Photo: Courtesy of Esther Pollak
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.
My name is Esther Pollak and I live in Santiago de Chile; my family has been here for a few generations, my grandparents came here from Europe. I´m 38 years old, mother of five amazing kids, wife and artist.
What inspired you to become an artist?
I studied to be a teacher but, being honest, I never really enjoyed it. For a few years, I didn’t work; I worked plenty as a housewife, but didn’t get a salary to show for it! But I always felt there HAD to be something that I could do professionally and really enjoy. Two years ago, I saw a really breathtaking painting at a friend’s house and I had what we could call an epiphany: I realized that I wanted to paint! I always liked drawing when I was a girl, but I didn’t have any formal instruction. So I hired a private teacher and took classes with her 3 times a week, and also tried to paint every day at home. As I saw improvement, I started feeling more and more sure that this is what I should do professionally.
What is your specialty?
I wouldn’t say I have a specialty. I like to paint anything that´s pretty and/or meaningful and I love variety, otherwise the work gets boring. The only requisite I have is that it needs to be aligned with my values; for example, I received a commission to paint something that I didn’t consider modest and, as an Orthodox Jew, I felt I couldn’t do it. That being said, I love landscapes and lately I’ve been doing lots of portraits. Oh, and I also love painting food.
How and where do you work?
Since the pandemic started, I stopped taking classes. So I paint in a little studio in my house. I mostly paint at night or, when the kids used to go to school before this craziness started, in the mornings.
What is the most indispensable item in your studio?
I’m crazy about my paintbrushes. I like to use top quality ones and I wash them with special products right after using them, no exceptions. I only use them while they’re really tapered; once the hairs start opening, I throw them away. Or give them to someone who’s less fuzzy about their paintbrushes.
Where do you take your inspiration? Are you pursuing any themes?
My main inspiration is Judaism; its traditions, the land of Israel, biblical themes, and its holidays. I’m also inspired by nature, travel and food.
Do you do bespoke work?
Yes. But, as I said, only if the theme is aligned with my values, otherwise I couldn’t. And I try to accept only commissions that I feel excited about doing. I recently finished a commissioned painting that I wasn’t really into, I didn’t like the idea from the beginning, and I dreaded going into the studio until I finished it and, really, until I delivered it.
What projects are you currently working on?
I´m working on a few commissions, trying to stay on track because I like to give my customers a date when I´ll have the painting ready and I don’t like to be late; more than once I’ve had to blow-dry a painting for a few hours to deliver it on time!
What are your favourite items in your current collection?
I like most of the paintings I’ve done in 2020. I don’t know the exact reason, but I think my work really took a leap this year. I think it has to do with feeling more confident, having more time to paint and receiving really positive feedback from my family, friends and followers on Instagram.
How do you know when a piece is finished?
That’s really a hard question because you don’t want to stop until you think it’s perfect and it never will be. My teacher taught me that if I see the big picture and like it, the painting is done. Even if one little detail isn’t 100% perfect.
What was the first artwork you ever sold?
A rabbi that I painted last year. As you can see, I´m really new at this!
Which project have you enjoyed working on the most so far?
I’ve enjoyed working on most of my paintings. But something I really love is painting rabbis or people who inspire me to become better.
What do you want to achieve with your work and what are your wishes for the future?
Well, I live in a really small Jewish community, so my chances of selling my work here are tiny. Right now I´m looking for ways to sell my work abroad and that´s a must if I want this job to become profitable. That´s on a practical level. Also, I´d like to maintain this level of commitment and passion, even if when my work is not selling at the speed I´d like it to. It’s really key to try to paint every day and not make excuses, even when you’re not feeling so inspired. On the one hand, this allows you to have more paintings to show and, on the other, practice makes “perfect”. In my opinion, it’s the only way to see real progress in terms of skill.
Where can we find your work?
You can find my work on my Instagram account or send me a message if you want a personalized painting (+56987697729).
Photos: Courtesy of Esther Pollak
