Lola Szent-Gyorgyi paints like someone listening to the hum beneath it all—the vibration of atoms, the rhythm of flowers, the tension in city walls. She’s an Environmental Abstract Artist with a background that crosses just about every creative line: set design, textile work, drafting, fashion, photography. This range shows up in her work, which often feels like it was plucked from the middle of a dream or a natural phenomenon. Her process is intuitive and often influenced by what’s happening in the world around her—social shifts, political upheaval, and the steady beat of the natural world. She’s not trying to explain, just express. In this interview, Lola talks about her freeform process, the challenges of keeping original art alive in a digital world, and why her paintings don’t need to “make sense”—they just need to move, shift, and offer something new each time you return to them. Like silent poetry, they’re made to evolve with you.
Here is the artist’s interview.
Question: What is your creative process like?
Answer: My creative process is very organic and Intuitive.
I am very influenced by current issues going on in culture and politics.
And although I consider myself mostly an abstract artist, I believe that much of my work pertains to current situations and also timeless universal experiences.
I usually incubate for certain amount of time and do other activities, which are also creative such as sculpting, fashion design, jewelry making , poetry journaling.I paint paintings when I feel the immediate urge to paint paintings. I don’t really approach it with a plan or a schedule. I feel as though I accumulate information from life and experience that should be expressed through that process. I paint very freeform, There is a lot of play and whimsy and experimentation in my process. The paintings really lead me into what they are meant to be, and I am A vehicle of sorts. This particular painting called Nocturne Japanese kimonos and screens, black ceramics & Graffiti street art influenced are at play. Highly ordinate with lots of characters and markings, it is all black. Different sheens and viscosity of Japan inks and marker catch the light. Different details show up Depending on which Where the light hits. This was a very free flowing painting. I was fascinated in the way that the ink was absorbed by the birch Highwood and how there was a high luminosity coming through. It was very reminiscent to me of butterfly wings or fish scales in the way The materials were reacting so I played with this. It reminds me of a deep underwater Moon bomb. Whatever that is.
Question: Do any personal experience experiences shape your work?
Answer: I believe naturally that my experiences in my lifetime have definitely shaped ( influenced) my work, although I don’t know if I Can say that I am trying to be literal on anything. I am fascinated with nature, animals, fish, insects, light and life. The interconnected world & complexity of humans Perception and interaction is interesting and the tension That can be created through imagery. Being a female artist, There can be a lot of stereotypes. I’m not afraid to make imagery that is typically considered “feminine”, for example,feminine imagery, flowery colors or delicate patterns , but want to convey a sense of universality, power and unwavering strength that resonates through the aesthetic.
Question: what challenges do you face as an artist?
Answer: I think that the Art market right now is tough. I feel that because of the Internet we do not have to go to physical art shows anymore in galleries so the experiences become a lot more separated from the actual art. With AI generated work out there and Also so much reproduction going on I think it’s challenging for an artist to sell originals My hope is that original artwork will become coveted because it is hand hewn. There is time spent & thought energy transferred into artwork. Energy resonates through artwork -nothing like an original piece of artwork. And seeing artwork up close in person is an ex experience it can’t be replicated through books or Internet although I really do appreciate the exposure that the Internet can give us.
Question: What do you want people to feel when they see your work?
Answer: I enjoy hearing what each individual feels when they experience my work and the different unique interpretations. The beauty of abstraction is communicating without relying on those Recognizable words Or symbols to describe what is being said. The openness and freedom I believe is very liberating. I wanted to fascinate an interest the viewer. I would hope that the artwork would continue to bring different experiences to the viewer each time they looked at it, and there is depth and complexity enough to be interesting. A painting can mean different things to a person depending on what you are thinking about & And at what point you are in your lifetime. Timeless resonance is important to me as well as beauty. I really want to bring beauty to the viewer. Beautiful thoughts and beauty aesthetically. Each time I look at my paintings I see something different and they remind me of different things and that’s what I want to convey to the view or two there is nothing fixed or controlling about my work. I hope that it could be an energetic object that continues to grow with you each time you look at it. I don’t think that my paintings need to make sense- Silent poetry.
Lola Szent-Gyorgyi’s work doesn’t shout for attention—it invites you in. Her paintings aren’t fixed statements, but shifting mirrors. They hold rhythm, memory, energy, and something unspoken that stays with you. In a time when the art world feels oversaturated and fast-paced, she offers a space to slow down, to engage with beauty that doesn’t need to explain itself. Her art is an experience, layered and alive, shaped by emotion, intuition, and nature’s own design. For Lola, a painting is never really finished—it’s a living object, a reflection of both artist and viewer, always ready to say something new.
