“My ultimate goal is to strike the perfect balance in my art, providing just the right amount of stimulus without overwhelming or becoming dull.
As a highly sensitive person (HSP), a term to describe individuals who possess a highly sensitive nervous system, I and others like me often notice details that others may overlook. HSPs may also be more sensitive to emotions and experience intense empathy, often feeling deeply affected by the emotions of others. This heightened sensitivity to external stimuli can result in being easily overwhelmed by loud noises, bright lights, or strong smells and even `too much´ social interaction.”
“In my paintings, each layer represents a distinct phase and memory in life. The initial layer, always decoupage, serves as a nostalgic connection to my childhood. I incorporate everyday materials such as paper napkins, pressed leaves, and sand—elements that I experimented with as a child. These materials bring texture to the final piece, adding depth to the emotions conveyed.
As I progress with subsequent layers of acrylic paint, applied with check cards as a squeegee, I preserve certain memories by chance or intentionally using covering tape, allowing them to shine through from previous layers. At the same time, other memories may fade and become forgotten beneath new layers. By deliberately painting over certain memories, especially negative ones, I create space for new colors that better align with the present moment, ultimately shaping the final composition. Each layer plays a pivotal role in constructing the ultimate artwork, building upon one another step by step.
Through my art, I strive to celebrate the depth and beauty of sensitivity, offering a sanctuary for both HSPs and non-HSPs to explore and connect with their own emotions in a world that often demands numbing and detachment.”
About
Theresa Gondorf is a contemporary painter whose work depicts distinct memories represented in each layer.
Born in Lower Saxony, Germany, in 1988 and raised in the area of Osnabrück, Gondorf’s path into art began at a young age through exploration and experimentation with nature. She found joy in capturing the intricate details of nature through mixed media experiments, eventually focusing on painting.
Gondorf has exhibited her art in Hamburg, Paris and Madrid. Currently residing in Hamburg and Bayreuth, Germany, she shares her life with a partner and a Puggle named “Freud”.
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