Kathy Lajvardi describes her inspiration for “Unbreakable Queens“.
The best way to introduce you to Kathy Lajvardi is to include a video in her own words describing the inspiration for her “Unbreakable Queens” Series of works (immediately above).
Kathy is immensely driven. A career spanning blue chip Corporate graphics design, film production stills/animation links, book publishing, musical artists photography and senior art direction. My blog article focuses specifically upon her own handmade painted artworks and high quality prints.
Music is a powerfully evocative platform to communicate emotions and ideas. Like Pop Art master Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kathy Lajvardi involves music in her artmaking process. Her video explains her great love of music and culture being direct artistic influences.
We live in a tough world commercially. Women worked in a male-dominated world in the late 19th Century, even in historically colonial empires. A quick look at the Suffragettes Movement in the United Kingdom in the early 1900’s highlights that women have not always had a fair deal with working opportunities and the generalised rights afforded to men.
With oppression occurring particularly against women in various places people naturally gravitate to highly successful artists such as Beyonce and Madonna. Go-getters, trailblazers, international superstars in a predominant man’s world.
Of course, Westernised norms do not necessarily mean successful societies. Poverty, crime and inequality blights numerous nations regardless of religion, status or working opportunities. There is a swathe of populist movements/trends sweeping the globe primarily through emotional sentiments fuelled via technological communication. It is clearly wise to keep the laws of a land to avoid certain difficulties.
So what can people do with injustice?
Kathy Lajvardi has art as an outlet.
Building upon a rising backdrop of female empowerment Kathy uses symbolism within her work in multi-layered and carefully considered ways to get her message across.
Ancient Persia extolled the literal height of artistic representation along with ancient Egyptian and other Mesopotamian cultures. Therefore it is only meet that Kathy would draw upon her Iranian roots as an artist growing up in California.
Kathy Lajvardi with her “Unbreakable Queens Series” and “Unstoppable, Break” artworks.
You have planned your work, thrown your heart into the project. We should rightfully be proud with personal achievements.
Art is often surprisingly hard work. Social media allows artists to become known, personally. Their dreams, aspirations, how they feel as individual persons. Insights into their lives.
I see multi-facets to Kathy’s personality through her artwork and social media. A woman whom confidently negotiates the commercial world through academic learning, experience, networking and malleability.
“Malleability – the ability to be easily changed into a new shape.” – Cambridge Dictionary.
“Unbreakable Queens Series” by Kathy Lajvardi featuring ‘Queen Beyonce‘, ‘Queen Madonna‘, ‘Queen Googoosh‘ and ‘Queen Janet’.
Let me present to you dear Readers one of my spontaneous word associations with regards to the art I see in the “Unbreakable Queens Series” by Kathy Lajvardi:
Tackling challenges head-on, living up to expectations, responsibilities, despair followed by hope, affinity to a higher power, pensive humbleness, patience – all with stylised iconography.
“Unstoppable, Rise” and “Unstoppable, Break” by Kathy Lajvardi featured in exhibition gallery space.
Kathy incorporates Iranian history and heritage in “Unstoppable, Rise” and “Unstoppable, Break“.
The crowns in her Pop Art works represent past Iranian monarchy. The lion head is seated upon a woman’s body. Iran’s national flag colors are visible to bring a sense of hope. Kathy’s artworks are very intricate, vibrant with sophistication.
I thought I would post a photograph from Wikipedia of Googoosh from an earlier concert, here:
Googoosh performing in Tehran prior to 1979.
Googoosh is an inspiration to Iranians. A beautiful lady with a strong voice, critically acclaimed in music and films for decades. Here is a list of some of her secular achievements:
1971: first prize and gold record at the Midem trade fair in Cannes (as “Gougoush”) performing two songs in French.
1973: The best actress for Bitain Iranian Sepas film festival
2014: Best Iranian Female Singer (World Music Awards)
2017: Best Music Video For Do Panjereh (Directed by Yasmin Asha) Festigious Film Awards March 2017
2022: Performed at the Expo Festival
[Quotations from Wikipedia).
For a female Iranian performer this shows the ability for people to celebrate the value of their national pride and unique culture.
It is no wonder why Kathy Lajvardi is inspired by an Iranian artist whose fame has transcended many decades. I wanted to get the sense of Kathy’s reasons for producing her recent artwork series. Googoosh is one of those reasons. It might surprise some in Western culture to believe Iranian culture has a rich heritage in films and music.
Whilst Kathy Lajvardi lives in Orange County, LA, (her family emigrating due to the late 1970’s political and military Iranian Revolution) she has a heartfelt yearning with her Iranian hometown and peoples.
