CConversations: Ali Pilli, Artist
In this CConversation, we connect with artist Ali Pilli to explore her captivating world of immersive abstract landscapes. Ali has refined a practice that beautifully balances subtle nuance with bold expression. Through her mastery of colour and mood, she captures fleeting moments in time, inviting viewers to experience art not just visually, but emotionally.
Through Ali’s unique perspective, we explore how her intuitive, large-scale colourfields create living environments that envelope the viewer like a dream-like horizon. We delve into her cinematic influences and her evolution toward a measured, playful elegance. Join us as we journey into Ali's studio process, uncovering how she allows colour to negotiate on the canvas and the transformative power of creating art that makes people feel truly seen.
HI ALI! SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU ON CCONVERSATIONS. TO GET US STARTED, I’D LOVE TO HEAR A BIT ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY. LOOKING BACK, WAS THERE A SPECIFIC MOMENT OR A SHIFT IN YOUR WORLD THAT REALLY POINTED YOU TOWARD THE STYLE AND THE CAREER YOU’RE BUILDING TODAY?
Hi, thank you for having me! A lot of experimentation with various styles and different mediums which eventually led to my work today. Before beginning my painting career, I worked in freelance illustration, cake decorating, and as a visual art teacher. These experiences clarified what I did not want, while also helping me develop skills that now support my practice. What I ultimately discovered was a desire to capture moments in time- and the emotions they evoke- through the lens of colour and mood. I spent considerable time exploring this across different contexts, experimenting with a range of abstract approaches. I kept playing until I found a way of expression that I felt I could grow alongside with.
YOU’VE DESCRIBED YOUR WORK AS BEING BOTH SUBTLE AND BOLD AT THE SAME TIME - WHICH FEELS LIKE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL CONTRADICTION. HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY USE COLOUR TO PULL THAT OFF?
I think of using colour similarly to how I think about life, which is contradictory, it gives and takes, is a little bit up and a little bit down. By nature we are not all one thing - which is how I approach using colour - it is not just that one tone but so many in between, including: how pigments break down; how they interact in various ways alongside other colours, and; how they can evoke various emotional responses. You need the extremes to appreciate, find, subtract from and work toward balance in a painting. I achieve that by considering colour in its most saturated form as well as its softest, and proceed from there. I also look at what colours work together, which contrast each other and various proportions of how those can work together to convey the overall atmosphere of the piece.
WHEN YOU’RE STARTING ON A NEW SERIES, DO YOU WALK INTO THE STUDIO WITH A STRICT COLOUR STORY YOU’RE COMMITTED TO, OR IS IT MORE OF A CONVERSATION? I’D LOVE TO KNOW IF YOU LET THE COLORS SORT OF 'NEGOTIATE' WITH EACH OTHER AS YOU BUILD UP THOSE LAYERS?
I usually begin with a sense of composition, colour palette, and an overall mood or atmosphere, but I allow the painting to take on its own direction as it develops. My approach is very play-it-as-it-lays: I respond to what is happening in the moment and grow with the work as it unfolds. This means things can shift completely or stay close to the original intention, and I’m comfortable with either outcome.
I don’t believe painting needs to be overdetermined; for me, colour is a place of exploration. Strict frameworks can feel counterproductive to the process. Instead, I work with a considered intuition, allowing each layer of paint to unfold and inform what follows. I often think of a line from Don Draper in Mad Men: “Think about it. Deeply. Then forget it. And an idea will jump in your face.” It echoes how I try to keep intention open and flexible in my studio practice.
FOR THIS COLLECTION YOU’VE CREATED THESE MASSIVE, IMMERSIVE COLOURFIELDS. WHAT IS IT ABOUT WORKING ON A LARGE SCALE THAT EXCITES YOU? IS THERE A DIFFERENT KIND OF MAGIC THAT HAPPENS WHEN A PIECE IS LARGE ENOUGH FOR A VIEWER TO PHYSICALLY 'STEP INTO'?
Large scale paintings create an environment that works in conjunction with the space they inhabit, and offer greater nuance the longer one spends with them. I like to think that they are an extension of the horizon out your window, or a dream-like abstract landscape that you can stare off into. The recurring horizon acts as both boundary and threshold. I find large bodies of colour evoke emotional responses we didn’t know we were feeling until we’re face-to-face with them. I’ve witnessed people cry, smile, not get ‘it’, as well as step back and say ‘I feel so seen right now’ all from the same piece. They see what they are in that moment and colour allows them to feel that. Colour is treated as atmosphere, something you can move through, not just look at. Large-scale works radiate and envelop the viewer in a way that can only truly be experienced in person, which I find compelling.
THERE’S A REAL CINEMATIC QUALITY TO YOUR WORK—LIKE A STILL FRAME FROM A MEMORY OR A FILM. WHEN YOU’RE IN THE STUDIO, ARE YOU PULLING FROM VISUAL REFERENCES LIKE PHOTOGRAPHY OR MOVIES, OR ARE YOU PURELY CHASING A FEELING FROM WITHIN?
It is a bit of both. I love both photography and film, and draw inspiration from each. Usually an energy from either or both captures my heart and I work with it until the feeling passes. At one point I wanted to work as a colour key artist. They're the people in animation/movies and game design who establish lighting, mood and colour palette for scenes, they focus on colour harmony and atmosphere rather than fine detail. I immersed myself in learning and practicing this while in school for illustration and my work still continues to reflect this. The desire to capture emotional tone through colour.
EVERY COLLECTION FEELS LIKE A NEW CHAPTER. LOOKING AT THESE LATEST PIECES COMPARED TO YOUR EARLIER WORKS, WHERE DO YOU FEEL YOU’VE EVOLVED THE MOST?That’s very true - as collections come out they really are a reflection of my thoughts and what’s in my heart at the time. I really love the looseness and abstract landscape aesthetic of my older works, which I may bring back eventually. I've evolved in my ability to use colour effectively while not over complicating a piece. I’ve also developed an eye that knows when to control the paint and when to let it do what it feels - a form of composure that is measured, self possessed and quietly resistant. To achieve simplicity, in the form of playful elegance, is an ongoing evolution that I am more than happy to keep chasing.
INTERESTED IN MORE? FIND ALI PILLI ONLINE HERE OR ON INSTAGRAM @ALI.PILLI.ART
ARTICLE HOSTED BY: CANDICE CRISTÓVÃO
IMAGE DETAILS:
PHOTOSHOOT CURATED BY: CCURATE
PHOTOGRAPHED BY: PAIGE THOMPSON