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Nayana LaFond is a full time artist, single mother, cancer survivor who expresses her life experiences in her work. A difficult life and art as therapy has produced an over growing body of work that is emotionally charged and expressive.
Published on May 12th 2020. Artist responses collected in months previous.
What projects are you working on right now?
A series of paintings involving images of modern Indigenous Americans, My original idea was to show Indigenous people doing every day modern activities. To talk about us being a modern people. But the ones I have already completed have done what all my paintings tend to do and take on lives and meanings of their own. So I'm loosely using indigenous people as models and seeing what the work decides to be about as I go. I usually work in series of paintings, 10-30+ paintings per series on a subject or theme. Also, a group of sculptures, photographs and sculptural pieces using leftover medical supplies which I have remaining from my bone marrow transplant and recovery. Again, not sure what its going to say but trying to express some of my feelings from that experience. I have a lot of leftover supplies to work with and my doctor has given me supplies left over from other people. I've also been painting boxes and making jewelry to sell in my booths for art fairs and festivals. I have the paintings there also and prints but also include the boxes and jewelry to supplement sales.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
Accountability is a loaded question. My work is always about my own feelings and experiences and often when one of my pieces makes any sort of public statement it was in fact not my intention that it do so when I made the piece. For example one of my paintings involves a black and white selfie style portrait of a friend of mine who is native american. The only element of color being her colorful pin that reads "I voted." Through the process of painting I simply felt that she shouldn't have a mouth. I didn't have a reason I just followed my feeling. When it was shown for the first time I learned what the painting meant to others. This happens often for me as I usually follow my instincts and feelings while painting and allow each painting to become whatever it will become. I only recently began sculptural work with medical supplies and I'm approaching it the same way. Everything I make i make based on my own feelings and experiences and don't consider the impact on the public. As a result some pieces I don't show people.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
For me motivation isn't the struggle its having enough hours in the day to make everything I think of or feel and want to make. Between parenting and managing multiple medical conditions its a matter of finding time. I constantly have several pieces or projects going at once and prefer to work when inspired. If I go too long without creating something I feel as though I am losing my humanity. The longer I go the more miserable I become. Which can be very motivating to find time to create. I also sew and like to experiment with other media and writing so sometimes I can satisfy the need to create another way, but I don't ever go longer then two weeks without creating something.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
In ten years I would like to be happy and healthy. Comfortably support my daughter and myself from my work without struggle. I would like to be able to look back and see a progression in my work that I can feel good about. I would say...Tell Adelaide I love her. I hope the next ten years brought everything you hoped for and that you remained true to yourself.
What projects are you working on right now?
A series of paintings involving images of modern Indigenous Americans, My original idea was to show Indigenous people doing every day modern activities. To talk about us being a modern people. But the ones I have already completed have done what all my paintings tend to do and take on lives and meanings of their own. So I'm loosely using indigenous people as models and seeing what the work decides to be about as I go. I usually work in series of paintings, 10-30+ paintings per series on a subject or theme. Also, a group of sculptures, photographs and sculptural pieces using leftover medical supplies which I have remaining from my bone marrow transplant and recovery. Again, not sure what its going to say but trying to express some of my feelings from that experience. I have a lot of leftover supplies to work with and my doctor has given me supplies left over from other people. I've also been painting boxes and making jewelry to sell in my booths for art fairs and festivals. I have the paintings there also and prints but also include the boxes and jewelry to supplement sales.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
Accountability is a loaded question. My work is always about my own feelings and experiences and often when one of my pieces makes any sort of public statement it was in fact not my intention that it do so when I made the piece. For example one of my paintings involves a black and white selfie style portrait of a friend of mine who is native american. The only element of color being her colorful pin that reads "I voted." Through the process of painting I simply felt that she shouldn't have a mouth. I didn't have a reason I just followed my feeling. When it was shown for the first time I learned what the painting meant to others. This happens often for me as I usually follow my instincts and feelings while painting and allow each painting to become whatever it will become. I only recently began sculptural work with medical supplies and I'm approaching it the same way. Everything I make i make based on my own feelings and experiences and don't consider the impact on the public. As a result some pieces I don't show people.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
For me motivation isn't the struggle its having enough hours in the day to make everything I think of or feel and want to make. Between parenting and managing multiple medical conditions its a matter of finding time. I constantly have several pieces or projects going at once and prefer to work when inspired. If I go too long without creating something I feel as though I am losing my humanity. The longer I go the more miserable I become. Which can be very motivating to find time to create. I also sew and like to experiment with other media and writing so sometimes I can satisfy the need to create another way, but I don't ever go longer then two weeks without creating something.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
In ten years I would like to be happy and healthy. Comfortably support my daughter and myself from my work without struggle. I would like to be able to look back and see a progression in my work that I can feel good about. I would say...Tell Adelaide I love her. I hope the next ten years brought everything you hoped for and that you remained true to yourself.
Find Nayana LaFond on Instagram
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