Experiments on Canvas
Southern California-based abstract painter Monica Gava delves into her ongoing artistic journey and the impassioned instincts that fuel her work.
When did you discover that you had a gift for the arts?
I’ve had an artistic spark in me since I was a kid growing up in Brazil—almost like it is just part of who I am. I wasn’t the kind of child who spent time playing with dolls or pretending to be a princess. Instead, I would get lost for hours filling in coloring books, making collages, scrapbooking, and even pretending to run my own stationery store.
How did you begin creating art professionally?
I was introduced to graphic design in high school and then went on to study advertising in college, which was my first real dive into the professional creative world. I did some freelance gigs crafting logos and branding for local clients, and after graduating, I worked as a copywriter for a decade. But when I moved to the States with my husband in 2021 to study graphic design at the University of California, Irvine, I realized that my true passion wasn’t being fulfilled. That’s when I shifted my focus and took my first steps to revive my old dream of becoming an artist.
I took countless hours of art workshops and began painting small florals and landscapes on paper with mixed media and vibrant colors. As I studied impressionism, color mixing, and composition (or how different visual elements of a painting relate to one another), I gradually found my true voice and my style started to shape into what it is today. Now I can say that I’m a professional fine artist.
Who are some of your biggest influences?
I’ve been inspired by classic painters like Monet and Van Gogh and more recent ones like Cy Twombly, who’s a good reminder of how to abandon my consciousness and follow my instincts to convey abstract emotions visually. However, my newer work is heavily influenced by Paul Cézanne’s color palette; like him, I use warm and cold versions of the same color to add dimension to my abstract pieces.
Would you walk us through your creative process?
Curiosity is my driving force. I find myself constantly experimenting with new materials, seeking to discover what resonates with me at any given moment. Right now, acrylics, watercolors, and inks are my primary tools, but my work is far from confined to these. What excites me most is how each material behaves and how I can push its limits to create something unique. One layer of torn paper might complement the transparency of a watercolor wash in a way I couldn’t anticipate.
A central element of my practice is layering multiple coats of paint to transform a flat surface into something textured, dynamic, and vibrant. For my works on canvas, I mostly use the adding and subtracting technique, where paint is applied to the surface but also removed with different tools while it’s still wet. Slowly, the juxtaposition of these layers creates depth and complexity, turning a simple surface into something multidimensional.
Your work was featured on Disney+. What was that experience like?
That story starts with an email from a potential buyer on my Etsy store. But this wasn’t any ordinary message—she was interested in purchasing one of my pieces for use on a movie set. My first instinct? Spam. But the conversation unfolded, and after some back-and-forth, the deal was set. Then, in a twist that felt like something out of a movie itself, she told me to keep an eye out for the film Crater on Disney+.
I eventually sat down to watch it with my husband and kids, saying, “Let’s see who will spot my piece first!” I did: it was hung on a wall of a room where the main characters gathered. It was a “pinch me” moment, knowing that my art had contributed to a world far beyond my studio. But the best part of all was hearing my family say they were proud of me.
What are some of your latest projects?
I’m working on a new collection of landscape-inspired pieces with a twist. Normally, I love allowing my materials to speak for themselves. For this newer body of work, though, I’m taking a more intentional approach, painting layers in a way that suggests a horizon, mountains, or even a more dreamlike, abstract scene that still feels grounded in nature. It’s a fun challenge to push myself out of my comfort zone and experiment with creating something that feels familiar but fresh at the same time, and I am thrilled to see how it comes out.
For more info, visit monicagava.com or follow Monica on Instagram @koketistudio