaurant chains, she developed a great sense of responsibility to always strive for the best result and to perfectly manage paintings of different formats. Each painting is a search for new means of expression, the interplay of materials and colors creates a whole.

Luca Curci – How did you get to your current artistic practice?
Aima Sodonienė – I’ve always been inseparable from colors, art, and creativity. My hobby has become my job. Already at school, I felt that painting was something very close to me. I have worked in many different jobs, but I have always connected everything with colors and art, and all my work has slowly led me to who I am now. It was not a short path. I’m very happy that my hobby has now become my job. The increasing number of commissions dictated the variety of my work and techniques. Working with client designers encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone. Practice comes through experiences, trials, mistakes, and pleasant experiences. The more and more varied they are, the greater our inner baggage. I am never afraid to say yes and accept even what sometimes seems impossible. That is how I grow every day.

LC – What are your thoughts while you paint? Do you have any habits or rituals while you work?
AS – I always listen to music with headphones when I paint. I like the fact that the music lives inside me. I don’t get disturbed by the hustle and bustle of the surroundings, so I’m completely immersed in what I’m doing, experiencing every single stroke. There is a lot of my energy in all my work. My thoughts and experiences are varied. If I feel negatively angry, I can’t paint that day. I don’t want my work to be negativity. They can give different experiences, and different feelings but not evil. Sometimes I put more of myself into it and if it is a relaxation for someone else, for me sometimes it is a pleasure that is very exhausting. But I have a constant source of energy, which is my home, which is outside the city in nature. I always get new strength there.

LC – What is the most challenging part about creating your artwork?
AS – The big challenge is to get the composition right so that the eye doesn’t feel the imbalance, to get the colours right, and of course all works of art have to convey a feeling, an emotion. If in landscapes we see nature, in portraits, we see the character in abstraction, we have to be able to attract the eye and hold the attention for at least a while, letting the viewer into the inner world of colours of the picture. If it is an interior painting, it must fit perfectly into the interior.

LC – How is your creative process?
AS – I am inspired by my surroundings. I interpret what I see through the prism of my vision in my own way. I try to convey what I feel and see in the environment in different ways, and I am often fascinated by the fact that everyone sees different things in my work. Sometimes I draw on a hunch, sometimes I do sketches, and sometimes I do very detailed drawings with lots of increasingly precise attempts to see how it should look in the final result. When I’m working on the computer, I draw on a tablet, which gives me the opportunity to try out colors more quickly. But the most important thing after that is to be able to paint on the canvas, mixing and matching the colors yourself.

LC – How do you choose your subjects? Is it a reasoned or an instinctive process?
AS – Most of my work is commissioned. I see the interior, talk to the client, and the designers, and then try to create an image. Often the composition is determined by the shapes and colors in the environment. The surroundings, both inside and outside the house, or what is visible through the windows. I think a lot about what the meaning of the picture is, whether it’s an accent or a detail that just adds cosiness to a space. Sometimes I do sketches, sometimes I do completely random brushstrokes that lead to a whole through colors and composition.

LC – Do you think ITSLIQUID GROUP can represent an opportunity for artists?
AS – I believe that ITSLIQUID GROUP can provide a great opportunity for artists to perform. I think it’s great when so many artists from different parts of the world come together in one place. It’s a great opportunity to touch different genres in one exhibition, it pushes the boundaries of art and communication even further. And of course, it also brings a much wider range of people. It is great that everything does not end with the exhibition. Videos, interviews, descriptions, and different ways of presenting the artist expand the possibilities even further.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us?
AS – The people who work here are kind, warm, and helpful. The pleasant communication will not only make you never forget this team but will also make you want to meet again at the next show, with the possibility of doing so in another country. Thank you to the whole group for the invitation and the good memories.