December Artist-in-residence at Paradiso Ubud

The Art Gallery at Paradiso Ubud hosts a monthly changing, meticulously curated collection of artworks from local and international artists. Our exhibitions of fine works of art made by professional artists from Bali and around the globe follow different themes each month and are often available for purchase.

Fo the month of December we welcome seventeen-year-old self taught Kanasta Abrams, an young American woman living with her family in Bali, who has always been fascinated by painting and drawing. She constantly thinks about her next painting; how to create a physical form from an often abstract idea, a challenge that is not taught in schools.

Kanasta’s artistic inspiration stems from her observation of topics that may seem very strange to her, generating an emotional response. Painting, these subjects give her the impression to understand them and to feel them with force. It is an almost dreamlike state, to be so absorbed by the subject as if instead of using a brush and a canvas, she applied her hands directly onto the subject.

Kanasta is very direct in her behaviour, and her work as an artist shows it well. Her paintings usually represent a simple subject. Finding and understanding the deeper meaning, however, is much more difficult. Kanasta is influenced by pop-art in her choice of colours. These are bright and rich, strongly contrasting with each other. The thick black outlines and black details that are present in most of her paintings are inspired by American comics, such as D.C. and Marvel. Kanasta wants her paintings to catch our eye and shock us.