Emerging or established, what most piques our interest in both an artist and their work are the stories that wend their way through their creative journey. From beginning to end, each artists life is network of creation, connections and chronicles that are unique – and, having the chance to capture one of these stories from the early stages is something that we cherish.

A year or so ago, a whole bunch of  line drawn woman’s faces, signed with the name “Klara“, began to appear pasted, nailed and glued to the walls here in Melbourne. Over time, the pieces, and the moniker, became more frequent, and, as they did so they became more articulate, detailed and expressive.

Since she started out, we’ve had the chance to see the evolution in Klaras work, and we’ve also seen the recognition and pleasure that the Melbourne street art loving public has directed her way. Thanks to a chance meeting at the There’s More event, and the opportunity to paint alongside her at the Holliava paintup last week, we got a rare chance to interview one of the more elusive artists practicing on the streets here in Melbourne.

Welcome to the first chapter in the chronicles of Klara.

Your work started springing up sometime early last year, and has, since then, been quite abundant across the streets of Melbourne – but what came before? Tell us a little about the origins of Klara, where she came from, and where she emerged from …

I grew up in a rural farming town south of Margaret River WA. Left home at 16, but not far, lived in a small town and always yearned to leave but was very attached. I consider myself lucky coming from a place with such natural beauty, but the isolation was extreme and resulted in me creating constantly with whatever materials were available, from a young age.

I find my current locale here in Melbourne much more inspiring and involving. I spent a few years settling in, found it difficult to find my feet for a while there- creating a good balance.

Over the last couple of years I’ve had some really ‘interesting’ experiences in life, love and work, was feeling really unattached and depressed from not creating as much during those times. So I decided that doing nothing wasn’t helping and got my ass into gear. It was frustrating, my mind was filled with things I could be doing but wasn’t. All these ideas that were simply ideas unless I made them something.

What then, after that, lead you to start putting work out on the streets?

I’ve always loved street art. I used to tag as a teenager (territorial pissings), and still do sometimes, but as I’m evolving I’ve wanted to create more elaborate artworks for the streets also.

I had my first solo show in Melbourne at Off the Kerb Gallery in May last year. It wasn’t a huge success, but I made it something and now I can see why. It’s been a catalyst to continue working and creating. I walked home from Collingwood with all the work that didn’t sell from the show, nail, hammer and glue gun, and decided to stick my stuff on the streets rather than stashing it somewhere in my studio (which is quite full of ‘collectables’ already). I use a lot of recycled or collected items in my work, so it also felt nice to give them back with love.

The feedback I received was much more rewarding than that of showing in a gallery. I love this city and utilising it’s spaces, once I started I felt I couldn’t stop.

About six months ago, you classified yourself as a “rookie” – do you think that this is a relative term still, or if even applicable given the pliable nature of “street art”? As a fairly new face on the scene, how have you found the journey into the culture so far? What have been the challenging aspects, and what have been those that have been most rewarding?

Oh yes! I’m still a rookie! Well when you word it like that, I guess it is difficult to say if anyone is or isn’t a rookie – but I definitely still feel like a rookie! I’m a work in progress. I guess I was a rookie when I first started out on the streets, you know it was my first times. I guess now from a bit more experience I could say I’m not such a rookie, but I’m constantly learning, trailing, evolving, exploring and always will be. Does that make me an amateur? I feel like there’s a lot more I could be doing and a lot better I could be at what I do. I feel like this is just the beginning, so yeah … I’m a rookie.

I’ve always admired street art and it was something I only read about in books where I grew up, I loved the concept of going about your normal day, heading to work or whatever and encountering these magnificent pieces of artwork amongst the urban landscape, instead of the gallery environment where you expect such creations. I like the wider reach of audience the streets provides. It’s free and accessible. Some people may or may not care much for art, but if its on the street you’re walking down, its hard to miss it. I’ve always enjoyed creating art so I find being part of ‘that’ most rewarding. I used to détourné street signs and tag as a kid, but it wasn’t received well in the country.  I love putting my work on the streets of this city as it’s both appreciated and not.

