Today, we are presenting Theodosia Marchant. Born in Athens, Greece, she relocated to London at the age of 17 where she worked as an in-house legal counsel for several years. Since 2013 she has been residing in Los Angeles with her family where she works as an artist.
Theodosia has shown her art in various solo and group exhibitions, both in the US and internationally.
Hello Theodosia! The first question I always ask is, what does a typical day look like for you in Los Angeles?
My day starts with taking my son to school, and then I go to my studio and start the day. I usually plan the night before and make mental notes of what I need to do first; I try to adhere to deadlines, so I always start from there. I do as much creative work as possible while my son is at school. In the late afternoon, I collect my son from school and spend time with my family until he goes to bed. I then return to work, take care of admin stuff, and plan for the next day. My day always ends with me sketching. I don’t always sketch for upcoming work or shows; often, it is just a way for me to unwind and let go of the day.
I’m intrigued, Theodosia. Could you share with us what kind of child you were growing up in Athens, Greece? What were your interests, and how did you spend your time?
Growing up in Greece feels like almost a different lifetime now. I joke with my friends that I feel ancient these days. I had a happy, balanced childhood with no complaints. My parents were strict but fair. I was a quiet, not shy, child, but definitely on the quieter side. My parents were strict on education; it was no 1. Playtime and downtime were not considered necessary during the school week, which I disagree with now as a parent, and I don’t apply this to my son. Downtime was only the weekend; then, I could do anything. I drew and drew. That’s what I remember doing, mostly. Along with my sister, we both had a passion for creation; she was more about creating things with her hands, i.e., jewelry. I was always the painter, getting lost in the worlds I was making.
What is your earliest memory of creating something, and what was it?
My earliest memory is of a sunset in elementary school. From what I remember, I had blended the colors perfectly. I was so proud. Possibly, there was a boat on it, too, or sea waves. You can’t grow up in Greece and not depict the sun and sea; it seems to run in our DNAs. I was the favorite of my art teacher, and later, in high school, she tried to convince my mother to push me in that direction.
After you finished high school, you moved to London and studied law. Can you talk to me about that period in your life?
Following art as a career was never a plan, not because I didn’t try but because my parents, as much as they supported my artistic expression, wanted me to study something understandably safe. After that, they were fine with me pursuing whatever I wanted. So, that’s how London came about. I studied law. My sister did her law studies in France, too, so moving abroad to study was on the table from early on. It’s what a lot of young Greeks do. There are few places in Greek universities, pushing many students to study abroad. I was 17 when I moved to London, and I can only say I grew up very fast—supersonic speed. Going from a sheltered environment to my own was a shock, and I had to navigate a different mentality, too – but London as a city made up for it. To this day, I consider it one of the most exciting and beautiful cities, rich with history and culture. London warms my heart, and I miss it. Understanding the British yes and no of daily social interactions took me a while. I felt like an outsider for some time. That didn’t last long; some of my closest friends are in London, and I view the British as genuine, honest, and reliable people. I still consider myself a Londoner, and I naturally blend in when I return.
When did you transition from the corporate world to the art world?
After my studies, I remained in London and worked as a corporate lawyer, first in private practice and then as a legal counsel in-house. Life was ticking along, and then, one day, my partner announced that he was offered a position in the US. After multiple discussions, we decided to give it a go. Our life was set, but both of us needed adventure. We had no kids, nothing tying us down to one place. Moving to the US meant I could not enter a law practice; I had to requalify. So, I knew that my law career would take a pause. I saw it as a pause for the duration of our visa/stay in the US. I never expected us to be in the US for as long as we have been. While researching what else I could do and progressively getting more and more stressed about it, I fell back into art. I started creating as a way to calm my brain. And that’s how my art journey began.
When did you start taking being an artist seriously, and was entering the LA art scene easy for you?
While I lived in London, I didn’t paint, draw, or anything. Art was a passion but from an observant point of view. I went to galleries, dance performances, and poetry readings anywhere I could get my fix. I was so immersed in the corporate world that I had forgotten what it meant to create art and possibly viewed myself as no good. My complete immersion into art was a step-by-step process for me. I remember showing a completed work to my then-art mentor/friend here in LA, and he told me to stop doing anything else I was doing and explore it more. And that’s how it started. Entering the LA art scene, thankfully, was not challenging. My experience has been positive to this day. I was lucky to be at the right place and time, have my work seen and appreciated, and be awarded opportunities to show in a gallery setting. Officially, my art was shown in a gallery in LA in 2016 for the first time. I was pinching myself. Since then, I have exhibited in various galleries within the LA area, and one of the galleries that stands out for me for the level of connection and quality of the community is the Shockboxx Project. It is an artist-run gallery, and I help behind the scenes.
