Once, Twice, "Thrice Removed"

Although her past includes some formal artistic training, including graduating from Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Artist Lovie Olivia has always relied on her independent studies of art, culture, music, literature and history to influence her work. She has exhibited her works at Houston’s Community Artist Collective, Contemporary Arts Museum and Project Row Houses, as well as the Arthello Beck Gallery in Dallas.  Most recently, Olivia participated in a collaborative show at the Lawndale Art Center called “DARe to go FURther.” Olivia is also a recipient of an Individual Artist Grant Award, which is funded by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance.

What is your biggest inspiration as an artist?

The ability to make my thoughts and ideas tangible; to have a visual conversation, a connection with the audience without uttering a word.

Describe your artistic process?

I am a multimedia artist. I use many different materials and practices to arrive at my visual inquiries.  Right now, the techniques I use most often are Sgrafitto and Fresco. Sgrafitto is the marking, scraping and incising of plaster, wood, marble etc.  Frescoes are created by applying natural pigments to wet plaster panels. I have given my own personal and modern adaptation to both of these old world techniques by using various materials and mediums like installations, film and sound to accompany the paintings I create.

Who or what has been the most influential to your work?

At this moment, identity is a very important subject to me.  I explore my personal history and ancestry through the women in my life, particularly those with complex identities. I am influenced by the conversations we have, the issues we share as well as the troubles and triumphs we face. With my works I can visually initiate conversations – spoken, written or silent.

What’s your favorite part of being an artist in Houston?

There is something yummy brewing in Houston right now. I think it is a renaissance of sorts. Our arts community is flourishing, thriving and becoming more globally visual. I want to be a part of this movement.  It reminds me of Harlem in the 1920s and 30s or SOHO in the 1950s and 60s.  Based on the number of working artists, I read somewhere that Houston has the third largest art market in the country.  We have great galleries, museums, theatres and a terrifically supportive community to go along with it.

Lovie Olivia’s new series of work, “Thrice Removed” addresses issues of race, class, gender and sexuality and will be on exhibition August 27 through September 18 at Spacetaker’s ARC Gallery located in Winter Street Studios (2101 Winter Street, WinterStreetStudios.net).  Free and open to the public, the opening reception is scheduled for Saturday, August 28 at 6pm.  For more event information, visit Spacetaker.org. For more on Lovie Olivia, visit LovieOlivia.MoonFruit.com.