We are delighted to welcome new, inspiring works of art to our offices. This time, the works are by Austrian artist Monika Herschberger.
Herschberger's creative journey spans more than two decades. She discovered her love of drawing as a child, which developed into a passion for painting over the years.
We are delighted to let the artist herself have her say and hope you enjoy immersing yourself in Monika Herschberger's world:
hrdiamonds: What does a typical process of creating a new work of art look like for you?
Monika Herschberger: There is actually no such thing as typical. At the moment, I start the painting day by applying a light coat of paint to a new canvas and then underpainting it. That's one or two layers, which gives the painting a certain depth. I do this with several canvases at once. Or I cover the canvas myself and prime it.
During the drying times, I sort out my studio, frame some paper works or eat something. When the pictures are dry, the actual painting begins. It begins quite transparently and delicately and then becomes more and more gestural.
I also paint over my "problematic art works" - i.e. paintings that have been in the studio for a long time and are not finished. Or I simply don't like them anymore. I often paint to music or sing while I paint. My work of art is finished when the sight of it fills me with joy or I simply have the feeling that I can't do any more. Sometimes it also helps to take a few days off to see if anything else is needed.
hrdiamonds: What is essential in your studio equipment and why?
Monika Herschberger: The most important things in my studio are the coffee machine and the couch. Seriously. It's important to create a certain order to find a haven of peace. Then I get my brushes ready, find the colors for the respective series or mix them. And drink coffee again. Breaks are often important. Because sometimes, as a very expressive painter, I'm in a painting flow and then I consciously need a break to relax my mind.
hrdiamonds: What challenges can arise when creating art and how do you approach overcoming them?
Monika Herschberger: Commissioned works are particularly interesting: I had one in January, for example, when I recreated a picture for a client. The template was a picture I had painted of Debussy and really like. I was sometimes tense during the painting process or overcritical. But now I know how to outsmart myself a bit, because I simply paint two versions of a picture. I then sent the photos of the works to the customer and they chose one. Perfect.
hrdiamonds: That brings us to the next question. What is the connection between painting and music for you and how is this expressed in your artwork?
Monika Herschberger: In addition to painting, I studied jazz singing, for example, and was very active for a few years. Then I wanted to focus more on one direction and put music to one side. I've only been integrating it into my painting process since 2022. Some of the works on display are inspired by Claude Debussy's piece Claire de Lune, for example.
And if you look closely, you can feel the sounds in the individual paintings. It's a very fast stroke, hectic sometimes, like staccato. Sometimes I switch off the music to look at the picture again in peace. Because the compositional elements have to fit.
hrdiamonds: If you have one, which is your absolute favorite painting and why?
Monika Herschberger: One of my absolute favorites is the picture Spirit: It is supposed to represent the "spirit" of summer. Both through a certain lightness, rich colors, love, and a positive feeling. I particularly like the transparent layers of color, which I personally like, but which I don't use so often in my technique. I'm more of a dynamic painter. The dynamic also comes across very well in the painting "Freedom", which is my current favorite. The work comes from my intensive musical period and was created during a live painting that I realized together with the musician Agnes Haider.
hrdiamonds: Your artworks from the "Female Empowerment" series now hang directly in the entrance area at hrdiamonds. As a women-led company these are a perfect fit for us. Could you tell us a bit about the background to this series?
Monika Herschberger: The background to this series is the desire to dedicate a separate series to female strength. It is called "Like a river" and is a tribute to the strength and nature of women. The pictures have titles such as "Flair", "Creative Power", "Wildness" and "Suppressed Energy" and are in warm colors that are considered feminine. I chose the connection to water because water is also strong, but gentle at the same time and always paves the way and moves ahead. The series is a tribute to all the women who master different roles every day and prove their strength in the process. It is my way of honoring and celebrating the strength of women.
