Let’s talk about ArtAN INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST MILANDA DE MONT BY ANNEMIE VANDORMAEL.

ADVANCED VISION AND ART

Artist Milanda de Mont

Awarded artist Milanda de Mont (Gregorian) has a lifelong artistic career. With influences that run deep, she has travelled worldwide, painting in different countries. She has been represented by various Galleries and has successfully held extensive exhibitions nationally and internationally. She has a large oeuvre, a unique style that has diverted from figuration to abstraction over the years. Her paintings have been highly regarded and admired by many art lovers and are in numerous Collections in major cities of Australia, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Barbados, Hong Kong, Japan, and Yerevan, Republic of Armenia.

You travelled a lot and you lived in so many different countries, this must have been a continuous challenge in your life, forced to go from one culture to another? What influence did all this different cultures have on your mind?

MdM: I have been fortunate to travel in my life since childhood, and therefore, I have visited numerous artistic wonders of the world, such as: museums, galleries and monuments. I have been raised in an artistic family and have been encouraged to paint and express myself in a language that sprang from an early age. Meantime, I was exposed to the arts and culture of the East and West. I was raised and educated in a democratic country in which, freedom of thought and language can be expressed easily. Hence, I feel very Australian! As Australia gave me the inspiration, vastness, imagination of endlessness, scope, depth and observation of beautiful nature - massive landscape and colour….I felt free.

Cultures are the result of our grandiose civilisation. Naturally they are significant, and their understanding vital. It really does not matter what culture one comes from, all cultures interrelate. Having the opportunity and exposure to variety of cultures since my childhood, and further, my movement throughout the world, these have all enhanced my artistic vision, and comprehension. My background was established on the various cultures and I am so grateful for this blessing. I can only thank the universe for allowing me to have them. Further, Being regarded and represented an Australian artist, It was many years later from my artistic career, that I was granted a Project on my heritage - an invitation by the Head Curator and Director of the Gosford Regional Art Gallery to present my roots. I was honoured to do this Major Solo. It was my introduction to the land of my origin and hence, through my art, I entered the land of my ancestors(Armenia), for the first time in my life. It created deep emotional attachments.

When did you at first feel the passion to draw and where did your passion come from?

MdM: My passion began at an early age. I come from an artistic family and was encouraged to express my art . As I recall, my mother thought me to draw , and my father created a small studio for me., further, I was thought oil painting and handling of brush at age 11. These teachings were significant and remain at the core of my art.

What was the role of your family ?

MdM: My family was always encouraging in the pursuit of my path to follow my heart. In creativity passion is not enough, one has to be obsessed to paint.

You won numerous awards. How did this influence your future as an artist?

MdM: Awards bring recognition and open the "possible entry doors", but do not provide the artistic vision, development and progress, which are important for an artist to continue the artistic path. I am an artist that truly believes in own findings. The inner spirituality and language that can be identified as own signature, hence communicating to the viewer. I am constantly in the process of my art. Even when I am travelling. I am an observer of our colourful planet.

You have participated at Cultural Symposium at the Goethe-Institutes in Berlin and Weimar. How did you live that experience? What did it do to you?

MdM: The cultural symposiums in Weimar and Berlin, were a wonderful opportunity, they introduced me to the variety of institutions in Germany and allowed me to carry on my artistic links

and relationships. Again, I think these are the roads that appear at the foot steps of the artist. Providing variety of exposure and experiences..

You have met numerous famous artists, a dream for many artists, how did you feel about those meetings, did they inspire you ?

MdM: To meet the famous artists and cross their path were totally inspirational, as I met them at different periods throughout of my artistic career. I learnt a great deal from them, that is: to be truthful to myself and to my art. Do what I must do. Although I always have been in the path of discovery and followed own intuition, finding own voice.

I see a continuous movement from figurative to abstraction as if your wild world travelling influenced your vision in art? Is that true?

MdM: My transformation from figurative to abstraction has been occurring throughout th years. It is the result of many years of painting, exploring, observing the nature and all of its happenings. Also, the connection with my childhood, as I was trained in the classics, as well as, moving and travelling. All these elements meet at a point in my spiritual life. They become ONE. As in the Schopenhauer's philosophy of All is One. Furthermore, transformation from figurative to abstraction became dominant, when I left the city life to live in nature. For many years, I observed the movement of life changing in front of my eyes. Its glorious energy, cruelness and harshness of the environment. Abstract art is not about a direction or style. It must fulfill its purpose of, ideology, belief and philosophy. Abstraction is in everything.