The most challenging part in all this would have to be finding the time and balance – I wish I could create all day everyday. I dream of being able to do this, but life just doesn’t give me the time or finances I need.

I just want to live comfortably and do what I love – don’t we all?

Within your daily life, what are the precious moments? Amongst the things that you find yourself doing, what are those seconds of time that you most look forward to, and how do those moments translate into your world view, and your art?

At home loving and creating or the contrast of experiencing locations and their beauty- especially a breathtaking view above the city.

I’m a bit of a hermit. My studio is the larger room in our house so I always look forward to being at home with my girl, dog and cat. I find the outside world, the people amongst it or running it, confusing and overwhelming. At home I’m surrounded by my loved ones, collected belongings (loved things) and my own space. It may sound pretty plain but I guess my favourite moments are being at home creating or loving.

However, without the outside world I would lack a lot of my inspiration. Growing up in a rural town I constantly yearned for the contrast of an urban city space- the architecture, infrastructure, transport, exploration opportunities, the lifestyle. So to me, living in the city is still exciting to me – I love exploring it.

It’s always inspiring me, pushing me, testing me. I like to think of most of my work as the world as Klara sees it, it’s only my opinions or views and I understand not everyone will accept or agree, but I’m portraying my world. I’m just either sharing the journey or my views and frustrations.

There is often a simplicity in the work that you do, that belies the complexity of the messages that you wish to convey – you’ve explored various different routes in expression, but is there an overall message or thought process behind what you are doing out on the streets? Should there be? Or is your work art for arts sakes, and for the fun of the game?

I don’t think my work is ever just art for arts sake. Not saying that there should or shouldn’t be, but I create and always have created for a reason. I feel like it keeps me sane. I’ve done so since I can remember and I always will, wherever it takes me.

I love simplicity. I enjoy it visually but also know it’s hard mentally to obtain. My mind is like a greyhound track, I’m constantly chasing the rabbit round in circles. I think one thing about something, but then see the other perspective. I have my views and opinions and always try to see the other side of the argument, but some things are simply just black and white. Sometimes I put these thoughts into my work, sometimes I’m just drawing, clearing my head of my own feelings, views and opinions. Mostly there’s a message, but directed to who or what? The intended viewer I’m trying to convey messages to in my work is often ever changing, along with my feelings, views and opinions.

We read a quote over on your blog that you saw up on a rooftop, ”Once you have seen the world from our point of view, ground level just wont cut it anymore.” – tell us a bit about your urban explorations of the city since you’ve been here, rooftops, factories, and other abandoned sites – and does ground level still cut it for you?

Oh, I’ve just loved exploring this fine city. I really don’t take it for granted. I spent twenty years of my life in the same habitat, rarely venturing out to see new views and realities. I’d dreamed of it but hadn’t yet had the real experience. I’ve travelled a bit, but at this time don’t have the funds or time to do so.

It was the opening at OTK again. My mum came over from WA for it, had an accident that night, broke her leg, needed surgery and went straight to Royal Melbourne Hospital. I love hospitals and industrial buildings, so I would wander around the hospital trying to push where I could explore. After getting into the utility tunnels and all sorts of interesting spots I realised I was finally in this world I’d been waiting to explore and wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner. I kept feeling the need to push boundaries for the experience of being in the decay of an abandoned mental hospital or industrial brickworks etc.

I got on the tram the next day and thought, explore, go find an old building with interesting history and get into it. I ended up at Pentridge Prison after trying to hunt down the old Coburg High school (I love art deco) which is now a playing field. It was such an exhilarating and challenging experience, I was determined to see as many sites as I could.

