An interview with Caia Koopman
Can you share a bit about your new body of work for ‘Between Wind and Water”? What do these new works represent for you?
I’ve just finished 11 new paintings on wood panels that I am extremely pleased with and are hopefully representative of an inspired and more creative time in my life. I’ve finally settled into a new home in Santa Cruz, CA after a huge upheaval and was able to get to work on this collection in a new and beautiful place. I got to have some fun with these paintings and you will find some new ingredients like pink glitter, metallic spray paint and maybe even some unicorn magic.
We’re often asked if the female character in your work is intended to be yourself or someone that has perhaps influenced you in your life. Would you care to talk about this a bit?
My female characters represent all people (well not those that are mean and/or do harm to others including animals), I always hope my audience and collectors can find a hint of themselves in my work. I use my girls to portray different but all very common human emotions, and to tell very human stories. Even when the stories are my own I think so many people share such similar experiences and emotions throughout their lives that the stories could be anyones. I had one man say she’s the little girl in him 😉
What fuels you to keep creating?
I love it and it sure beats a real job. Or at least a real job that I’m qualified for, some people have really awesome real jobs.
Please describe your dream project if time and money were not issues.
My dream project is a huge, maybe 30ft by 30ft, sculpture of one of my girls in a magnificent garden of teethed flowers and mischievous monsters, maybe she’d be riding a chopper or a dragon, bright and colorful!
Favorite item in your studio?
My brushes, and I love getting news ones.
If you were to take us out on the town in Santa Cruz, what might we get up to?
This town has amazing food and tons of bands play here, the punk scene is alive and moshing in SC. We’d need many days together to try all the yummy food and see a bunch of bands, also we’d go mountain biking and run up a hill with my dog. Oh and there’s a beach here too!
Is there anyone in particular, artist or otherwise, that you’d like to mention here Caia?
I do have a really awesome friend who came up with the genius idea of my recent creation, Dragon vs Unicorn in the “Epic Battle”, story of the underdog, Sully u rule and thank you. I’d also like to thank Sue, Gary, Richard, Sheila and Hermel for all the support this past year.
I know you’ve been busy with a few larger companies on some special releases. Any recent projects or any coming up after your exhibit with us here you would like to mention here?
Yes, I have a new Diva snowboard by Rossignol coming out this winter, it’s going to be a rad women’s high performance board, I can’t wait to ride it myself. And I have a new signature series sunglass by Oakley called the “Sweet Spot” coming out real soon, should be in stores in July. My signature Oakley goggles are still available and I’ve got a bunch of new Rossignol skis coming out if you are into that sort of thing.
‘Between Wind and Water’ on view through this Sat, June 30th at Thinkspace
