Photographer: Antonio DiGuida
Elsy Aumann
Elsy Aumann is a South Florida artist and photographer based in Fort Lauderdale. miamiartzine.com spoke with her about her work.
Where do you live?
Fort Lauderdale
Where we you born?
Caracas, Venezuela
What is your artistic medium?
Mixed media
How did you get started?
I have been an artist all my life, but I recall I started drawing, coloring, and painting when I was in elementary school in sixth grade. Later as I grew up, I was very inclined towards different form or artistic expressions. I painted on ceramic and paper, I did a lot of crafts, and loved fashion design, creating and sewing (by hand) beautiful miniature gowns for my collection of Barbie dolls. My medium of preference then was acrylics or oil on canvas and watercolors on hot press paper.
Elsy Aumann. EYE-C-U. COLLECTION: ME-L’ARTE / EYE SERIES.
Who or what are your influences?
Throughout my childhood, my biggest influences were not necessarily big names, but local artists in my neighborhood. I would hang out in their homes, and I grew up seeing painting and being creative. Later as a young adult, and when I left the small town I grew up in, I was very influenced by Venezuelan artists Jesús Soto, Alejandro Otero and Carlos Cruz-Diez. As far as international influences, Victor Vasarely and Andy Warhol are perhaps the most important ones.
What inspires your work?
My travels and everyday life inspires my work and that great experience of noticing the world around me with my eyes or with the act of looking through the viewfinder of my camera, but nothing inspires me more than nature. No matter what the subject is, I always consider all of the rich details and variety that nature has to offer: shapes, textures and colors from different sources which always allows me to provide more original and visually interesting results in my artwork, designs and photography. I’m also hugely inspired by the beauty of all things natural, such as a sunset, a perfectly shaped body, a glowing attractive face or the simplicity of a flower. Ultimately, just the idea of creating artwork that lifts the inner souls of people and reassures them in their own lives, including those who observe and also those who are actively transforming the spaces they occupy when I use them as masterpieces.
Elsy Aumann. BY THE PIER. COLLECTION: CONTRAST-ART
How does Miami/South Florida influence your work?
In the last 10 years, South Florida has been growing as an important destination and home in the arts and it continues to grow year by year. Being around all that art influences me and feeds more and more into my creative senses and motivates me to keep my imagination vivid. Another great influence of living in South Florida in general is living in the coast. I like to document my environment and I love the beach, and you will always find some beach scene in my artworks.
How would you describe your work?
To create my artworks, I combine my skills of design and photography. In general terms, I describe my work as colorful and contrasting to create the illusion of a reality not seen in the original pictures, going deep beneath the surface to accent the motional impact of the concept. I also like to categorize my art pieces into what I call “creative trends."
Elsy Aumann. CREATIVE WALK. COLLECTION: VIAJE-ART
What was your “aha” moment where you knew that you had “arrived” as an artist?
Honestly there was not such an “aha” moment. Since I can remember, I have been an artist. I was born this way, I have never been surprised with my talent, I just have it, and I try to be very humble about it. Some people think I have super human capabilities, but I’m just really and ordinary person who just can’t stop creating and coming up with ideas or solutions for challenges of a creative nature.
Elsy Aumann. HANGING OUTSIDE. COLLECTION: CONTAST-ART.
What would you like to achieve as an artist?
My major goal is to bring creativity to the lives of others, showing them the magic there is in creating art with themselves. One of my trends, called Me-L’arte does exactly that. As the name suggested, it focuses on self, making “you” the center of attention. Every piece is produced by "commission" only, using hands or fingerprints (Personal Touch Series), and other unique features of your body and face such as your eyes (Eye-C-U Series). Part of this trend is my “Sign-Art-ure” Series, in which I transform yours - or anyone’s - autograph into a fascinating work of art. Also in this category is a sensual trend I call Art-Rotic with sensual artistry in mind.
Past / Upcoming shows:
I have just been featured in the Fifth Annual “Creative Nude Art” Weekend Festival, named ArtUndressed, a three-day event that took place this past November at The McCormick Place in Miami. There I was able to display two of my pieces, “Ready For You”, a 40” x 24” Acrylic on Canvas and “Freedom of Street”, a 30” x 20” Photograph. I’m currently working on my next solo exhibition which will occur at the beginning of Spring 2015. I am waiting to seal a deal for the final location. I'll be posting the information on my Facebook page when I finalize it.
Elsy Aumann. PERSONAL TOUCH. COLLECTION: ME-L’ARTE / FINGERPRINT SERIES
Where is your work available?
Primarily on my website: www.ElsyAumann.com but you can follow me also on Twitter and Instagram: @ElsyAumann and on my Facebook page www.Facebook.com/ElsyAumannFineArt.