Your work has a distinct style. Can you tell me how you arrived at this aesthetic and what inspires it?
I create worlds, imaginary or not; some, if not all, come from my experiences or observations. I love to sit back and observe people. I purposely use black figures, minimal, like chess pieces, as part of this “game” of storytelling. No clothes, no distractions. Also, growing up in Greece, my relationship with nudity is pretty good. I see them as bodies; they are not sexualized in my brain. I bring this up because I know a lot of people see my work as erotic. Someone once told me that my figures reminded him of the depictions on ancient Greek vases. Believe it or not, my figures used to have faces, eyes, and mouths open. I used to tell my stories through their body language and gestures and by depicting emotions on their faces. For a while now, their faces have been covered. This transition occurred during the pandemic. At the start of the pandemic, the whole world was in turmoil. There was anxiety and uncertainty about the future. I felt I wanted to hide. I could not paint faces; I could not bear to look at them; I had to cover them and hide myself. The pandemic has ended, but the faces remain covered. I like it this way: I want to preserve a particular element of mystery and let the viewer wonder and guess what is happening behind this mane of hair. Is there a laugh, a smile, or a smirk?
I’m curious about your creative process. Could you walk me through the steps you take when creating a new piece, from the initial idea to the final result? What challenges do you face during this process, and how do you overcome them?
I create work for upcoming shows. Depending on the venue and what inspires me, I start the planning process. I don’t always like repeating the same patterns, so I introduce some new elements for new series. My figures remain predominantly the same, but the world in which they exist changes. It always begins with sketching—lots of it. Sometimes, excitement and anticipation take over, and I transfer the design to the canvas well before things have settled in my mind. Often, it doesn’t work, so I go back to sketching. While planning, it feels like my brain is constantly looking for clues; I once found a clue on a mural in an alley in my neighborhood. That image inspired an entirely different direction. I look for clues everywhere, color palettes, and words that resonate with and excite me. I move on straight on the canvas when it all makes sense. The first couple of works always feel less exciting, but by work 3 or 4, I’m well in there and know what I am doing. That is the happiest place to be. Confidently moving forward. I want the viewer to get lost in the scene they are looking at, travel into it, and trace the emotions it evokes.
Your work mostly features female figures. Could you talk a little bit about the significance of these figures in your art? What fascinates you about them?
It’s only natural for me as a woman to want to tell my stories through the lens of a woman. I certainly don’t dislike men, but I connect and understand women better. Women are highly complicated creatures; we can balance, navigate, and weed out several complex emotions and are better at expressing and owning them. At the same time, we are taught from a young age that specific thoughts must be kept secret and hidden so as not to be construed against us. This might not be the case for young women nowadays, but it certainly was for my generation, the generation before and right after. Holding back while feeling and understanding so much takes discipline and strength. I admire that. That’s why most of my storytelling is done through the prism of a woman. Women are strong.
How do you think the art world is changing with the rise of social media? How does this affect how your work is received, and how do you navigate this new landscape?
I find social media helpful. I only use Instagram. I tried Threads for a bit, but I have so much on that I can’t focus on that. Social media provides artists access to collectors and galleries worldwide. It’s so much easier to connect. Without social media, I would not have access to many faraway art markets, or it would have been way more complicated. I have made a lot of excellent personal and work connections through IG; it is a powerful tool for marketing. Admittedly, it can be distracting, so I limit myself to one hour a day; I try not to scroll mindlessly, but I treat it strategically as a method of growing, learning, and researching.
How do you deal with a creative block?
I push back at it. I carry on sketching and painting until it starts making sense. I don’t stop creating; I might do more hikes than usual during that time; being in nature or forest bathing, as the Japanese call it, helps me immensely. It eventually clicks. The last year has been more challenging from this perspective, where I have been trying to take myself out of my comfort zone, and that’s when I usually face an enormous creative block since my brain and methodology try to readjust and process the new era. I advise anyone interested in hearing it: Don’t stop creating. Push back double. It will eventually fall into place and make sense.
Can you describe your studio practice to me? Do you have any necessities when you are present in the studio?
