give lisa sorgini a camera, flowers and some
paint, and she'll make magic happen.
secondnature
Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m a photographer based just near
Byron Bay in New South Wales. After spending a long time living
in the city – both in Melbourne and Sydney – I made the move a
couple of years ago and have never looked back.
How did the idea for Second Nature germinate? I’ve always
been interested in mixed media with photography, as it allows
me more narrative and scope in my work. I came across the
famous footage of Picasso painting on glass and was instantly
inspired to somehow apply this process. Second Nature was
a bit of a flow on from my series Flotsam, which was working
with flowers submerged in water. I’ve always loved Dutch
still-life paintings, so my idea was to play with the concept
of a still life.
What different types of flowers have you used? I chose florals
that were in season locally, but also were suited colour- and
texture-wise to the process. Flowers with large petals were the
most effective, plus ones with clusters of tiny blossoms, like
wattle. From an artistic perspective, working with flowers and
nature has always appealed to me – there’s such a mind-blowing
variety of textures and colours, and I’ve found people often have
quite an emotional response to them.
How do you want the viewer to feel when they look at these
images? To me, they kind of speak of the beautiful mess that
we are as humans. On the flip side, they’re also suggestive
of the way we play with or alter nature to suit ourselves.
Talk us through the process of making each piece. The flowers
always came first, and from there, I would decide on paint colours.
I wanted the works to be complementary and lend themselves to the
structure or look of each flower. Once the arrangement was in front
of me, I would then paint quite organically, either with or against
the form of the flowers. Sometimes I was unhappy with the painting
and would wipe or water down the paint, and that would become the
finished image. I like to work pretty organically, allowing mistakes
to become part of the final work.
How does Second Nature fit in with the rest of your folio? My mixed
media work varies a lot from my photography work. I find it to be
lighter and brighter, becoming more about colour and texture,
whereas my photo work tends to lend itself to a darker and
moodierdialogue.
What aside from art takes up your time? I’ve been doing quite a bit
of commercial photography and portraiture this year, which has been
fantastic for honing my technical ability, as well as teaching me to be
more adaptable. Aside from the photo work, I spend a lot of time with
my young son; travelling or planning travel; swimming in the ocean;
and cooking delicious meals.
What is your favourite part of what you do? The freedom to explore
ideas and also change my mind. I love how making this series has
opened up my idea of what I can do with photography, and I look
forward to more exploration this year.
Where can we see more of your stuff? lisasorgini.compretty pictures