Artospective: Paintings by Nava Lundy from Florida.

An Interview with Nava Lundy.

Who and where are you from?

I am from South Florida (Parkland), but born in New Jersey and also lived in Israel, St. Louis, Missouri, and Philadelphia, PA, where I studied at the University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

How you got into this?

I have no memory of not being an artist. I have always felt that I NEED to paint but there's a level of discipline required if you want to make a career out of your passion that I only really understood once I had children, ironically. With 3 kids 3 and under, I figured out quickly that organization and discipline were the only way I could do this, and in a way this helped to fuel my recent success.

What is your driving force?

Leaving a mark, both figuratively and literally drives my work. I only paint what inspires feeling in me and I generally allow my works' narratives to unfold as I paint them. I am obsessed with the way shape and color can seem undefined yet connected, eliminating edges and using the relationships between the negative and positive spaces to play with brushwork and pigment.

What kind of work you do and why?

Although one kind of work does not define me as an artist, lately I am drawn to figurative and portrait work. I paint strong women with a sense of mystery behind their beauty. They are all more than just a pretty face and command intrigue and attention. They have a dreamy quality and a commanding presence but do so with elegance and femininity. Adding to their impact and drama is their sheer size. Most average 48"x48" but go up to 48"x72".