Cancerians

Mia is a 23 year old pop-surrealist based in L.A.  I love her work so was not at all surprised to find she’s being avidly collected and is considered majorly cool.

MYSTIC:  Your work resonated with me instantly as it has all these astonishing themes that I love, such as astrology, alchemy, myth, surrealism and so on – yet it is also so beautiful and evocative to look at. How did you hit upon such a unique style?

MIA:  It’s a mystery even to me! I’ve recently gotten into tarot and in turn astrology, alchemy, and hermeticism, so I’ve come to learn a bit about myself as someone who tends to mythologize everything and wants to infuse everything with magic. I have an intense love for all of these things and for history, oftentimes feeling that I belong in a different era. I’m also surprised about how aquatic all of my work tends to be, whether there are water themes in it or not.

MYSTIC:  You are a quadruple Cancerian and Cancer (I prefer to call it Kataka which is the Ancient Sanskrit name for the sign, it means Scarab) is the sign most linked with artists. An unusual number of renowned artists are born under your sign. You have Sun, Moon, the Vertex and Psyche in this sign. Did you feel you were an artist from a v.early age?

MIA: I’ve been drawing ever since I could hold a crayon, and as soon as I learned to read and write, I became interested in writing. So my answer to the ‘what do you want to be when you grow up’ question was always ‘an artist.’ I still want to be one when I grow up.

MYSTIC: Saturn is just finishing up a tour of duty in your career sector – it began back in late Sept 2007- would  you say the time between then and now has coincided with a phase of intense hard work but recognition and growth as well?

MIA: Yes, absolutely. Sept. 2007 is around the time that I began working on my first 2 featured shows that led to wider opportunities, and in turn my current bout of relative success and recognition.

MYSTIC: You have Sappho and Neptune in your $$$ sector, so apt for someone who makes her living via art but Mars is there too, in Capricorn. So that is like a fierce businesswoman vibe – would you agree? Also, Sappho is writing and Neptune is art, so clearly you are also a gifted writer…They say she is the Tenth Muse…

MIA:  I’m really big on self-promotion and getting my work out there. I’m also deeply interested in learning as much as I can about business, probably because I’m so bad at it. I’m equally interested in writing and art. Even though I don’t write professionally, I tend to fill more journals than sketchbooks, so it balances out in importance. I hope to someday make a living off of both, preferably together (as in children’s books, or illustrated fantastical stories for older audiences).

MYSTIC:  How do you prefer to work? Is it spontaneous, sort of channeled or do you plan your artworks carefully? And do you do much research into the symbols that you use? Do you paint in great big binges or short bursts?

MIA: I need to do a detailed drawing before I paint, but the drawing is created purely spontaneously, aided with photo reference. I paint in long stretches, and I surface-research my symbols, because of time constraints, so most of my symbols make their way into a piece via spontaneity.

MYSTIC:  You’ve got Jupiter in the home sector, lucky in real estate and domestic matters…How do you live? What is your domestic style?

MIA: I live with my parents and sister– I’m extremely lucky to have a loving family that is willing to support me financially, because I’m a bit of a hermit, and prefer to stay at home rather than go out. My studio is also at home and I love it.

MYSTIC: Your works seem supernaturally sagacious for someone so young – 23-and it is clearly selling heaps so you’re commercially successful too… I was quite surprised when you told me your birthdate…are you conscious of that at all?

MIA: I’m not usually conscious of that, even though you’re not the first person to tell me…probably because I’m my worst critic and am very self-demanding. I feel that I know so little in comparison to all that’s out there, and that I’ve got a lot to learn. But I guess that’s what most people feel like when they’re at the start of a career.