Silence in noise

Simona Finkelštein works as a stage designer, but in recent years, her life has been largely defined by motherhood. She takes pride in calling herself the joyful mother of three beautiful daughters, considering them her most significant masterpieces and primary sources of inspiration. The experience of motherhood, along with her daily life and family, lies at the heart of her creative process, shaping the subjects and emotions present in her art.

In her artistic practice, Simona weaves the beauty she discovers in everyday moments with a fondness for imperfection. She begins each painting by forming it within her imagination, carefully combining layers of color, shape, and texture in her mind. This mental composition continues until her vision is complete, at which point she is ready to bring the image to life on canvas. Her process is thoroughly introspective, as she seeks to infuse her work with gentle feelings and a sense of positivity.

The start of her creative process is often marked by sewing, using a mixture of materials that range from brand-new textiles with their distinctive scent to timeworn items like clothing and bed linens. These fabrics each hold their own stories, and by including them in her art, Simona grants them a new purpose. She sews, layers, and reshapes these materials—sometimes cutting and overlapping them—to craft distinctive surfaces and textures, essentially "painting" with fabric even before applying any paint at all.

After constructing these fabric collages, she stretches them over wooden frames, then treats them with gelatine or gesso before adding acrylic or oil paint. There are pieces in which she omits paint entirely, relying solely on the fabrics themselves as the means of expression. Simona hopes her paintings will evoke inspiration, calm, and joy for all who experience them, whether displayed in domestic, professional, or public environments. Her creativity seems inexhaustible, constantly replenished by her rich inner world and the beauty she observes around her.