What is greater.. the freedom for girls and women to engage in secular education or the bullet and the bomb?
It was the bullet and the bomb that brought about the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970’s.
“King James VI & I Oak of 1612 Branches in Sunlight” [1st February 2023] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, drawing with H, HB, 4B, 8B, sky blue, sunlight yellow and bright red pencils, signed in black ink on 280gsm 250mm x 300mm gesso primed canvas [pad].
My sketch composition shown above is from a photograph taken 19th May 2020 in the afternoon. My sketch is a fair impressionistic view of the photograph. I could make this sketch ‘more spectacular’. I decided to stay true with the original image. This is how I see the sun shining. Simplistically beautiful.
Drafts took 35, 22 and 18 minutes each.
My writings regarding the sketch:
“new draftlast night late. haven’t sketched in one of the branches yet. might add a sun ray later. it looks nicer on the canvas. it made me happy doing this. i will keep this one sketchy raw prolly.”
“Second draft done under 22 mins. Not prolly doing much more on it. Might add sunshine ‘vortex’ lines. idk. might. i like it. am deciding what more if much to do.”
“btw third draft done. seems underwhelming, like people might prefer the spectacular. yet it is a fair impression of the photo. do i make it more than what it is or keep with the composition as is? idk. i feel its honest. like, this is the way the sun shone that moment 🎨”
“with latest sketch i walked in with my tea food and saw it. the sun looked so honest and real. i couldn’t change it after that. wiping out its branches didn’t feel correct to do. it would be more ‘visually’ spectacular. its just i wanted the branches to be the stars of the sketch 🎨 to me this is spectacular ♏ nb the sun colours remind me of my mid school family tree colour i used in art. a yellow reddish mixed colour i always love. almost a mustardy brown with obvious yellow and red. even then i had the idea my family tree should look old.”
Here a spontaneous image using a diffused torch in the dark of my room:
“Experimentation with a Torch shining upon my Sketch”, making me really, really, really happy. Super happy.
“it looks even better with the torch light direct, its just too bright to photograph. i have had the idea to shine a light on artworks (like my cutout portrait) for sometime. i believe with perfect lighting this artwork reveals the sketch beauty of tree tones with a bright sun. almost like installation art. the idea with an artwork ‘shining’ for just a few minutes of the day (or same so randomly) with light. this is the perfect way for this artwork, interactive.” – bold added, giving reason for a diffused [light] photograph.
Here is the photograph inspiration for my sketch, shown immediately below:
“King James VI & I Oak of 1612 Branches in Sunlight – photograph” taken on 19th May 2020 at 1443hrs.
Do you see the sun the way I do?
Story outline – “You walk into an exhibition or museum, passersby admire a simple sketch over a number of hours. Suddenly with random or perpetual order a beautiful light fleetingly glows upon the sun of the sketch. For whatever reason only you and a few others whom happen to be near you get to see the artwork in this wonderful new way.”
“Sunshine Upon Fallen Logs” [18th January 2023] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, drawing with H, HB, 4B and 8B pencils, signed in black ink on 280gsm 250mm x 300mm gesso primed canvas [pad], digitally edited image 3181 x 2742 pixels.
My sketch composition is from a photograph taken 19th May 2020 at 1442hrs. I sat upon the large fallen branch from the King James VI & I Oak of 1612. The wood you see in the sketch came from this large branch. Sawn asunder first by high winds then tidily by men.
The first draft took 51 minutes, a complex construction so it was. My second draft of 37 minutes defined the woodwork, grass and leaves.
Here is the original photograph:
“Sunshine Upon Fallen Logs – photograph” [19th May 2020,1442hrs] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist.
My artwork is somewhat impressionistic although I have kept the general proportions on the canvas. With the speed I made this sketch I am reasonably happy with the outcome. I feel I have made progress with construction ideas whilst making this artwork. Personal art techniques I can refine in new works.
Van Gogh produced some 1,100 drawings! I have approximately 59 sketches/drawings of subjects, objects and landscapes excluding a multitude of abstracts. This does not include my oil paintings, acrylics, pastels and watercolours. As I write I would like to redo one of my lost pastels on board, it is beautiful. I can only hope it was plucked from the garbage heap.
If I can reproduce that particular artwork with the essence of the original I shall be delighted.
I would encourage any fans to make their own version of my artworks from my photographs. Whilst I did do art at school I had a literal near twenty-year semester from doing any sketches, paintings or drawings to formally speak of. During that semester I would say that my photography and music melody/songwriting hobbies were my main artistic interests.
