Vian Borchert, an Influential and Inspiring Expressionist Artist of our Times.

Interviewed by Jessica Dewey

Vian Borchert is an established award-winning contemporary expressionist artist. V. Borchert has exhibited in many group and solo exhibitions within the USA and internationally. The National Gallery of Art in Amman, Jordan has her artwork in their permanent collection. Vian is a graduate and “Notable Alumni” from the Corcoran College of Art and Design George Washington University, Washington, DC.
Vian considers her expressionistic and abstracted art as visual poems. Vian Borchert’s art has been on exhibit in prestigious places such as the United Nations General Assembly’s Public Lobby Gallery, NYC, and in “Art Basel Miami Beach” Spectrum Miami, 1stdibs Design Center in Chelsea, NYC and the LA Art Show. Vian’s art is in private collections worldwide, embassies, and museums. Borchert exhibits in major world cities such as NYC, LA, DC, London, Rome, and Berlin.
V. Borchert’s art has been featured in numerous well-regarded press such as The Washington Post, ARTPIL, Art Reveal magazine, 300 magazine, Art Market magazine, HappenArt, Vie magazine, Al-Tiba9 International Art magazine, Metro Weekly magazine, Elan magazine, Dart International Magazine, The Miami Art Scene, DC Modern Luxury magazine, NPR’s Art Beat, Influential People News, and others. Vian Borchert has worked in major museums such as the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC and the Phillips Collection Museum. Borchert is an art educator teaching fine art classes in the Washington DC metropolitan area for over a decade.

IPM: What does your work aim to say?

Vian: I am an expressionist artist; I consider all my artwork to be visual poems. My artwork aims to deliver my environment and the way I see the world through my lyrical vision and sense of aesthetics. For me nature is very important and plays an essential role in my life. I am a nature lover. Therefore, I want through my work to reawaken the visual senses of the viewers where they also will attain the rejuvenation, calm, and peace feelings achieved through viewing and taking in the art. I aspire to bridge the gap between the visual world and the real world while allowing the viewers to revive their imagination and exploration. Hence, I aim to create a thought-provoking visual dialogue between the viewers and the art on a higher cognitive creative level.

IPM: Does your work comment or relate to any current social or political issues?

Vian: There are times where my work has touched upon subject matters that are ailing the world. To illustrate, when COVID-19 hit and our whole world was affected by this pandemic; sequestered in my studio and quarantining at my home, I set forth to create works that are symbolic of such times. Summer of 2020, I created a body of work that was rooted by the influences of this pandemic. Until today, I still wake up every morning questioning the fact that we live in a pandemic, and that we are plagued by such an infectious and mutating disease. The paintings created from the Summer of 2020 and until recently have all dealt with the idea of reflection and reminiscence to a simpler time where life was much easier and uncomplicated, where travel was more feasible and the world was better connected.
The work that I created last Summer in a series titled “Reflection” ended up in a solo art exhibition in September of 2020 in a gallery in Arlington, Virginia. The “Reflection” paintings’ series was very well received.

IPM: Who are your biggest influences?

Vian: My biggest and foremost source of inspiration and influence is mother nature – the mother of all. For me being in nature, be it meditating upon the beauty of the sunrise and the sunset or simply gardening in my garden all connects me to the earth and its abundant bounty that it bestows upon humanity through its ever-flowing daily giving. Besides nature, my children are my biggest influences. It is through their eyes, their energy, and their love for life that I re-energize myself daily to do better for them, for their generation, and for the current world and the world to come. I also like my plants; they are some of my influences. For example, when my Shamrock plant grows and flourishes with its delicate white flowers, I feel this inner deep love for such a quiet yet essential source of life. For if we don’t have trees, plants, and flowers, we have no life. The circle of life is apparent to me through the world of botany and flora.

IPM: How have you developed your career?

Vian: I developed my career throughout many years of rigorous and continuous hard work and many sleepless nights. I like to point out that the path of an artist is no walk in the park. There are lots of ups and downs to the artist’s journey and career. If I have to give an analogy it would be like viewing an iceberg, the viewer only sees the tip of the iceberg but doesn’t see how deep and far below the surface it goes. For me my art career of many long years of hard work, painting, working along exhibiting over the decades have gotten me to the point where I am at today.

IPM: How do you cultivate a collector base?

