Featured Artist
Vian Borchert’s work has always lived at the intersection of abstraction, poetry, and lived experience. In this extended conversation, the artist opens a window into the inner architecture of her practice—where painting, writing, memory, and philosophy converge.
Rather than offering fixed answers, Borchert speaks from a place of evolution. She reflects on how the core meaning of her work has shifted over time while remaining anchored in atmosphere, emotion, and a poetic abstraction that resists literal narrative. From nocturnal studio rituals shaped by music and quiet light, to the profound influence of poetry on her visual language, these Interviews reveal the intimate conditions under which her paintings come into being.
Borchert discusses creativity not as a singular act, but as a layered process—one shaped by journals and sketches, by architecture and horizons, by illness and recovery, by music drifting through the house at night. Her reflections move fluidly between the personal and the universal: the meaning of home, the power of perspective, the role of hope, and the responsibility of the artist in uncertain times.
Throughout the conversation, recurring themes emerge—structure and belonging, nature and cityscapes, myth and modernity, stillness and movement. Her responses read much like her paintings: suggestive rather than declarative, emotional rather than prescriptive, inviting the viewer (or reader) to linger, reflect, and find their own entry point.
What follows is not simply an interview, but a portrait of an artist in motion—thinking, questioning, and continually reframing how we see, feel, and imagine what lies beyond the visible.
What is the core meaning in your art?
The core meaning of my art usually shifts and somewhat changes as I grow. Yet, the essence of my art has always been the same since many years, which is to capture the expression, feel, and atmosphere of a certain setting through an abstracted expressionistic poetic touch.
Describe the vibe in your studio? Music, sources of inspiration, studio light...
My studio is in my house. Since I am mainly a night person where I produce most of my creative work at night. I find the convenience of having the studio within my house very essential to me that whenever I am in the mood to paint it can happen immediately, and I wouldn't need to get in a car and drive to get to it. As for music, it is essential for me as a creative person. I feel that music nourishes my soul and takes me to places where my mind can wonder. I live with musicians, so living with music is rather normal for me. I don't play any instruments. Yet, when I hear piano being played in my house - I have so much admiration for the music being composed and to the musicians creating the music. I am always in awe of what they compose. Besides listening to actual Live piano, cello and violin classical and modern pieces at home. I love listening to all sorts of music. My favorite singer of all time is Kate Bush. I also love David Bowie. In fact, just recently for the month of January and early February 2023, I had my David Bowie portrait paintings on exhibit at the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia, PA where they had a "Bowie Bash" opening event with Bowie music celebrating the legacy of the late singer. Besides David Bowie, I love John Lennon and especially his song "Imagine". I also love listening to Jazz. Back in college, I took music appreciation of Jazz and Blues which opened my ears to the beauty of jazz. I especially love Miles Davis, and other greats such as John Coltrane, the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Stan Getz, Hiroshi Suzuki and most recently the discovery of Ibrahim Maalouf's jazz pieces. My go to music though when I paint has always been "The Cure" such as the song "A Forest". I also like the Smiths' "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out", Billie Eilish's "Everything I wanted".
In regards to light, I can work in any light, even in dim light. I am not a fussy artist. I can create artwork anywhere and at any condition. For sources of inspiration, there are so many such as: architecture and landmarks, buildings in NYC and in Chicago, mid-century modern California houses by Richard Neutra, Charles Eames, Craig Ellwood. And, of course, I love nature. I especially love sunrises and the first crack of light that one sees at dawn. I love full moons as well and how they brighten the night skies.
How does being an award winning poet influence your artwork?
I've always had the writing bug so to speak even as a young child. As a child, I was very shy and I am still rather shy even today. It takes so much to get out of my skin. Thus, writing and art were my refuge growing up. Even as a child, I thought poetry writing was at a whole different level than any other kind of writing. Poetry can be short, abstract and swift, capturing the power of many emotions within lines, be it a love poem, or a melancholy one - Few words threading together to make a powerful poem. Besides the minimal element of it, I have always liked the abstract and suggestive nature of poetry. People who know me well come to a realization that when I am tired, I start rhyming. Hence, for me, I feel poetry is intrinsic within me much like art is. My best poems are written when I am extremely tired sitting in bed while the thoughts stream and mingle with dreams and just like that a poem emerges. I mainly write between my Alpha and Beta brain waves' stages.
Favorite moments from past exhibitions?
My Favorite moments from exhibitions are when people fall so much in love with my work that they have to purchase it and live with it. I had a physician purchase one of my paintings who told me that she can write poetry to it - that's when I know I did a good job when the art emits the magic and speaks well on its own that you can't help but fall in love with it and gotta have it.
What is your creative process?
I work in a series and sometimes work on one central idea that produces many works of art. The latest work revolves around structure and the theme of belonging along with questioning, "What is a Home?" Is home a house, is home someone you love, is home a country, is home a feeling or a place that you only can go to through your imagination. Hence, the latest work abstractly covers such heavy and deep subjects that have layers and multitudes from the actual structure of shapes and lines to the poetic and metaphoric aspects of the theme.
Do you keep a journal?
Yes, I have always kept a journal as far as I can remember. The journal was always a place to go back to for writing my feelings, how my day went, what bothered me, the outlines of ideas, doodles and sketches. I am a visual person, so writing and sketching are an extension of who I am. I have journals in my closets that date back to many years ago. I remember back in college, I took a class about the importance of keeping a journal and that always stayed with me ever-since.
Can you tell us more about your current exhibit REFRACTURE - Visual Realignment?
“REFRACTURE– Visual Realignment '' is a group exhibition for the month of February 2023 in NYC at Lichtundfie gallery. The Concept of the exhibition is by Priska Juschka. In the exhibition, I present my latest paintings that are mixed media of acrylic on canvas and on archival paper. In these latest works, my vision is on emphasizing the strength of structure through lines, gestural geometric shapes which are true to my artistic touch along with painted collages attached to the work. My latest artwork aims to capture depth of the perspective while being suggestive to the elements of the vanishing points and lines within an abstract field in such allowing for the unusual viewpoints and perspectives to come through highlighting the multiplicity of infinity within space.
Lichtundfire is located in Manhattan’s Lower East Side at: 175 Rivington Street, NYC, NY. Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Saturday: 12-6PM. My paintings are also available for purchase through the gallery.
Future concepts you look forward to bringing to life?
I keep thinking and bringing up the idea of work that can be done in 2D and transformed into 3D - somehow this idea keeps circling in my head. I haven't found or invented the technology that might make that possible yet - maybe it will come to me in a dream.
What does a creative perspective mean to you?
Everything, it means everything. Our perspective, at least mine changes and shifts with time and growth. When I got Covid around the end of the Summer of 2022, I almost died. The only thing that I kept thinking of while I laid lethargic in bed ready to disappear into the afterlife, is why didn't I enjoy the journey, that life is simply a journey, and how you enjoy that journey and the quality time you spend with your loved ones is all that matters. Being sick to death with Covid gave me perspective! I believe that is why my new art made a leap. The new art I am creating after Covid is all about perspective and perception along with how one sees and perceives what is ahead of you and what lies in the infinite world and beyond.
What is the best thing about being an artist?
Being creative is the best part of being an artist. Although sometimes it can be tiresome all the ideas coming all at once. There are times when I feel I am too stuck on the right side of the brain (the side where creativity and ideas occur), and I need to go back to reality and shift back to the left.
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