After buildings and sites, I started going underground into drains also. I love being underneath the city. Hearing and feeling the world moving above you whilst in the cool, calm darkness of a drain sure is something else. I used to love exploring drains as a child, but as they weren’t servicing much in the country, were small and never went far. The drains in the city are much more exciting to explore, heaps of different shapes, lengths, features, tunnels etc. And they’re a great place to trial new techniques or mediums.

Then came heights. I’ve always been terrified of heights. As long as I can remember I’ve been so terrified of heights, once even my toes were beading sweat while on a cable car in Singapore – but I’ve always admired artwork in a ‘how the fuck did they get up there?’ placement, so challenged myself to get into it – and I’m so glad that I did.

No, ground level just doesn’t compare any more. The view, the peaceful nature of being above, looking down on the bustling city. It’s super addictive. It started with three floors and I was terrified. Knee wobbling terrified, but I guess now when at twenty something floors up and think about it, the more I do it, the less scared and more excited I tend to get. I’ll always be a bit scared, but I guess that’s part of why I do it? I love challenging myself.

You’ve done a couple of collaborations here and there, recently, specifically, with I & the Others – do you enjoy the work you do in collaborative pieces, and what place do these collabs play, do you think, in your overall artistic path?

I loved working with I & the others. I’ve been a massive fan of hers since my first exposure to her work. To me collaboration is as kids sitting around a table sharing crayons, hacking them onto butchers paper is.

I enjoy the company of the artist, their talent, seeing how they work and what they can bring to my or our work. It’s fun, and like everything I do, I always learn from the people around me.

You’ve also been involved in a couple of group shows in this past year – can you give us a run down on what have been some of the more exciting moments within this? Tell us a bit more about Klara within the context of a gallery space and the things that you have been a part of.

I do enjoy showing at galleries as well. Growing up, it was pretty much all I knew for artists to share their work, so was the main goal for a while there. I  enjoy group shows for the fact you’re part of something, a collective creation, like minds in a creative sense, but can be so similar or different at the same time. People in this city are always coming up with new and exciting ideas, and to be part of that is huge to me. I always show at Off the Kerb in Collingwood as they’ve been so good to me since I mentioned I was ‘an artist’ last year.

I was recently part of a show called ‘Projection’ at Paradise Hills, curated by Fort Heart and Deb. Fort Heart and I have been talking about doing something together since we met in 2010 and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. It was great fun, rekindling an old friendship and getting creative together. The show was based on his signature necklace, which was cast into silvers and metal to encase slide film for an interchangeable pendant. I enjoyed seeing a range of my work in a three dimensional medium.

More recently, I had a piece in ‘There’s More!’ at Cocoa Jackson. That was a massive show with amazing artists. I love to be part of something that showcases the talent we are so lucky to have here. I couldn’t make the wall jam unfortunately, due to other work commitments, but even just having my work displayed amongst such talent inspires me.

I have huge respect for people who take the time and initiative to have a show, so if I can be part of it, I’m always happy to.

When can we look forward to a solo show from Klara? Are there any plans to hold one, or work towards one, or are you happy right now just building on the work that you are currently doing and not worrying too much about that aspect of things?

I had a solo show last year in May at Off the Kerb. Since then, my work has become more outdoor or street based, as mentioned before, it gets a wider audience and doesn’t require all the organisation/marketing etc of a show. There’s freedom and accessibility.

I’d love to have another solo show soon, I’m definitely not ruling it out, but at this time I’m just happy building on my work, techniques and placements. Therefore, group shows, commissions and random outdoor adventures are what I’m focussing on right now.

There’s so much to learn by doing all of this, and I’m really enjoying it.

So, what can we expect from you or the rest of the year? What plans do you have that you can share, and where would you like to take your journey to from here?

I just want to keep evolving. New projects, to work hard, create a good balance whilst doing what I’ve been doing, but learning more and more, and enjoying myself and this fine city.

It’s almost been a year since I did my first work in Melbourne, so I’m looking into doing something to document the past year – hopefully for a June ’12 release … stay tuned

Check out Klaras Facebook page as well as her blog for more info on the artist!