By the way, if.. if I could introduce ‘stepping stones’ at the sites of my sketches it would be wondrous. Why? Simply that I would love to share the area with you, its natural beauty, its uniqueness.
You could get to see through your own eyes, with your own senses the views that have enthralled me.
“Birch in Buzzards Wood” [14th January 2023] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, drawing with H, HB, 4B, 8B pencils and charcoal, signed in black ink on 280gsm 250mm x 300mm gesso primed canvas [pad], digitally edited image 3346 x 2858 pixels.
Quote for “Birch in Buzzards Wood”:
“31 minutes, tbh i quite like this as it is.. every shadow has seismic lines whether discernible or not” – this quote is after my first draft.
Here is a photograph after the first draft for comparison to the finished artwork:
“Birch in Buzzards Wood – first draft after 31 minutes” by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, unsigned work in progress.
Further quote:
“its a nice drawing, people will either like or not i guess. it is merely an artwork of simple things. this tree amazed me tbh. i said to myself ‘i must do an artwork of this tree, its texture is beautiful.’ immediately upon photographing all that time ago. as i look at this artwork on the canvas i can honestly say it has the quality i wanted from the nearest tree.. realism.. it feels as if i could touch the bark. a 3D effect 😍🆒🌲”
I love when I’m happy with my works.
Now for the lovely tree and trees in the composition for my artwork:
“Birch in Buzzards Wood – photograph” [25th March 2021 at 1623hrs] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist.
You can see my artwork is impressionistic in style.
These verily trees art near the path which is just passed the steps you walk up from Wooden Walkway with Birds Feet straight on, then look left. Buzzards Wood is the woodland trees you see at the top left of Wooden Walkway with Birds Feet.
“King James VI & I Oak of 1612 in Winter Snow” [10th January 2023] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, drawing with H, HB, 4B, 8B and sky blue pencils, signed in black ink on 280gsm 250mm x 300mm gesso primed canvas [pad], digitally edited image 3130 x 2680 pixels.
For my new sketch drawing “King James VI & I Oak of 1612 in Winter Snow” my first draft took 45 minutes.
With the second final draft of 36 minutes I tidied the Oak detail, grasses were added/shaded, the Oak and trees defined, near-ground shadows darkened, striation lines added near the fence, fence posts and traces of the fence included, leaves far-ground details refined and then I immediately signed the artwork.
I made this quite sketchy with a sense of the cold winter beauty and lively as possible.
Here is my original photograph:
“King James VI & I Oak of 1612 in Winter Snow – photograph” [25th January 2021, 1452hrs] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist.
I take carefully composed photographs from time to time when I am walking about. As you can see, this photograph has brought a new artwork nearly two years on from when it was taken. The shadowy blue tones along with the nicely drawn Oak art my favourite details.
Sometimes after the first draft I wonder how I will make a sketch into an artwork. The first draft of “King James VI & I Oak of 1612 in Winter Snow” was instantly successful, as artists say. Therefore I knew it wouldn’t need too much for me to happily finish the fine details.
I briefly considered blending the blue tones before deciding that this style is exactly what the artwork required. Simplicity and raw construction with everything except the King James VI & I Oak of 1612. The latter becoming a focal point of the whole piece.
“Wooden Walkway with Birds Feet” [5th/6th January 2023] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, drawing with H, HB, 4B, 8B, sunlight yellow and sky blue pencils, signed in blue ink on 280gsm 250mm x 300mm gesso primed canvas [pad], digitally edited image 1879 x 1601 pixels.
The first draft took 50 minutes resulting in a good structure of landscape outlines, shadows and main object details. The three Birds feet, three metallic emblems at the foot of the steps, already featured in draft one.
My second draft took under 25 minutes – in this draft I redrew some elements of the wooden walkway bridge, brought colour to the Sun and created the ‘steel structured’ blue sky lines.
The third draft was completed within 10 minutes. This included additional leaves around canvas spaces, a few new branches, defining the top pathway edge and some microfine grasses. Later in the evening I happily signed the artwork.
One hour and thirty minutes after signing for “Wooden Walkway with Birds Feet” in total.
I drew the emblems a different perspective in keeping with an earlier photograph I had taken of the Birds Feet dated 15th July 2022. 15th July 2022 is the same day I made “Cloud Bloom”. The photographs for “Cloud Bloom” and “Birds Feet” were taken within two minutes of each other.
The Nature Reserve where these photographs are taken have many lovely artworks. Animal stone reliefs and the birds feet I have mentioned.
Here is the photograph for the Birds Feet emblems:
“Birds Feet on the Wooden Walkway – photograph” [15th July 2022] photograph by Matt The Unfathomable Artist.
Now for the photograph inspiring my latest artwork:
“Wooden Walkway with Birds Feet – photograph” [17th October 2021, 1824hrs] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist
“Wooden Walkway with Birds Feet” faces east. If you look west there you have the complimentary artwork viewpoint of “Harvest from Wildflower Meadow” [31st August 2021] photographed from the very steps you see in this artwork.
“Paddling Dogs River Bridge” [26th December 2022-2nd January 2023] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, drawing with H, HB, 4B, 8B, charcoal stick, leaf green, light green, fauna brown and sky blue pencils, signed in black ink on 280gsm 250mm x 300mm gesso primed canvas [pad], digitally edited image 3064 x 2631 pixels.
I have already made commentary regarding the art making process for this sketch shown above in my earlier blog article entitled My Work in Progress.
For easier comparable reference, here is the original photograph from whence my artwork is derived, immediately below:
“Paddling Dogs River Bridge – photograph” [14th October 2021, 1617hrs] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist.
For the enjoyment of my dear Readers I would like to include a few personal quotations by me during the making of “Paddling Dogs River Bridge”:
“First draft 46m [minutes] second draft 22m.
always amazes that some artworks just do, others take time to make good. idk. for me i appreciate Monet is the masterpiece maker of landscapes.
anyway yes it does have some faces. i only noticed whilst to send too [typo] you. I’ve overworked canvases before. not certain this needs much more really. its like the Gosling. i didnt like it so much at first. then i loved it 🎨 for its uniqueness 📝
nb Im calling this one Paddling Dogs River, prolly, even though obv it is [obscured Lake] stream/river” – Tuesday 27th December 2022, 1836hrs.
“No changes for the water. I could obsess about the shapes, i obsessed for half an hour just with water.
i never intended realism ideas just impressionistic. Despite my love for trees and bushes, artistically they art so difficult for me sometimes.
I think its minimalist quality is its charm, its uniqueness. Its the beautiful River [obscured] and the concrete block of a manmade feature, adjacent. This could be the forming of the [obscured] Lake in symbolism. [my hometown] is made from the quarry of the lake itself or so i understand anyway.” – Tuesday 27th December 2022, 1122hrs.
“How do we save the Poles, the Earth from climate catastrophe? How much climate devastation is enough?
In 1977 there was a blizzard that arrived by reason of cause and effect. It is nothing [purposed] Newtonian, merely mans own engineered involvement with the woeful disruption of nature.
It is all foretold in numerous modern fictional works let alone 19th century classical literature. “Writers could perceive the destruction.”.
Everything is cause and effect. In this we can perceive a Newtonian effect occurring. A law of climate physics.
Without law and order as regards human beings there is chaos. 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 et al. There is a wildfire of climate destruction the WHO has advised upon for three decades.” – Thursday 29th December 2022, 1401hrs.
Of course, here I am discussing mans own designated climate laws, some or many disregarded for commercial venture.A spiritual corruption if you will.The foretelling is the numerous fictional works explaining a dystopian future.
The Newtonian effect would include for instance the millions of tonnes of sea ice lost annually through manmade commercial ruination. The rain/snow must logically fall somewhere in this atmospherically manipulated commercially overheated Earth. The international press has clearly documented increased flooding in certain parts of the world.
Wherever climate laws are abandoned or corruptively bypassed, the result sadly, tragically, is loss of life and economic disaster.
“Art. Fourth draft done. Approx 20 mins. Whilst the River [obscured] is beautiful, my chosen composition isn’t the classical beauty landscape.
The concrete block is very urban. I love the water, the faces. The photo is more beautiful.
anyway i love the water, the river i drew. For me, everything about this artwork is the River [obscured].
Possibly this is nature versus manmade constructs?
Approx 2 hours over four drafts. You know, as i made this i thought.. every artist that produces another version through the oft difficult drawing process, i applaud your professionalism.” – Thursday 29th December 2022, words my own in abbreviated communication style of modern culture.
I would like to mention that over the past few weeks I had consciously [as usual] thought of commercial farming practices. I believe that somehow subconsciously my work is amplifying the plight of some livestock conditions, inadvertently.
I wish this blog article to be thought-provoking with a sense of strong feeling toward positive climate change.
nb Artwork image photographed indoor with the door open to let the natural light shine upon the canvas.
I prefer a photographically brightened version for online publication to delineate the canvas texture. However, I appreciate that due to monitor screens and smartphones this might vary the appearance of the shadows within artworks.
