Meets Beauty with Brains, Chat over Tea with Dr. Kasia
Sometimes, someone comes from nowhere and conquers everything! The same goes true for Dr. Kasia who is a true symbol of multi-talent. The gem of art, crafts, environment, architecture, and woman of ideas behind the great-looking designs.
We stole some of her moments for our readers to have some chat-on-tea. Here we go with the gossip we had with her.
- What is your background? Education, Work Experience?
I have Bachelor's and Masters's degrees plus Two PhDs. One in Environmental Engineering and one in Landscape Architecture.
I have worked as a University lecturer, developed patented materials for my former University, and ran infrastructure projects for town and city planning, Interior and Exterior design, and transformation of properties throughout the European capitals for high net worth and famous personalities. You can say I’m a Bonsai Artist and Environmental Artist.
2. How did you get your idea or concept to start an environmental artist career?
My father is a Bonsai Master, Educator and was for many years a TV and Radio personality with programs based around botany, bonsai, and the environment. I was brought up in a household with a nursery and glass-house attached, so was surrounded by examples of plants and trees, horticulture, and early access to the far eastern arts of landscape miniaturization that included exceptional examples of bonsai and the associated artforms. Access and exposure on an international level through accessing the highest standards of the art form at international congresses and exhibitions where I was able to view and experience these arts and practice them myself under the tutelage of my father and other bonsai masters. I learned a great deal from them, but as an individual, with broader creative skills and ideas, I did not want to be constrained by the extremely regimented rules of the Bonsai arts. As a result, I have developed my own art forms, taking many of the techniques that I have learned from others and applying a different, more flexible, and expansive approach to how I express my creativity through a more open, modern form of environmental art.
3. What exactly to call you, an Artist or a Scientist, and why?
Both (With cute giggles), but I would say that at this stage in my life I am an artist with a depth of scientific knowledge and understanding of horticulture that provides me with a unique insight into how to create sustainable environmental art. The artist in me enables me to create objects and installations that are appealing, interesting, calming, and sometimes provocative, whilst the scientist and engineer in me enable me to create and implement artwork and installations that will work in practice to not only improve the space in which it exists aesthetically but also in many cases to generate both phycological and physical benefits for those who experience them.
4. You have completed two PhDs. Which areas do they cover?
One in Environmental Engineering and one in Landscape Architecture.
5. What was your mission at the outset?
I have always enjoyed art and science and have wanted to be able to dedicate my time to being an artist more than a scientist or educationalist, although my university career did merge both disciplines, as I researched and successfully created patented scientific solutions to maintaining and enhancing the life-cycle of plants during long-term transportation which are used throughout the world and continue to generate good revenue for my old University. When I eventually left University in my late twenties I set out to find a path for myself that enabled me to focus more on my artistic and creative side.
6. When did you “charter” the Landscape Architecture career and mixed it with Environmental Engineering?
My desire to focus more on my creative side led me to the UK where I successfully establish a business that started out in the field of landscape architecture through the refurbishment or creation of external spaces but then evolved into an interior and exterior design business, designing, creating and implementing my designs, art, and ideas into properties throughout western Europe exclusively for high net worth and famous people in London, Paris, Geneva, Zurich, Brussels, and Antwerp. This also evolved into partnerships with organizations building new properties where my knowledge in the field of Environmental Engineering gave me an exceptional skill set and enabled me to push the boundaries beyond the capabilities of other Internal and external designers.
7. What are the objectives on which you work?
I work wherever possible with organic materials and aim to produce art that is appealing, evokes a feeling of serenity, and pays tribute to nature. Where my work is not pure art but applied art and science to create living spaces or to enhance existing spaces indoors or outdoors, my aim is to merge the boundaries between the two. To bring the outdoors indoors and vice-versa in order to create an environment that provides an optimized aesthetic that improves the physical and mental health of those who dwell within it.
8. What is unique about you?
My upbringing and exposure to the highest levels of organic art, my combined educational qualifications and my academic and commercial experience, as well as a work ethic burned into me from childhood at an Army swimming school and being the significantly smaller of twin sisters, have all contributed to making me a unique individual.
9. How would you schedule your time to justice with your multi-activities?
I have always lived a busy and hectic life, from swimming for hours at the beginning and end of every day through childhood, working for my University teaching Masters's degree students whilst studying for Two PhDs, using what spare time I had to become a ski-instructor in Austria whilst adding German to my language set, through to my commercial career where I would often oversee work and projects in two European capitals in a day.
Now, with the support of my husband Paul, who manages the commercial aspects of our work, I am able to concentrate more on creating environmental art. Currently, we are focussing on establishing my art and our business in the UAE, where we aim to build a client base for internal and external transformation of living spaces incorporating my environmental art and principles of combined indoor/outdoor living, as well as creating a new portfolio of pure organic art based on trees that will survive the climate of the region that we intend to show in 2023.
