A work of Keziat's at 502 Gallery. Photo by Wes Roberts.

There are creative-minded people and then there are creators. The Italian artist Keziat is one of the latter. Kezia Terracciano, who graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Foggia, Italy in 1998, has created a completely distinctive visual language which permeates throughout her practice. First working in oil painting, Keziat made the shift to developing works of art using ballpoint pen in 2009 and, after exhibiting all over the world, has never looked back. This September, Keziat brought her unique artistry to Sarasota, for the American premiere of her exhibition Stelea: Visions Beyond Time at 502 Gallery. The show, which features sketches, installations and video-performance work, is emblematic of who Keziat is an artist. Below is an excerpt from the full interview with Keziat in the November issue of SRQ Magazine.

SRQ: Can you tell me about Stelea and the different ideas that drove the creation of this show?

Keziat: Everything is exposed. The works are all made with just pen on canvas or paper, such as newspaper. I like to draw with a pen because it’s intuitive and instinctive. I use just normal pens—this one in my hand is a Bic—in blue, red and every color. I start with a small detail and continue on without making a sketch first, like a stream of consciousness. I never have a plan before starting my work. Stelea was created to move some emotions inside of me. It’s connected to my perception of the outside world. Everything that you see here are my emotions and memories—my mind is very imaginative. Many things have meaning for me—doors, small houses, the people without faces or heads. They symbolize the craziness of imagination that makes your head go up in the clouds. I’ll depict characters in flight, because my imagination is something that isn’t rooted to the ground.

Stelea: Visions Beyond Time, September 3-27, 502 Gallery, 502 S Pineapple Ave, Sarasota

A work of Keziat's at 502 Gallery. Photo by Wes Roberts.

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