Obviously edits are intended to replicate what I see looking at my sketch. Here is my photographed sketch with fewer post-production edits:
“Paddling Dogs River Bridge – edited image two” [26th December 2022-2nd January 2023] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, drawing with H, HB, 4B, 8B, charcoal stick, leaf green, light green, fauna brown and sky blue pencils, signed in black ink on 280gsm 250mm x 300mm gesso primed canvas [pad], digitally edited image 3064 x 2636 pixels.
With image two (shown immediately above) the darker river tones on the left are probably more accurate to the original canvas. Whilst the right-sided river detail is slightly darker than the original.
It’s all very much of a muchness since hand-drawn artworks are always nicer to see in person. Although a lovely advantage to online works is the ability to zoom-in on fine details for a closer look at structure and pencil work upon the canvas fibers.
I hope you enjoy my artwork and heartfelt thoughts.
“Icy Lake – Tracing Paper version” [15th December 2022] Digital art, 2592 x 1944 pixels, by Matt The Unfathomable Artist.
“Icy Lake – Tracing Paper version” shown above is one of my favourite digital versions from the icy lake composition photographed on the same day. The original unedited composition is not shown.
You can click on any of these images to see each version in greater detail.
“Icy Lake – Starry Particles version” [15th December 2022] Digital art, 2592 x 1944 pixels, Time 0.314, by Matt The Unfathomable Artist.
With “Icy Lake – Starry Particles version” [immediately above] I made many visual changes to the artwork to find the perfect mix between stars and darkness of the icy lake. Artists have practised unusual perspectives for millenia. The idea these icy waters replicate stars or luminous particles is pleasing to our senses visually.
“Icy Lake – Shadow version” [15th December 2022] Digital art, 2457 x 1680 pixels, by Matt The Unfathomable Artist.
“Icy Lake – Shadow version” [shown above] is produced by embossing the image to varying degrees until one finds the most effective visual effect. This image looks the most computerised, digital or engineered.
“Icy Lake – Black & White version” [15th December 2022] Digital art, 2592 x 1944 pixels, by Matt The Unfathomable Artist.
By removing colour “Icy Lake – Black & White version” provides us with a stunningly beautiful image. Explaining the coldness of the wintry conditions in the most honestly efficient light.
“Alien Leaves Analysis SolarScape” [20th November 2022] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, original [edited] photograph, digital image 2592 x 1944 pixels.
The setting for my SolarScapes upon this blog page is to imagine an Alien is viewing our planet to understand its healthfulness and active sustainability for life.
Perhaps said Aliens are observing Earth merely to conquer its apex inhabitants? Or might their curious interest from vast distances be as new would-be custodians of beautiful Earth?
If we as Aliens considered the atmospheric air pollution within Earth, studying the mechanics regarding its diabolical liveable state – would we [as Aliens] not assume hierarchical human beings lacked common sense for their species and other creatures?
-‘They draw up the noxious ethers and liquids, then burn these in supermassive quantities whilst madly polluting their own inhabited cities! Seas, rivers, you name it, they pollute it. Even wild dogs of the plains and manta rays from the depths face extinction.’
‘What do they call this process?’ the alien companion asks earnestly,
-‘CIVILIZATION, my dear Alien! Modern DEVELOPED civilization at that!’
‘Goodness gracious, have they NO decorum?’
Obviously these particular aliens are immensely learned in all manner of languages.
“Watery Blackhole SolarScape” [20th November 2022] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, original [edited] photograph, digital image 2592 x 1944 pixels.
——-
“Martian Sky #3 SolarScape” [20th November 2022] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, original [edited] photograph, digital image 2592 x 1944 pixels.
——-
“Martian Sky #1 SolarScape” [20th November 2022] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, original [edited] photograph, digital image 2592 x 1944 pixels.
——-
“Leaning Tree SolarScape” [20th November 2022] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, original [edited] photograph, digital image 2592 x 1944 pixels.
——-
“Martian Sky #2 SolarScape” [20th November 2022] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, original [edited] photograph, digital image 2592 x 1944 pixels.
——-
“Alien Leaf Analysis SolarScape” [20th November 2022] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, original [edited] photograph, digital image 2592 x 1944 pixels.
——-
“Silvery Red Treeline SolarScape” [20th November 2022] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, original [edited] photograph, digital image 2592 x 1944 pixels.
——-
“Martian Lake SolarScape” [20th November 2022] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, original [edited] photograph, digital image 2592 x 1944 pixels.
——-
“Martian Tree Canopy SolarScape” [20th November 2022] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, original [edited] photograph, digital image 2592 x 1944 pixels.
My original photographs of ten artistic compositions were taken in Autumn on 19th November 2022 with my compact field camera whilst out for a refreshing nature walk.
The Unfathomable Artist 