We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Virginia Primozic. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Virginia below.

Virginia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

The idea of pursuing a creative/artistic path professionally has grown over time, so it is difficult to pin down a specific date, or even a specific age. My mother was a professional artist, so my siblings and I grew up with a lot of gallery and museum visits, and lots of discussion about art. Her medium was primarily oils. It was in her work that I first saw paper combined with paint, but she only used it for texture, applying various papers over and under the paint on the canvas. My children and I used to spend time in her studio on summer vacations. I was always drawn to her paper collection, and started to think about how far I could push the idea of paper as a primary medium, of “using paper as my paint.” The pursuit of art as a profession was on hold until I was done homeschooling my children. That took 25 years. So while I dabbled in art for a long time, I have only pursued it intentionally since 2018.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As the daughter of a professional artist, I was exposed to the “process” of art, especially 2D art, early on – how to create or find good source images, the rules of good composition (and how to effectively break them), color theory, etc. But there were still gaps in my art education, so I have enrolled in several art classes over time. Few classes are directly related to my paper medium but they are all valuable, as there are always ideas that transfer, and the creativity of my fellow students is inspiring.

I have been pursuing art as a profession for about seven years. Predictably, getting into the industry has not happened overnight. I have joined a non-profit gallery in the small town where I live, which has allowed me to meet many other artists from the area. I also have a website and social media accounts. Answering online calls for entry has been a good way to gain additional exposure as my local opportunities are limited.

My medium, or more accurately the way I use my medium, is what sets my work apart from other collage or mixed media artists. Collage has been recognized as a fine art since about 1912, but I am not pursuing this in the traditional sense. While I admire the work of famous and historical figures in collage art such as Matisse and Peter Blake, I am focused on recreating the effect of paint on the canvas, using only paper. This is why I say that paper is my paint, or that I paint with paper. There is no paint in any of my work. All the color is in the paper. Most of the paper I use is made in southeast Asia, and I am able to purchase most of it online. Paper is made from organic elements, so there are often plant fibers still visible which add their own beauty and texture. The weight of the papers also vary widely. Japanese lace paper is light and thin, and can function as a glaze. Bark paper from Mexico is heavy and difficult to control. I apply the paper to canvas with a diluted acrylic medium, and finish each piece with a UV protectant. I almost always use wrap-around canvas, finished on all the edges, so the work doesn’t have to be framed.

I have won a few awards and recognition, but am most proud of being chosen for some permanent New Mexico public art collections, most notably at the Albuquerque International Airport (aka the Sunport).

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The answer to this question may be more about patience than resilience. Or maybe that’s “a distinction without a difference.” I thought about pursuing this particular art form for years, but homeschooling four children K-12 was a full-time endeavor. After the last child went to college, I went back as well to get more formal art education and began to put in serious hours creating art. I would not change any of that timeline if I could. My priority for those years was non-negotiable, and I knew that the children would not be under our roof forever. So there was patience in waiting for the right time, but the wait was not burdensome. By some standards, I may have gotten a late start. But our life stories are told one chapter at a time, and I’m grateful my story is unfolding the way it is.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Buy original art! Even if it’s a small $5 piece at a weekend festival. There are millionaires who can buy art as an investment, and that’s great. If you are one of those millionaires, please carry on! For the rest of y’all, buy what moves you, what gives you joy, what speaks to you. I say this because I believe that art is first and foremost communication. An artwork may truly speak to you, or connect you to a feeling or a memory.

If you can’t buy art, follow your favorites on social media. Like, follow, and share their posts. Comment whenever you can. Help their algorithms. This interaction can be hugely encouraging.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.virginiaprimozic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginia.primozic.fine.art
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginia.primozic.fine.art

Image Credits

Pat Carr