Glaieul Samadani is a multidisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles. She draws inspiration from a variety of artistic movements for her abstract paintings, some of which belong to private collections. With this eclectic pallet of influences and a long history in the interior design industry prior to her life as a professional artist, there’s much to tell about her journey and craft. Here’s what she has to say.
Please introduce yourself.
I am Glaieul Samadani, and I am a multidisciplinary artist specializing in abstract art. I am based in Los Angeles, California. I have studied design and art, and I have my BA in Design. I am a mother to two beautiful daughters, and I have been married to my awesome husband for 30 years. We have two adorable little dogs.
I have worked in the design industry for about 30 years, specializing in interior design for luxury homes throughout California. I have always been interested in creating art since I was a young girl. Painting became my passion more in my high school and college years. Now, I have devoted myself to being a professional artist since 2015, and just last year launched my website and social media account.
How would you describe your work being seen for the first time?
I would describe my work as abstract expressionism and abstract figurative with the use of bold colors, textural brush, and palette knife strokes that tell the story, creating a sculptural effect. To me, each color has a specific and distinct sound that expresses that specific emotion, and each brush or palette knife stroke tells the story with the markings I create on the canvas. I truly LOVE using broad fields of color; using strong colors; bold contrasts; and creating textures that evoke depth, value, and composition.
What materials do you use to create your art?
I usually paint in oil paint on canvas, and I use different palette knives and brushes. However, I do like to change it up at times and use fabric, sand, picked-up items, colored oil sticks, acrylic, spray paint, and other mediums for my mixed media paintings.
What is the process of creating your art?
My creative process is both planned and spontaneous. It’s a labor of love. A dedicated and inspired heart and the “grit” make it happen. I usually paint without expectations or preconceptions, letting myself be carried away by the markings I make with lines, shapes, and color intuitively. Even when I have something in mind, I never know what the result will be as the painting evolves. The paintings I create are very much a part of me; my viewpoints, my opinions, and my emotions are all part of my creative process. You will see my perspective even though my art is abstract. It is my life and soul on the canvas.
Which artists have influenced your work?
I love many artists that have influenced me, from classical to modern. My favorites, the ones that stand out for me, have really inspired me, and have influenced my artwork are Van Gogh, Matisse, Monet, Modigliani, Degas, Cezanne, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Picasso, Turner, Toulouse-Lautrec, Rothko, Giacometti, and Motherwell.
What do you use for inspiration to create your art?
I get inspired by the beauty of nature, music, culture, art, and social surroundings. I get inspired by the small things, the details that go unnoticed, things that catch my eye, and the experiences. I love different landscapes, especially the ocean. The ocean is where I find my grounding and my sanity. I am truly inspired by the ocean, the sea, the water, the sky (skies), and the magical sunrises and sunsets between the love of the Sun and the Earth. The sun and sky truly speak to me.
Do you learn anything once you have completed a piece?
I learn something new with almost every piece of artwork I create. It could be a new technique or realizing to simply let loose and let it flow and see how it turns out. Most importantly, I have learned to not overwork the painting.
What colors do you like to use?
I love using bold colors like reds, blues, yellows, and all the different shades I create in between.
What has been your biggest success to date?
My biggest success to date is that I have sold 13 paintings and that my paintings have found a beautiful new home. Two of them have been commissioned artworks.
How do you take and learn from the criticism of your work?
I welcome, and I like to listen to constructive criticism; it helps me learn and evolve more.
Has social media affected the way you see your work?
Social media does have an effect on how I see my work amongst other talented artists. It has taught me that this is exactly where I should be: in the art world, creating more art.
Which piece was your favorite to make, and why?
While every piece of art I create has its own sentiment for me, and each one is a part of me, my favorite piece I painted is Rhythm. I just painted it intuitively and spontaneously, going with the flow of the music I was listening to (an Imagine Dragons album), and without knowing how it will turn out. I truly love that piece! The passion that I put into it has so much meaning, movement, and rhythm to me.
Do you have a specific time when you create your work?
I work in my home studio all day at different hours throughout the day. However, the best time I get more productive and flow is after 9:00 pm., when my family goes to sleep, and there are no interruptions. I forget the time and will be up painting until 3:00 or 4:00 AM.
If you could have a conversation with any artist, who would you choose?
If I could choose only one artist to have a conversation with, it would be Wassily Kandinsky.
Does your work have hidden messages that the viewer may not be aware of?
I do not have any hidden messages in my work. However, the colors convey certain messages and emotions of joy, happiness, serenity, heartache, or anger. The brush and palette strokes help convey the story.
What’s the future of your art?
The future of my art is to show the world my perspective and my artwork. My goal and aspiration is for my artwork to be seen worldwide. I would like to have a solo show in the near future. I would love for my paintings to sell to art collectors and find beautiful new homes to be in.
What sort of reaction does your art get?
Honestly, my work gets a lot of “ WOW”s. “It’s such a powerful piece,” “This resonated with me,” and “I had to come back to see again, to remember it!” are comments I hear all the time from people coming into the gallery or viewing my work.
What are you working on at this time?
I am working on abstract landscapes at this time, and I am planning on a new series of abstract artworks for the near future.
Who are the people in your figurative abstracts?
The people in the figurative abstracts I paint are related to me; they are my self-portraits. I portray them in silhouettes or very abstracted; some of the other paintings are from my dreams and imagination, not from a photograph. They are all a version of me (other than the ones of my daughters on the beach with surfboards). These women in the silhouettes can be any woman, strong and bold.
Branding and identity are key. How do you advertise your business?
I use social media, specifically Instagram and Facebook for exposure. However, Instagram’s algorithms have been difficult. For my branding, I am trying different outlets; I am working with online magazines, virtual galleries, and live galleries.
Tell me about your exhibitions and any recognitions you’ve received.
I am currently exhibiting a selection of my artwork at the Artist Eye Gallery in Laguna Beach, California. Also, I exhibited my artwork at the Brentwood Art Center in 2015, 2016, and 2017 as well as having a virtual exhibit at the Laguna Art Gallery. I have Special Recognition Awards from Light, Space, Time online art gallery including Juried Competition – Figurative Art Exhibit, May 2022; Juried Competition – Seascapes Art Exhibit, August 2022; and Juried Competition – Landscapes Art Exhibit, September 2022.
For more information and to connect with Glaieul Samadani, please visit her Instagram/Facebook @glaieulsamadaniart, Website: www.glaieulsamadaniart.com, or email: glaieulsamadaniart@gmail.com.
Written in partnership with Glaieul Samadani