You have that skill to move and express in a very positive way leaving behind the sad moments of life. When feeling sadness it must be very difficult to create. How do you overcome those moments while painting?

MdM: Being a female is one thing, and being a female artist is another. I suffered serious illness and then, there was the miracle of life. How can I not be positive! I was given life to express my life's passion. Happiness and sadness are the same thing. This is like Life and Death. The cycle of creation. like the sunrise and sunset. We have only one choice in this life, to be positive. The energy of Life. My work derives from the spring of life's positiveness, despite of the downfalls that I have carried and experienced. When I paint, I do no exist. I follow my inner force. It leads me to another dimension, called ' creation'. Hence, I am part of completing the cycle and instrument of the universe....only!

Your art is showing a bright colourful world, how important are colours to you? What is your favourite medium to paint?

MdM: Bonnard said Colour is joy...and I say...Colour is life's energy. One can paint with one or more colours. In my abstractions, I really do not use too many colours, but the combination and mixing portray a different vision of my work. In reality my pallet is limited to minimum amount of colours. The usage of colour speaks in the task and expertise. My medium differs when my composition differs. Technique is the medium itself. I feel technique and medium display the visual dialogue. Too many mediums and technique can also destroy the work….a good composition, is found in its simplicity of

expression. However, to reach simplicity, requires many years of observation and hard painting process.

Your wonderful collection ‘Only live Once’ is now featured at our platform Advanced Vision and Art. What is your particular message in Only live Once?

MdM: I believe in conceiving, implementing and destroying. This brings out the inner need to change. We are constantly changing. Before our birth, during our life and then after. My message in this series of " Only live Once" is about, how important our life is in the greatness of the Universe! So in creating and destroying my art, after a short life of its existence, not even giving the time and place for this art to be viewed by the public, is not a major factor, BUT, the joyous path that I explore to achieve and understand my work. This is significant. I have done many paintings that have been exhibited, however, this series is another direction.

What are your priorities as an artist?

MdM: My first priority in life is: “Love & loyalty”” - Is there any other feeling greater than this? Art is the gift of "life giving intelligence”. My priority as an artist is to bring this message across, and hopefully, it can be understood and shared with others. I have been destined to live my artistic life in its true meaning and vision. My art is my life. Creativity is not enough, but one has to be obsessed.

Do you have a particular message to the world?

MdM: Yes, my message is precise. Peace! We are not all created in the same way, one needs to observe the sick and needy. We are not born into the same life, we do not come from the same culture, or belief. But, we all have the heart - not just as organ, but rather to feel the compassion in the stream of its life, to understand and have the empathy.

What would you like to change in your life?

MdM: I let myself to be surprised with life's challenges and the changes that will have to come. I believe in the impossibilities. I go through life, with love and a special curiosity for the happenings. Experiencing its beautiful moments, happy or sad, knowing next day is not the same. I do not plan everything….it is also good when life can find its true moments, slow motion and pace, I welcome these untouchable moments, time for reflection, meditation, and philosophy.

What would you like to change in today’s society?

MdM: Our modern society has developed out of its own need. In a journey of progress and technological advancements and goals, advocating global improvements, however, we still lack a certain view. We should all leave behind a small contribution in our lifetime, then I think, we have done a great deal of work. As an artist, I believe, I have displayed the window of my artistic vision, direction, language and comprehension throughout my entire artistic journey. I have done this truthfully in the path that I was meant to cross, with devotion and commitment.  I also believe, that, a “ true artist ”  leads, in a unique manner, because we are all individuals. “This is my task and duty to the society”.

What is your dream achievement in life?

MdM: My dream achievement is to be a better person. Artist’s character reflects immensely as a narrative behind and through the created work. Although it is very hard to reach perfection of humanity, and in saying this, trying to better oneself, is passing the test of self discipline. However, I can imagine it would be a great and a worthwhile journey of trying, as I pass through the rainbow of my dream! ...I will not give up!