SANI SPECTRA
Sani Spectra is a full time artist living and working in Vancouver. Her series was conceptualized at the water’s edge, inspired by capillary waves that form surface tension to create swirling vortices that expand outwards. The works evolved from a creative process that involved pulling and pushing paint around the canvas in waves of color and movement.
Spectra was born on a thick rainy day, an entry into the world that would mark a life-long affinity with water. Rain and water have always calmed her and put her in a meditative state. Born into an artistic family, her father is an accomplished painter, the dual forces of nature and nurture shaped her into an artist. His artwork graced the walls of her childhood home, creating a vibrant backdrop for a career that was a natural progression from environment to vocation.
The recurring imagery in Spectra’s early work featured a female form with an animal such as a peacock or an element of nature. They were rendered using the strong, vibrant primary colors of blues, yellows, red and black in an expressionistic style. Each piece had an inherent movement to it, as if the subject were on the move within the frame, seeking to escape one world into another. Initial commentary that her aesthetic was similar to her father’s sent Spectra on a physical and artistic journey to discover her own voice.
After graduating top in her class with a Bachelor's degree in fine arts in painting, Spectra enrolled in a Masters degree in filmmaking and animation. Straight out of college she won a coveted internship at Pixar Animation Studios, launching a career as a cinematic animator.
During her time in California the ocean and beaches were Spectra’s new aquatic muses. She had been dropped into a new culture that stirred ever-expanding personal and artistic growth. Her career move into animation honed her sense of visual movement within a static image.
After ten years as a digital artist Spectra has come full circle with a return to the tactile and immediate form of painting on canvas. Delving into the abstract, the spontaneous composition of shape and color is a liberating exercise and a way to connect with the world. This series is a meditation on a journey of self-discovery of the artist that has always been present.