Dr. Tia Vellani is an artist with a background in science and a lifelong love of music. She lived in Canada and the USA and is now based in Kilkenny, Ireland.
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Artist Statement
Curiosity and wonder draw me into experimenting with art, music, and science. One of my favourite questions is, "What if... ?
In my creative practice I use ideas from one discipline to inspire new ways of thinking in others and to discover unexplored concepts. It has given me a better understanding of what and how we communicate through the Arts, and a sense of how vital they are for our well-being. Moreover, finding fresh tools for artistic expression always sets my imagination on fire.
My days are like an ever-changing patchwork quilt. With no predictable pattern, I flit between thinking, writing, and designing to drawing, painting, and making digital images to playing piano and composing music.
I find it creatively stimulating to work with others, so many of my projects are collaborative. Some of them are listed below.
Projects:
Ultimately, I want my work to reach people, excite them, and inspire them to make something else, something more.
-Tia Vellani, 2020
Bio: My formal education is in science (Ph.D and postdoctoral research in genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry and genomics), and I worked in a lab for many years before switching to the arts. After leaving science, I created a studio workshop for jewellery design, which I maintained for nine years before starting my present cross-disciplinary arts practice. I've played music all my life, starting with classical piano at age 3, then adding concert flute, voice, and West African percussion over the next few decades. Music, visual art and science have all contributed to my identity, and the 3 disciplines are fully integrated into my practice. My work reflects a truly authentic expression of my passions, core values, and ideology. |
Works in Progress:
What is the Sound of One Heart Dancing? A multimedia exploration of improvisational dance. Collaboration with Helen Walsh, Jennie Grangel, Eoin Coffey, and Sandra Mogensen. This project is possible because of generous support from Alternative Kilkenny Arts, TASK Kilkenny, and a grant from the Arts Council of Ireland and Arts & Disability Ireland. Scheduled for exhibition in July-August, 2020. Sonic Notation Orchestra Collaboration with other musicians and visual artists where we interpret each others' work from music to visual art and back. As the project unfolds, we're noticing patterns we would never have noticed and discovering ways to add more layers of meaning to our work. Ongoing since July 2018. |
