A day with Effat Pourhasani

Based in Iran, Effat Pourhasani is an prizewinning painter with international distinguish and exposure. Her acrylic on canvas paintings take their inspiration from nature and Iranian culture. By slowly building layers of acrylic paint upon her canvas, Effat Pourhasani creates dense, colorful landscapes and abstract images. Her paintings are captivating, large-sale works that make compelling use of scale and color contrast.

Today, she talks to Singulart about a typical day as an artist:

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

In general, I take breakfast and check my email in the morning. Then I would look for a comfortable place in my studio. And I’d sit next to my paintings I worked on last night to figure out what I did.

What inspires you to create every day?

The passion and the love for creation inspire me. It makes me feel alive and peaceful in the process of creation.

What does your workspace look like?

I work in a private studio in Istanbul that is very close to the sea. It is a very quiet place where I can feel comfortable to paint. The place I live in is full of light. Paintings are everywhere. So people often feel like they are visiting a gallery, and not a studio. It’s the only place where I can put things in order.

Describe the core of your technique or style?

When I start painting, it’s completely spontaneous. My process allows colors and forms to be combined freely, creating unity. Every piece is built up with several layers of acrylic colors. Sometimes I use multiple transparent layers of glazing on top.

What are your studio essentials?

Good light, and good music. The light is most important for me. Because the colors can change in the lack of light. Sometimes I work at night so I set a different kind of lights to get exactly the light I used in that work on. I listen to different kinds of music, such as classical, pop, ethnic… But sometimes I love to work in complete silence as well.

How do you know or decide when an artwork is finished?

First I think about the contrast. The composition of colors and forms is the deciding factor. Usually, I sit against my artwork for as long as I can. I could notice some lacks in my performance. These lacks are usually related to the moment I decide to change it. In my opinion, some paintings are not completely done because if I feel something has to be changed, like texture, colors or forms.

What do you like to do unwind after a day’s work?

I like to do different things like watering my plants, sitting on my balcony and reading books. Sometimes I like to meditate somewhere away from the city in the forest. I would collect all this positive energy and inspiration for my future works.