JOANNA SOŁTAN (born in 1969)

PAINTER

Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. She studied painting at the studio of ŁukaszKorolkiewicz and WłodzimierzPawlak. She graduated from the Faculty of Industrial Design with a diploma with honours under the guidance of Jerzy Porębski. Graduate of the renowned High School of Fine Arts in Supraśl. She ran her own design studio specialising in the interior design of residences and palaces. Member of the Union of Polish Artists and Designers (ZPAP), Association of Polish Watercolourists and European Confederation of Watercolour Societies.

The artist operates in several media – oil, watercolour and acrylic. She shows the reality that provides us with the awareness of transcendence. Matter reveals itself as the penetration of parallel conscious and subconscious dimensions. In her works, penetration is a symbol of multidimensionality of people and their world. This one of a kind combination of family history, places of existence, relations, feelings, experiences, builds spiritual energy of the image. This is this energy that communicates with the viewer at the energetic, subconscious and conscious level.

She paints with dynamics. She is a part of the trend of colourism and expressionism. The style characteristic for her is achieved through the technique of splashing and pouring of highly saturated pigments. Her works participated in dozens of international exhibitions in Poland and abroad – in Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

IMPORTANT EXHIBITIONS

2015 – Poland – Kazimierz Dolny – 1st International Exhibition of Watercolour
2015 – Czech Republic – Karvina – group Watercolour Exhibition
2016 – Czech Republic – Cieszyn – group Watercolour Exhibition
2016 – Poland – Katowice – group Watercolour Exhibition – 4 ART Gallery
2016 – Italy – Allessandria-Palazzo del MonteferratoMostraInternazionaleAcquarello – International Exhibition of Watercolour
2017 – France – Avignon – International Exhibition of European Confederation of Watercolour Societies (ECWS)
2017 – Germany – Haldensleben – KulturFabrik – Exhibition of Polish Watercolour
2017 – Italy – Fabriano – International Exhibition of Watercolour
2017 – Spain – Salamanca – International Exhibition of European Confederation of Watercolour Societies (ECWS)
2018 – Poland – Grodzisk Mazowiecki – individual exhibition in the Popkolor Gallery
2018 – Poland – Cracow – Palace of Arts – International Symposium and Exhibition of European Confederation of Watercolour Societies (ECWS)

HISTORY OF THE BRAND

1969 – 1983

„Towards Life” my discovery of painting (1975)

Painting appeared in my life in a symbolic manner. When I was a child, I fell ill and I stayed in a hospital for a long time. Spending many days in a hospital bed, I was painting. Painting became my way towards life.

History of the family (historical objects, antique grandmother’s furniture)
I realise how my grandmother and her house filled with antique furniture she had received as a dowry in the interwar period from her friend, countess Potulicka, had a great impact on my aesthetics and academic path. Living in times when apartments in blocks of flats were full of identical sets of furniture, in my soul there was the image of a room in my grandmother’s house, such magical and different than the reality around me.

Designing original furniture in a classic style that referred to the good craft of the interwar period was the first stage in my professional career after graduation.

1984-1989

Buchholtz Palace
(the idea of respect for history, treasuring heritage and love for beauty found their firm position in me)

I was lucky to attend the High School of Fine Arts located in Buchholtz Palace in Supraśl. I learned there the basics of painting, sculpture and I absorbed the idea of respect for history, treasuring heritage and love for beauty. This idea shaped my professional and personal path.

1989-1995

Spirituality and Development

It was no accident that my faculty was located in a former monastery, and I had lectures in a former chapel. Spirituality and religion are important element of my life and art. I try to performmy personal development on several levels, because without it the message and art seem to me based on superficiality and very realistic. In order to be able to tell about something important, it is worth delving into one’s own family history, get familiar with the emotions that are pushing us or remain silent, exploring the secrets hidden in the nooks of the soul.

TODAY

“Will to live”
My story is composed of hard war times of my family. I received from my ancestors a great will to live. Their determination and desire to survive despite the threat to life oblige me to enjoy life and fulfil my dreams, because the fact that I am in this world is a miracle. I they hadn’t survived, I would not be where I am. I am extremely grateful to them for the gift of life.

“I am a miracle in this world”
The turning point for my work was the moment when I realised that “I am a miracle in this world”. This awareness appeared when I let myself to follow the same path as my ancestors. Their history was dramatic but it shaped me. At that time I painted first painting from the “Zasilenie” [“Powering”] series. Today I understand that the path I followed is significant for people experiencing spiritual energy of my paintings. These people have insight into my art on three levels: conscious, subconscious and energetic. I often look at this painting, it hangs on the wall of my studio and reminds me that I am another element of history, that this history continues in my and my children’s fate, who carry the energy of our ancestors, just like me. What will we do with this energy – it becomes our life choice. POWERING – that’s my choice.