Simona Puidokaite is a Lithuanian abstract minimalist artist (b. 1984) who has lived in London, United Kingdom for the past 15 years. While she was studying visual arts as a teenager, initially she chose a career path in hospitality management. Simona transitioned to graphic design in 2019, merging her love for functionality with visual creative expression. Soon after she picked up paint brushes again and now, preparing for her debut exhibition in London, she explores the emotional impact of shapes and colours, showcasing her dynamic evolution as an artist.
How did you get into art?
I've been fascinated by the beauty of the visual world around me since I was a child. I started studying arts later in high school and secretly wanted to become an artist. However, my proficiency in subjects such as math and social sciences led me to question whether having diverse talents and interests meant I lacked sufficient artistic talent… As the years went by, the paintings became fewer and fewer. After business school, I moved to London and worked my way up in hospitality – at one point I even worked as a business analyst – what can be further from arts?! But honestly, it felt too dry for me. So, I started taking art classes and courses to satisfy my creative side, but it still didn't feel like enough. Transitioning to graphic design in 2019 was a perfect fit – it allowed me to blend my love for structure and creativity. Without the pressure to make a living solely from art and being one foot in the creative world, I picked up paint brushes again and was able to finally dive into exploring themes that fascinated me, like how different shapes and colours evoke emotions and tell stories.
How would you describe your style? What makes your work special?
In a nutshell, my art is abstract minimalism. But if someone asks what I paint and they haven't seen my work, I often say, "You know Malevich's Black Square? Well, that's where I start every single time. I'm totally fascinated by it, and I'm on a journey to uncover pure truth and untouched reality in my own way." I'd say my work is about calculated elegance, a deliberate pace, and finding balance and simplicity in the complex visual world. Inspired by the beauty of simple geometrical shapes I aim to create compositions that contain life's chaos, stripping away unnecessary details to reveal its essence. For me each painting becomes a sanctuary where fragments of places, ideas, and feelings are frozen in time, captured on paper or canvas. My aim is to untangle the complexity of existence and invite viewers to pause, reflect, and celebrate the beauty of what’s in front of us.
How do you go about developing your work?
The journey of developing my art always begins in my mind. Creativity for me is a fluid process where, though I do set myself initial boundaries, I don't aim to control the outcome but rather see it as a puzzle I'm trying to solve, seeking answers to questions that intrigue me. Take the square shape, for instance – does it have to remain static, or can it be playful and evolving? However, working with my hands, being in motion is where my true passion actually lies: planning on paper, applying paint to canvas, and allowing for only a limited number of corrections not sure where it might lead puts me in a state of flow. It lets me delve deeper into my work beyond just arranging objects on a canvas; it's about encapsulating a subject. This process is not just for me as the painter, but I hope it also resonates with the viewer, inviting them to explore and interpret the artwork in their own way.
Who or what influences you?
Well, I can't leave out Malevich's Black Square from my list of influences now, can I? I am also greatly influenced by works and ideas of B.Newman, R.Motherwell, E. Kelly and early minimalism and modernism of the 60's and 70’s. M.Vignelli’s work and design philosophy resonates with me a lot. Whereas urban architecture, fashion photography and cartography will catch my eye wherever I go.
Make us curious. What are you planning to do next?
I've just returned from an amazing trip to Egypt, and I can still feel the warmth of the sun and the sand of the desert on my skin! I am also starting to plan my new works and my very first exhibition in London later this summer, so I'm bursting with excitement. I'm not just going to dive deeper into exploring the emotional power of geometric shapes, but I'm also going to do something totally new and unexpected for me. Inspired by the incredible colours I experienced in Egypt, I'm breaking away from my usual monochromatic style and will be infusing my paintings with vibrant hues that capture the warmth of summer and provide the sense of vivacity!
Learn more about the artist:
