บทความ: Serious and not-so-serious: 14 questions with Petra Schott
Serious and not-so-serious: 14 questions with Petra Schott
Painting as a Way of Life
At IdeelArt, we believe an artist's story is told both inside and outside the studio. In this series, we pose 14 questions that bridge creative vision and everyday life, mixing professional insight with the personal details that make each artist unique.
Today, we meet Petra Schott. After many years working as a judge and lawyer, painting remains her true companion. Her practice moves between poetry, myth, nature and her experience of life as a woman. Working with richly pigmented oil paint, brushes and sometimes her fingers, she values the continuity of returning to the studio every day.
From the music of an Indian Raga to the quiet mystery she hopes viewers find in her paintings, Petra shares the rhythms of her life and work.
The Not-So-Serious Questions
Eight questions about Petra Schott's everyday life and unexpected interests.
1 - If your art was a song or a piece of music, what would be playing in the background?
My art would be an Indian Raga. I love this music, which can be soft and pensive but also full of passion and wild rhythm.
2 - What's something you're obsessed with or have a strong interest in that has nothing to do with art?
I love to hike and be out in nature. I love feeling connected to the earth that carries us all.
3 - Coffee, tea, or something stronger while you work? Or just light and silence?
I love a black coffee and the right music, though sometimes silence is all I need to work.
4 - If you could meet with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
I would love to meet Tracey Emin. I deeply admire her openness, vulnerability, honesty, and the incredibly moving artworks she creates.
5 - If you weren't an artist, what would you be doing?
I worked for many years as a judge and lawyer. Painting, however, has always been my true companion and the work I love most.
6 - Can you share a short story or moment from your non-artistic life that had a strong impact on your life as an artist?
For me, it wasn't specific moments that had a strong influence. It was simply the continuity, and this life lived in images, both inner images and the outer ones I've been able to create.
7 - What does a good day look like for you, outside of the studio?
A really good day can be a day spent with friends and family. Or a day in the mountains. Or simply a lazy day spent reading, talking on the phone, and being quiet.
8 - Is there something about you that would probably surprise people who know your work only through your art?
I love quirky, playful shoes, as long as they're not uncomfortable. I love doing Yoga and Qi Gong.
The (More) Serious Interview
Six questions about the ideas, experiences and hopes that shape Petra Schott's creative journey.
9 - What themes or questions keep coming back in your work?
My themes include my life as a woman, painting inspired by poetry, a dialogue with myths, and a deep connection with nature.
10 - Can you describe a pivotal moment in your journey as an artist?
Being able to go to my studio every day was a true turning point for me. It allowed me to remain in the flow of painting, stay connected to my work, and experience a continuity that is deeply rewarding.
11 - What materials or processes are most important in your practice, and why?
I work with different brushes and sometimes directly with my fingers. I use oil paints, selecting colors that are richly pigmented. I am drawn to oil as a medium for its luminosity, natural quality, and tactile texture.
12 - How do you want people to feel when they experience your work?
I wish for those who see my paintings to feel a moment of inner fulfillment, a quiet touch that moves them without their knowing the reason. “Beauty is the mystery of life,” as Agnes Martin said. It is this mysterious moment I hope to share with others.
13 - Can you walk us through a typical working day in your studio?
I usually spend the mornings at my desk, answering emails and taking care of other administrative tasks related to my painting. Around midday, I usually go to my studio, if possible, by bike. Most of the time, the first thing I do is make a cup of coffee and look at the paintings around me, sensing which work I want to continue. Sometimes a painting calls to me, and I always answer that call. I enjoy these first moments in the studio, when I tune in to the act of painting, step away from everything else, and eventually just begin, without a precise plan, maybe starting with a color still on my brush from the day before. I like letting these beginnings surprise me. Before leaving the studio, I take photos of the works I've been painting. Often, I look at them again in the evening and wonder in which direction they might continue.
14 - What dreams or hopes do you have for your artistic journey?
I have no set plans or goals for the path ahead in my artistic journey. I love the way things are, and I want to keep exploring, discovering, and surprising myself, experimenting and continuing to create. I follow what gives me profound joy and fulfillment, and I cannot imagine anything greater than that.
By Francis Berthomier