Vian: Same thing, the development of a collector base does also come with time. The art collectors come from all facets of life. Be it, the art fans that follow one’s footsteps and growth and ultimately love my vision and art that I present to the world. I’ve had art collectors from the time I was back in college during my Corcoran days who are still in touch with me till today. On the other hand, I’ve had collectors whom I don’t know at all, collect and acquire my work at the galleries that I exhibit at. So, there is really no recipe. I believe wholeheartedly as an artist that art should speak on its own to the viewer and collector, and good art does that! I’ve recently had embassies acquire artwork of mine so the collector is not necessarily an individual who wants to put my art up on their house walls, it can go beyond that. I’ve also had international museums acquire my art as well. Overall, a collectorship can come from different sources. I have observed that it is usually those who keep an eye on my art progress that end up attending the exhibits or contact me personally to acquire some artwork.

IPM: What’s integral to the work of an artist?
 
Vian: The most integral and fundamental to the work of the artist is to have passion. Love to the art is in my humble opinion the vital element in creating art. Besides the love for the art, a sense of discipline to carry on the path is necessary. Producing art is not for everyone. There are lots of ups and downs and curvy roads throughout the artist’s path and journey. Yet, discipline, perseverance and most importantly love for the craft is at the end what’s going to make the journey better traveled.

IPM: What has been a seminal experience that pertains to your art?

Vian: I believe the seminal and major experiences that have affected my art are not exactly the happiest moments in my life. It is actually the opposite, the hardships and those very difficult life and death situations that I have lived through that caused me to escape into my art to find solace and refuge in the creative world away from the sadness and the morbidity of those difficult times, have affected my art. Art for me is not only a form of self-expression, but it has helped me heal and escape into my own created world. Consequently, art throughout my life’s ups and downs has always been not only a creative outlet but a source of mediation and escape

 IPM: What do you want your art to say to people?

Vian: I feel that my art presents me as a visual storyteller where people can through viewing the art and its titles enter my own world be it a day by the sea where you can observe the seagulls and the birds flying up high, or feel the waves collide and rush to the shore while a gentle touch of light comes through a misty sunset in the distance. I want through my art to say enjoy the simple pleasures of life and nature’s offerings while taking in the beauty of everyday life as it comes.

 IPM: Who/what inspired you to get into art?

Vian: I grew up in an art household. As a child and as far as I can remember, I recall my mother holding a brush, listening to classical music especially Beethoven and making one painting after another. For me, art runs in my blood. It is hereditary, everyone from my mother’s side of the family is artistic and creative. I was born with this gift and talent, and I was highly encouraged by my family, school and teachers to become an artist. For me, art was not a choice, it was part of who I am, similar to walking and talking.

 IPM: What is your style of painting?

Vian: My painting style is an abstract expressionist one with a minimal touch. Also, my work is very painterly which is my signature style – strong brush strokes with blues and purple tones.

IPM: Tell me about the texture in your painting.

Vian: The texture in my paintings is essential. I am a painter, and I am one who believes that the artist’s hand at work should be visible in the artwork. Thus, I execute my paintings in a painterly fashion which is a signature of my style and identity as an artist. Big brush strokes with meaningful colors be it blues, or lavender tones depict some of my latest series that are currently on exhibit in my “Lavender Fields Paintings” series on view in Manhattan, NYC at Lichtundfire “In Full Bloom” art exhibition for the Summer 2021.

IPM: What inspired your recent lavender paintings?

Vian: The lavender fields paintings were inspired by the lavender plant that I planted in my garden at the beginning of COVID times. I had found the plant not only beautiful in its lavender hues but resilient and poignant throughout the seasons. Simply seeing the lavender growing and prospering during this time, gave me an incredible amount of happiness and inner satisfaction. Moreover, lavender farms have become a staple of nearby farms that I have visited and enjoyed while taking in the beautiful landscapes that have also contributed to the lavender painting’s creation.

IPM: Anything you would like to share with our readers who have a dream to pursue art?

Vian: For the readers who have a dream to pursue art, I advise them as an art educator to start off by taking art courses from artists/teachers whose work they admire. Therefore, enrolling in art classes such as drawing, and painting will allow them to learn how to draw freehand which will help them in their path of discovering their inner creativity.

Vian’s stunning recent Lavender paintings are currently on exhibit in Manhattan, NYC at LICHTUNDFIRE in the art exhibition titled “In Full Bloom” for the Summer of 2021!

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