The true identity of us all is merely seen by the on looker through what we show but does not necessarily mean that what is seen is the true sense of one’s natural being. Artist and emotional innovator, Dina Herrmann focuses on her emotional investment in her art works rather than creating an image of who she is for self discovery.
“As an artist, I don’t focus on self or identity. My focus has been a continuum, one lifelong work-in-process. My works identify who I am, and they are centered on longevity in the way we normally think about “legacy” or leaving a mark. They are in the moment and experienced without a future in mind.”
The love for art spawned by Dina’s loving parents was the beginning to her creative soul. Her parents were artists themselves in the world of fashion and illustration and influenced the deep connection in her artistic abilities. Not only did her family inspire her but her surroundings in a city that she loved.
“The fluid nature of their works guided my artistic sense and I immediately gravitated towards their creative expression. Growing up in New York City was filled with emotion---vibrant, colorful, complex and contradictory. These elements drove the foundation of my first paintings as a teenager and have been guiding principles in how I have viewed the world.”
Dina Herrmann feels that there are too many other influential participants in her road to success that have helped path the way to her unique expressions with paint. She believes that the spirit of certain artists have challenged her to explore and discover every aspect of her psyche.
“I have been influenced by and love the works of Kandinsky, Miro, Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell, Picasso, and recently Joan Snyder . The list is endless, because their works speak the language of humanity and our common joy in experiencing our lives. I have enormous appreciation for them. We all grow from the experience of our colleagues.”
Dina employs a number of her own techniques, many of which have been used by her mentors throughout favorite periods in contemporary painting. Incorporating tools such as rollers, trowels, and rakes have helped her works evolve morphing as they go along. She commits to painting on large canvases and is inspired to do so by the energy of life here in Los Angeles. Although Los Angeles is similar to New York in terms of concrete buildings and artist culture, she finds that there is much to be appreciated in the environment she currently lives.
“I sometimes laugh because I feel like a modern-day Peter Breughel. The mountains to the east of the city dictate one type of strength and the ocean to the West another. Since moving to California, I am so appreciative of the contrast of water, as opposed to New York's concrete, ocean to skyscraper, has brought to my work. The coast infuses my art with a fluid sense, one that I can see my style going towards as my art evolves. I am leaning towards blending styles, much in the way of Cubists, who have combined angular realism and dreamlike fantasy-scape, were trending as that period began.”
The layers of Dina’s emotional life are reflected in every painting evident that there is a strong connection to her inner core. She seeks to create a thing of beauty and with beauty is joy. The community that surrounds her embraces that very sentiment and relate to her works due to the emotional connection to expression that her works embody.
“My goal is to paint and my wish is for the world to enjoy what I do. I see my paintings as an evolution of how I have matured over a number years and the layers become more intense as well more compassionate. The depth of humanity’s vulnerability drives a number of my works, such as Ma's Love, Jewels of Tribulation, and Passing Awaits.”...“Humans have a primal need to express themselves, from a soul space, and art is that central means of creative expression. Cave paintings are such an example. My world would not exist without art and I couldn’t imagine defining myself in any other way than that of an artist.”
Dina Herrmann is a masterful artist, passionate and emotionally invested in her works of art. She also believes that our world is complete in terms of needing more art because art is the reflection of that perfection. She finds the center of herself through Yoga and uses it as another form of engagement with her physicality. She can reconnect and recognize her connection to her higher self and the source of all things, which includes her paintings.
“I ignite around bodywork. It fuels me and allows my emotions to become known to me. We all think we know ourselves and what we are feeling. It embodies the cycle of life” ... “I love the way that my spirit runs through me. The work I have done and enjoyed surrounding my physical being, both in bodywork and yoga, nourishes me and provides a springboard to doing my next painting.”
Dina Herrmann is a part of her paintings from her thought to canvas, you can feel the story that she tells from color to the strokes of her brush. There is much to learn from the insights that stir emotion and embark on stories we can read between the layers in her art. She is prolific in the way she shares strong words through artistic silence. She truly is listening to her heart which shows the world there is much to learn about our self and our true identity.
Written By Skye Amber Sweet
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