Dina Klumbys · Winner Collectors Art Prize
My creative process lives at the intersection of emotions, movement, and connections. Whether I’m working on contemporary pieces or detailed animal portraiture, each painting begins not with a plan, but with a feeling.
In my contemporary works, I allow intuition to guide me. I experiment with texture, layering, and—more recently—line painting as a way to build rhythm and tension. These works often evolve organically, shaped by mood, energy, and the unspoken. I don’t aim to represent the world exactly as it is, but to translate what I feel into visual form. Color and form are my language; each mark is a moment captured in motion.
When it comes to animal portraiture, the process becomes quieter and more intentional. I’m not simply painting a likeness—I’m capturing spirit. Their eyes hold entire worlds. I study their posture, their strength, their vulnerability. My goal is to honor their presence, and in doing so, reflect something deeply human as well.
In both styles, my process is deeply layered—emotionally and physically. I build surfaces slowly, allowing time for reflection, for stepping back, and for allowing the work to speak back to me. At times, I include affirmations instead of titles, letting the painting carry not just the image, but intention. Art, for me, is not just about what’s seen—it’s about what’s felt. My work seeks to connect, to comfort, and to remind us of the beauty and resilience that exists both in nature and within ourselves. Lately, I’ve been exploring new directions in my creative process, particularly through the introduction of line painting. This shift isn’t just about technique; it’s about finding a new visual language, one that adds structure, rhythm, and energy to my work.
Lines have a quiet power. They can guide the viewer’s eye, suggest movement, or define space without filling it. In my recent pieces, I’ve begun weaving lines into the composition—sometimes bold and intentional, sometimes delicate and intuitive. They act like threads, connecting elements of color, form, and emotion in ways that feel fresh and alive.
In this new direction, I’ve chosen not to title my paintings in the traditional sense. Instead, each piece carries an affirmation—a quiet offering to the viewer. These affirmations are not instructions, but invitations. They reflect the energy behind the work, the internal space I was in when creating it. A painting begins with a line - an emotion reaching out. Black is not emptiness, but the quiet space where every feeling waits to be seen, shaped, and set free in colour.
Strngth, 2024. Acrylic on canvas, 61x76cm.
Introspection, 2025. Acrylic on canvas, 60x90cm.
Every inch of me is worthy of love and acceptance,2025. Acrylic line painting on canvas, 40x50cm.
Courage, 2024. Acrylic on canvas, 87x63cm.
Decisiveness, 2025. Acrylic on canvas, 70x100cm.
