‘There is excitement within imagination.’ – Dewy Elsinga, Cover Artist for The Sticky Issue

A huge thank you to Dewy Elsinga, aka Butterfingaz, for being our ninth FRONTIER and the Cover Artist of The Sticky Issue. As an artist, her work is characterised by experiments using colour, patterns, structures and layers on abstract canvases and murals. Her style therefore lends itself perfectly to our ‘sticky’ theme. We speak with Dewy about the piece she created, her visual language and more about her artistic practice.

When given the theme Sticky to create this piece, how did you approach it?

When I heard the word Sticky I immediately thought of brushstrokes. In a way, Indian ink ‘sticks’ to the paper when you're creating brushstrokes. I’ve added a bubblegum theme and some happy spring colours to finish the image.

Your visual style incorporates colourful patterns, shapes and drawings layered on top of one another – how did this identity materialise?

My current identity developed over the past few years and is a result of my interest in colours, patterns and painting techniques. I’m always looking for the perfect balance between abstract and figurative images: I like the idea that viewers get attracted to the colours and shapes, but don't immediately recognise what they’re looking at. There is excitement within imagination.

Many of your pieces are the results of experiments, creating unforeseen results – why does this way of working lend itself well to your practice?

Although I have been drawing all my life, I only started to take painting seriously in art school. I needed to learn everything from scratch: from stretching a canvas to mixing colours, creating grids, etc. The hardest thing wasn’t the practical part but the mental part. Since I’m such a perfectionist I really needed to trust the process and let go.

I think my perfectionism has now turned into pushing myself to try new things all the time, I’m never done with learning. I would hate to be known as an artist who does the same trick over and over again or to be one of many, I’d rather be different. But coming back to the question: I do think experimenting shouldn’t be limited to one practice only, it should be a big part of every artists’ process, no matter the discipline.

Where do you seek inspiration for your work from? Do you often stick within your creative bubble or do you look to other industries as well?

Everywhere! Technique wise I’m very interested in my own practice (painting) - for example, when I walk around in museums or exhibitions I always try to figure out how the pieces are built up. Especially Op-Art, the use of colour is so genius. For general ideas and concepts, I’m interested in everything happening around me, but I prefer music and documentaries. Documentaries can be inspiring from a storytelling point of view and are often very informative about non obvious, specific topics. Music has always played an important role in my life – I couldn’t choose between art or music.

What has been your favourite piece of work to date?

I love the last series I made about World of Food for the upcoming group show LOBI ARCADE with my studio mates Brian Elstak and Hedy Tjin in OSCAM (opening end of the month, check it out!). I also have fond memories on the outside murals I did abroad and annual collabs with foreign artists.

How do you ensure that you continue to grow creatively?

Keep trying out new things without expecting a certain outcome, never be done with learning and stay open to new information.

How do you become ‘unstuck’ from a creative mind block?

I try to put my mind on something else for a few days (if time lets me), work out or spend time in nature.

How do you decide when a piece of work is done?

My painting is done when the outcome looks just like my sketch. Sketching itself is actually the biggest part of the process: developing a concept, creating a (digital and analogue) image and deciding colours can take a lot of time. Whenever the sketches are done, the only thing left to do is mixing the colours and adding the image on the canvas.

If you could pick one recent campaign/project that makes you think, ‘I wish I’d done that’, what would it be and why?

Oof! To be honest, I’m much rather drawn to personal, authentic artistic projects than I am to big commercial ads, so I can’t really name one from the top of my head. But when I see fellow creatives take on the biggest walls on the most beautiful locations, or paint swimming pools, skate parks and soccer fields, I get excited. I hope I can create opportunities like that for myself in the future too. Oh, and I’d love to get selected for The Jaunt, take over some museum spaces with my art, and represent The Netherlands on the Biennale Giardini in Venice one day.

Any advice for young budding creatives?

It sounds super cliche but work hard, listen to criticism with an open mind and most importantly, follow your heart.

Check out the full Sticky Issue here.