Painting in Paradox

By Rebecca Dumais

It’s fair to say that whether you’re creating art or creating memories during your travels, it’s important to stay in the moment.

Hamilton-based Tania LaCaria has travelled to over 43 countries (and counting), but inspiration has come from different places and for different reasons. But Bali, Indonesia (three visits), and London, England have each inspired her most in terms of her art. “My time in Bali was full of beautiful things, and that makes me feel alive, and when I am full of gratitude, I am inspired to create.”

In 2021, a trip to London to experience the Frieze Art Fair changed her life. “I saw an art scene and an industry that I hadn’t been exposed to before. London is a wonderful city, but that trip taught me to dream big.”

LaCaria, who holds a BA in Fine Arts from York University (2006) and a CIDA-advanced diploma in Interior Design from Sheridan (2009) says her work explores paradox on the canvas. How so? She says it’s the idea that two opposing realities exist at the same time – conceptually through a theme that inspired a collection, but some works implement juxtaposing visual cues when possible. 

She cites her She’s a Sweet Peach collection, which explores the way society talks about and treats women. “I’m asking the question, ‘Why are women often compared to fruit?’ I visually communicate the paradox in this collection by using contrasting colours [and] opposing textures of softly blended, gentle brushstrokes, in tandem with thick, cumbersome, messy, dripping paint on the same surface.” There is much juxtaposition in the types of mark-making she uses throughout all her work, and she says it’s become emblematic of the visual language she uses.

Even in earlier works, you can see softer, thin brushstrokes alongside aggressive scribbles and scratches. “To me, there is beauty in implementing a variety of different forms of expression on a single surface.” Take the scribbled notations that have inspired the “urban abstract” descriptor, such as hand-scrawled markings that look like graffiti tags or angry writings on a wall, often placed alongside vibrant, seemingly playful splashes of happy colours. “In reality, both extreme emotions can be present at any one time, and both are valid, important, and beautiful in their own right.”

Thematically, LaCaria explores gender-based issues, specifically women’s issues, as well as themes that centre around relationships. “These are the topics that intrigue me,” she says.

Producing “thought-provoking work to prompt viewers” is also part of LaCaria’s artistic way. “Ironically, most of the questions I’m posing to viewers remain fully unanswered for me,” she admits. “I’ve discovered that being deeply empathetic is a powerful gift, but also has the tendency to create confusion when it comes to asking questions and expecting a black-or-white answer. My empathy allows me to consider both black, white, and grey answers, which is why I enjoy posing questions to others in my attempt to collect perspectives.”

Attending one of LaCaria’s shows involves sight and sound. She enjoys choosing music or poetry to complement her work. “All of my work is accompanied by a written description I provide to give viewers context, and most of the time the poetry I’m writing is created in tandem with a piece,” she says. It starts with a thematic collection, with each piece inspired by a feeling or emotion she’s not yet able to describe at the time. “As the work develops, the words come to me, and I enjoy the cohesive experience that comes with visual versus verbal (written) expression.”

Music has the ability to create a mood and strengthen an existing emotion. LaCaria curates songs for playlists to accompany her work to allow viewers to explore the emotions she was feeling behind a song through her painting. “The melody and tone of the song affect me – it can bring out thoughts of rage, aggression, anger, or longing, sadness, love, melancholy, grief, joy, gratitude… but the lyrics really impact me. Maybe it’s because I choose my words carefully when expressing myself for my own work. But I feel moved by song lyrics often, and they occasionally make their way into my paintings in both obvious or more subtle ways.”

Releasing playlists along with some of her collections has allowed viewers to pick up on the emotions she’s trying to communicate. “In most cases, music can be felt and understood in ways that can only be described as feelings… not everyone is able to observe a painting and develop an emotional connection to it. Prompting viewers to interpret the visual language I’m communicating through the emotions that come up from songs, music, lyrics, and poetry is just another way for me to say through my art, ‘I see you. I understand. You’re not alone.’”

For more info, follow @TaniaLaCaria or visit TaniaLaCariaStudio.com