Solitary and quiet. That’s how I describe it: my studio practice, and I love both aspects. I rarely have any music on; the hustle and bustle of DTLA is enough to keep me entertained. I have been yearning to listen to more classical music lately, such as Richter, Horowitz, and Tchaikovsky. When my son returns from school, it’s go-go, so my time in the studio is more of a meditation-alone time. I see my studio as my little creative sanctuary. My happy place, an extension of my house, open to friends and curators. I don’t have any necessities per se; a positive outlook sets me right for a productive studio day. That’s all I need.
You have a solo show coming up with Shit Art Club in Los Angeles on June 14. Can you tell me about that and the story behind the title?
I am super excited about this. I first exhibited with the gallery in 2022, and it was a wonderful experience. The people behind it are artists, too, understand artists and are enthusiastic about promoting emerging art. Art that would not necessarily be accepted into the commercial canon, as they say. In the words of its founders, “We are like a symphony made up entirely of conductors – or a ballet full of prima donnas. Our universe is home to beauty, synchronicity, discordance, and conceptual and aesthetic anarchy.” This new body of work, Angels, which I will present on June 14, delves into the struggle between light and darkness. As messengers of the divine, literature and art portray them as beings of great power and moral complexity, facing choices that mirror the human condition. Their journey reflects our search for meaning and the balance between our higher aspirations and earthly desires.
With that in mind, having had solo and group shows worldwide, do you ever get nervous before? And what do you do to calm your nerves?
I do! It’s natural; solo shows way more. If you hear me hiking a lot, it means stress levels are super elevated. Nature has such a calming effect on me. Referring to solo shows here mainly, I think of it and process it logically: have I done the work, met all deadlines, ticked all boxes before the show? If I answer yes, I sit and wait as calmly as possible. The opening day is the most stressful, but again, I try to compartmentalize my fear and emotions and try to crash each one individually. You can’t go to the opening of your solo looking terrified. I wouldn’t want to transmit this energy to people visiting the gallery to see my exhibition. Also, whoever comes to my solo shows is there for me because they genuinely care about me and my art. So, I focus on that. I focus on the positive. Also, I hike a lot before the opening date, but I did mention this.
What qualities do you find most important in those you spend time with?
Apart from the obvious, we all wish for, for example, sound, genuine, honest people; I look for people who mirror my characteristics and values. These could range from a viewpoint on personal growth and world views to something straightforward, like what we like to eat and why. What experiences join us. I consider myself driven and ambitious; no matter how kind they are, I can never be close to someone who lacks the drive.
How would you describe a perfect day?
An ideal day starts with kissing my son’s little face and gently waking him up. It then continues with having a good studio day, chatting with my besties throughout the day about random things, injecting positivity and lightheartedness into each other’s lives, going on a hike in the woods in the late afternoon, and ending with putting my son to bed and reading him a story. Simple.
I know you have dabbled in fashion, hand-painted leather jackets. How do you find this aspect of your artistic expression, and is it here to stay?
I started hand painting leather jackets last year, custom orders; this practice then expanded to leather clutches. I enjoy doing it; it adds variety to my work and has received many positive reviews. Currently, the structure of this model of my business is still custom order based; the collector tells me their vision, and I interpret it my way. The design goes back and forth until it gets final approval. Since it is clothing and more personal, I want to ensure my collector is happy before I start. I enjoy this more personalized aspect between collectors and me, but I want to expand; I am approaching fashion houses for collaboration. This side of the business is here to stay.
What are your plans for the immediate future?
Immediate, immediate is traveling back home to the UK and Greece to see our families and friends. Spending time with family and friends from back home is so important to me; I only see them once a year, so I savor every moment. Saying goodbye is so hard. Work-wise, I have a set of exhibitions and art fairs planned for the US and Europe. Excited about it all is an understatement. This year, I took a slight step back to reassess what is most important to me and makes more sense. Patience is a virtue.
Alright, Theodosia. I always ask these two questions at the end of an interview. The first is. What’s your favorite movie(s) and why?
I am obsessed with cinematography. Weekends are big screen and projector time! I have so many favorites ones, for different reasons; some I find exceptional because of the actors or director, but one that stands out for me on life, the meaning of life, a story told so beautifully and subtle that lets you find the answers and reach your conclusion on what matters, is La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty). I have watched this film many times and cried every single time.
The second is: What song(s) are you listening to the most right now?
I have been going through a nostalgic phase recently, and when I am home and want to unwind, I’ve been listening to a lot of Prince and his earliest albums.