Issue 3 Artist Spotlight | Bettina Steiger
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Bettina!
BS: During the day you will find me working as an auditor in a major bank, preparing reports. I like to unwind from this high pressure job by spending my spare time out in nature.
During the week, I mostly enjoy spending the evening on my penthouse terrace caring for my plants and doing yoga. On weekends, I often go hiking in the mountains, visit old villages or go snorkeling in the ocean which serves as a destressor and helps replenish my creative imagination which in turn inspires my artwork greatly.
One thing that may come as a surprise to others is that I always have one or two paintings of mine in my car. When driving around the country and even the city, I often look for interesting backdrops such as a colourful door, barbeque stand, an interesting wall, etc. to photograph my artwork against.
C+B: How has your relationship with your work changed since you first started creating?
BS: For me personally it has been challenging in the beginning to allow myself to relax and ‘drift away’ in my painting process. I was worried about making mistakes or ruining the creation I had in mind. It took me a while to allow myself to explore and sometimes move away from the initial idea and follow an impulse and to now generally remain patient with the unknown until a connection between me and my creation arises. The results are often a pleasant surprise. Of course sometimes they are not, and I am continuously learning to let go and to accept that some art works need more time to mature, and it is better to set them aside and complete them with a new impulse at a later time.
C+B: Share some details about your process for creating.
BS: I like to create early mornings after a good cup of coffee. I normally spread my paint and tools around me on the living room floor and get started. I prefer not to listen to music as I am fully emerged into the colours and the action on the paper or canvas. Once I start, I like to spend several hours engulfed in this process.
As I like to allow myself some time for my creation process and need to be in the right mood for it, I tend to have creative phases rather than a regular daily routine.
C+B: What is the one accomplishment you most hope to achieve in your creative career?
BS: Besides the wish to be able to continue with my creativity for many more years to come, I would love to have the opportunity to hold a solo exhibition - both here in Oman where I started my creative journey as well as abroad on an international level.
Find and support Bettina here:
(Travertine Curtains I, 42 x 29.7 cm, acrylic on paper, ©Bettina Steiger)
If my work was a meal it would be: Here is my four-course menu:
For starters I have a collection of mini paintings which gives you a glimpse of my style and colour schemes that are close to my heart. These are also inspired by the plants on my rooftop garden which come in the shades of green, pink orange, brown and yellow. This appetizer is tabbouleh with beetroot hummus and babaganoush with pomegranate seeds.
As a salad I have a collection of sea salt paintings that use various shades of green which are seasoned with locally acquired sea salt helping whet your appetite for more. Enjoy this rocket salad with deep-fried sardines and a pinch of sumac.
The main course consists of larger landscape paintings with earthy tones of beige, yellow and orange along with hues of green, blue and teal. Over the course of my short artistic journey, I have constantly strived to convey stories that befit the wonderful variety of a mountainous desert landscape surrounded by the ocean - A hearty lamb biryani with figs and eggplant.
For dessert, I have my collection of square foot sized paintings which are a bit bigger than my salad and starters owing to my sweet tooth. These paintings are a colourful mixture of sweetness and richness that offer a very pleasant sight with tones of pink, gold and orange. The gourmet will undoubtedly feel satiated and content with this Omani date halwa with rosewater and saffron.
I would love to be able to share my work with:
Georgia O’Keeffe – The 19th century Wisconsin (USA) born artist believed it was impossible to be taught how to paint a landscape. She thought it was something that she as an artist had to discover herself, something she had to feel deep within her bones. When she moved to New Mexico she learned quickly and never stopped being inspired by the unfamiliar surroundings. I myself moved to a foreign country and am fascinated by the contrastive landscapes that surround me. Georgia O’Keefe focused on painting flowers and other landscapes which is another link that would make it interesting for me to talk to her about.
Leonardo da Vinci – Among the qualities that make this 16th century Italian born artist’s work unique are the innovative techniques that he used in laying on the paint, his detailed knowledge of anatomy and his innovative use of the human form in figurative composition. The realism of his painting is a result of his exact scientific observations. It would be fascinating to hear what he would say to Abstract Art in general.
If I didn’t paint, my creative outlet would be: If I were unable to paint I would probably focus more on my creativity as a gardener.
I would love to creatively explore the options of combining blooming and fragrant plants along with fruit and vegetable plants that not only help me to transform my garden into a beautiful and relaxing desert oasis but also allow me to harvest typical fruits of this region and lead a more healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
My hope for those viewing my work: Creating artwork has helped me channel my emotions and challenges living in an alien country in a positive way. I started actively creating art during lockdown, a time which bound us all to our homes.
Considering that I don’t have a formal training in fine arts, I believe anyone can find their inner artist and start creating which can bring a lot of joy to one’s life.
In today’s material driven world, creating something, no matter how good or bad, can provide much needed confidence and increase feelings of self-worth.
I therefore would like to urge people to unapologetically and unabashedly pursue their creative nature without worrying about how it will be perceived. I strongly believe in creating art for your own happiness - appreciation from others will surely follow.
