Kateřina Ondrušková: The desired slowing down of life and painting

The paintings of Kateřina Ondrušková invite exploration. They draw you in, making you approach closer and closer, trying to see what is hidden behind the bush. Is it an emotion? Or a resting cat? You can familiarize yourself with the work of this contemporary painter, who has collectors even in Hong Kong, at an exhibition in the gallery of Studio Janja Prokić.

Where are you currently?

In my studio in the garden. I spend the summer with my son in Moravia, specifically in the White Carpathians. It's the land of the Žítkovské goddesses, and it’s a bit wild here. It's very windy, and there are many green forests all around. There are rocks and trees, not so many meadow flowers. My godmother lives here, and when she tells life stories, they are harsh. But people here are very connected to nature. It feels almost magical to me, and so from time to time, I also perform some rituals here.

Your paintings convey that you have a high sensitivity to noticing things around you. Can this art be cultivated in any way?

I used to feel it more broadly, probably like everyone else. But from the moment I became a mother, it changed and intensified. I slowed down. I started noticing more things that my little son notices, I can stop with him and explore the world more. Watching a snail for half a day? Why not. It's inspiring for me too. Even in such moments, I think about the painting. Actually, I think about it constantly. When I fall asleep, when I wake up, when I'm with Mikuláš. I'm always searching. Thanks to Mikuláš's perception, I receive new impulses for my work, in which he unknowingly collaborates.

Did your creative style change with motherhood?

It is certainly gentler; I deal more with details. I want the painting to draw the viewer closer, to explore it, sometimes I hide something tiny in it. I used to be more abstract and expressive. I cared about color, its application, expressing emotions. They are still there, but I want to capture more details. I also slow down while painting now.

How has motherhood changed you personally?

Motherhood has changed my approach to work; it brought order into my life. I have to use the time when I can work efficiently, for example, when my son is in kindergarten for a few hours. And sometimes I get angry with myself when I have time, and it's not working. Just yesterday, I painted over about four paintings. Generally, support is important in these times. I have my gallerist Quennie in Hong Kong, who represents me, and I remember being initially afraid to admit that I was pregnant, fearing she would break the contract with me, thinking that painter-mothers don’t function well. But she supported me immensely and said a magical sentence that showed she believed in me: Take your time.

What did you paint last?

I often paint portraits lately. But I don't want to say that I focus on them now. I don't want to get stuck in any topic; I'm always looking for something else in my works. Sometimes I feel that my painting is nervous, compulsive in a way. I always need to move it somewhere. I don't want to be a painter of one painting. I don't want to freeze.

What are you looking for in your paintings?

They can sometimes seem sad, but also joyful. I like to hide something in them. I paint my life phases, moods, attitudes, but I don’t reveal anything. It's personal but hidden. The painting is my means of expression. I'm shy, introverted, and sometimes afraid of reactions from others. So I might hide my emotions behind a bush or put a cat on the painting to draw attention to it.

You mentioned that you occasionally perform some rituals. What is your relationship with spirituality?

I have a close relationship with spirituality in all its forms. I have various stones, incense at home, I believe in signs and destiny, sometimes I read angel cards that are positive and support me when I can't. Part of my family is religious, and I never leaned towards that, even though my grandmothers took me to church. I didn’t like it; I always fainted there. But I have an internal sense of some faith. I believe in something that transcends us.

Jewelry can also have the power of an amulet. Do you perceive any special power in them?

I have a few pieces of jewelry from Janja, and although I generally wear jewelry only occasionally, they are meaningful to me. Besides earrings that resemble monstrances, I also have a ring from the Lumo collection. It has flames on it, adorned with an orange garnet, and represents light. Everyone needs light in their life to balance the darkness. I perceive these pieces of jewelry as generational, knowing that one day I will pass them on to my son. And he might give them to the woman he wants to live with.