10. What service(s)do you offer if someone approaches you for brand marketing?
As an artist, I create environmental and living art for installation in homes and commercial spaces. I also undertake commissions to redesign and transform indoor and outdoor living spaces, in most instances incorporating indoor/outdoor living, but not always incorporating environmental art. This extends to physical re-design and development of properties, mainly residential, but also commercial.
11. Business personality or books! which influenced you the most?
As an academic, books; but as an artist, the personality and ethos behind the work.
12. What type of influencer you are?
Hopefully a positive one! My aim is to share my art and my vision of how Environmental Art can be used to bring the beauty of nature into our homes, workplaces, and public spaces. I want to encourage budding artists to express themselves and to show their work to the world through the range of media now available, which is more than ever before. Social media has created unprecedented opportunities and platforms on which to share the things that make us happy and that’s what I encourage people to do. Use these platforms as a media through which to create joy and embrace and respect the work and views of others.
13. To what do you attribute your success?
My unique level of knowledge and experience provides me with the ability to apply a qualified creative and practical perspective. The ability to innovate successfully to create differentiated solutions. A work ethic means that I fulfill my commitments and never miss a deadline. The quality of the artwork and projects that I deliver.
14. As you are settled in Dubai now, how do you look for your role in this society here?
Well, we are settling into Dubai. Although my husband and I have visited Dubai many times over the past six years and we’ve been fortunate enough to meet with and become good friends with a good number of its residents, both Emirati and expatriates around the world, I think we are still in the process of settling in and are at an early stage of establishing ourselves within Dubai’s society. We aim to increase our network of friends in Dubai and within the UAE and build recognition of our work and undertake commissions to transform homes and public spaces as well as create and sell environmental art that will adorn the homes and public spaces of Dubai for the years to come. We will use multiple media to achieve this, including social media of course as a cornerstone of our PR and marketing strategy.
As a successful woman both academically and commercially, I would also like to find ways to inspire, promote and empower more women to be successful in their lives and to also inspire others. Environmental Arts can also be very therapeutic and I hope to educate people in all aspects of environmental and organic art, provide opportunities for them to participate in its creation, and hopefully inspire the artists of the future.
15. How are you using your position to help promote young talent?
It’s our aim to increase knowledge of these artforms within the region and to hopefully find and create opportunities to introduce these artforms to new potential artists and also to discover, promote and co-operate with other artists within the region and perhaps to bring new talent and new artforms to Dubai.
16. Do you work locally or internationally?
Historically, we have worked internationally and predominantly in the capital cities of Western Europe. However, it is our aim to make Dubai our home and to focus primarily on undertaking projects and commissions within the UAE and the region. Although, if a project outside of the region is interesting enough and fits into our schedule, we would always consider it.
17. You have done so many wonderful projects. Which one is the most memorable to you and why?
Unfortunately, I can’t share that information with you as so much of what I’ve worked on over the past ten years has been subject to Non-disclosure agreements due to the wealth and fame of my clientele and their subsequent desire for privacy in their personal lives. It would also be difficult to pick just one as they have been many and quite varied.
However, on a far simpler level, I think that the most memorable work that I have undertaken was carrying out voluntary horticultural therapy workshops for terminally ill children. To see smiles on their faces and to give a little pleasure to someone who has such little time to live is a bitter-sweet experience that puts life into perspective.
18. How do you speak on the dark side of the Environment? What do you think should be done for a healthy environment?
I tend to focus on the positives and not on the dark side of the environmental issues. I work to enhance the environment that we live in and to promote activities that will improve our lives in a sustainable way. My work pays homage to the unparalleled beauty and creativity of nature and the benefits of surrounding ourselves with its bounty. I believe in sustainability and that we must all strive to create a world that is more sustainable, that does not destroy more than it creates, and that environmental science must be focused on solutions to addressing the challenges that the planet and those who live on it will no doubt face in the years to come.
19. How your work has been affected due to pandemic?
The pandemic was a difficult time for everyone and I think that we all suffered in different ways. As an artist though, the inability to undertake projects for clients at various periods throughout the pandemic provided me with the opportunity to take time to reflect on my work to date and to consider different directions in which to take my art, both in terms of creativity and geography. It was during that period that we made the decision to relocate to Dubai.
20. You have built your personal brand and gained huge respect alone. What advice do you have for youth?
Firstly, work hard and get a good education! Education will open doors for you that you cannot otherwise enter. Regardless of how talented you are, your chances of being successful will be greatly enhanced through hard work and productivity. If possible, find a way to make a living doing something that you enjoy or are truly interested in. If you cannot make a living out of doing what you enjoy then make sure that you make time to do what you enjoy too! We have a finite time here on this beautiful planet. Make sure that you take the time to explore it, enjoy it, and be inspired by it.
You can follow her on Instagram and see what sweet ideas she have for your home or office or alternatively to see her Environmental and Bonsai art.