Gisela A. Lazarte (b. 1989) is a Venezuelan abstract artist, based in New York City. With a background in Film, her artwork places a special emphasis on conveying movement, allowing sound and music to greatly influence her process. Through a deeply intuitive and personal approach, her work delves into a diverse array of subjects, ranging from everyday observations, to questions about identity, belonging, and her experiences as both a first- and second-generation immigrant. 
How did you get into art?
As many artists, I started young. I took oil painting lessons in my early teen years and was obsessed with it. However, a career as a painter didn’t seem like a real possibility at that time, so I put it to the side and tried to find another creative outlet. I studied Communications and specialized in Film, and I didn’t paint for years at a time, yet somehow, I would always come back to it, especially at critical times in my life. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally realized that nothing felt as authentic to me as painting, and I haven’t looked back since.
How would you describe your style? What makes your art special?
My style is very expressive, soft yet vibrant. The more I paint, the more I have moved away from planning a piece, but instead come into the studio with only a starting point in mind – a color or two, a mark, a wash that I’m curious about exploring—and then let the work guide me from there. Music plays a strong role in my work as well, setting a mood and often influencing my strokes. I like to think that my work captures a composition of many deeply related instants that live somewhere in between my inner world and the external world around me.
How do you go about developing your work?
My work is almost purely intuitive. Most pieces have many layers; however, I create most of these layers while the paint is still wet in different degrees. I work slowly and mindfully, yet must make quick decisions in the moment, which turns the process into a sort of meditation in action, where the mind calms down but the movement is constant, and it is almost impossible not to stay present and surrender to the practice. 
Who or what influences you?
Aside from my own experiences, music has a direct and instant influence on my process, as I mentioned before. Art in all other mediums greatly influences my work as well: film, photography, poetry, dance. Nature is a constant source of inspiration, in its many tiny compelling moments that are everything; from a light-shadow play on a façade, to the sound of the wind in the trees on a quiet street, or the glimmers of light over a body of water on a sunny afternoon. Negative or difficult feelings also come into play, they usually influence the strongest gestures and marks on the canvas, and I think the contrast makes it all more honest.
What are you planning to do next?
I have a new body of work that I’m really excited about, which I will debut at The Other Art Fair this November 9-12 in Brooklyn, NY. I have another secret collaboration project that’s been in the works since early this summer and will be announced very soon!
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