ISABEL KLEINERT: DANCING WITH ULTRAMARINE
“The result often is quite different than my idea, and that’s very, very beautiful.”
In these words, you can hear the core of creating art. It is a philosophy of trust – trusting that the pigments, the textures, and the process will become one with the artist, entering a state of flow and finding a path for the work to create itself. Have you ever felt the urge to create without having a specific idea in mind? A need that burns so deep inside that you simply must take a brush or a piece of clay and just go?
Whenever people think of art, they may imagine pieces that are hard to understand or priced out of reach. But that’s not quite right. Art is a dance between the soul and the human, the only advantage artists have is knowing how to capture the essence of that interaction. Entering the creative process and simply letting it go is the purest form of true, unfiltered art.
Isabel Kleinert has been creating her whole life, exploring and improving. Finally, after a long path, she stood up and said: "Now or never!" In 2020, she entered an everlasting dance with her art, and that beautiful tango has given us some of her best works. We sat down with Isabel to discuss finally stepping onto the path you truly want, taking her work into the 3D, and her lifelong fascination with the color blue.
Deepest Blue, Isabel Kleinert, 2026
When was art first introduced into your life, and when exactly did your creative path begin? Was there a specific moment of ignition?
I think and feel in colours since I am a small child! Most strongly is the feeling I have when I see a monochromatic area – it gives me so much inspiration and feelings that it’s hard to describe.
As a child I started with oil painting, then watercolour and aquarelle, later acrylic colours. First figurative paintings, then more and more abstract, and then I saw the most impressive thing ever: the moment I saw an artwork from Yves Klein! His endless blue I will never forget!
Since you work in both mediums, what is the main difference between sculpture and painting for you from creative standpoint? What is the core idea behind each, and which one feels closer to your internal state?
After so many years of painting and trying to find the perfect technique for my monochromes, I wanted to try to create a three-dimensional artwork. All my sculptures are women who show the happiness of having the absolute freedom to do how they want to. Also, in my sculptures, I use a finish with my special pigments so they supplement and reinforce my paintings.
“The beginning is the imagination to see it. In fact, the work then, during the process, creates itself.”
You described becoming a full-time artist as "one of the best decisions of your life." How does it feel to finally be in your element? How has this choice changed you?
It’s a really new way of life to only do what I want to, and every decision I make is very easy and comes from my heart. And it definitely took me as an artist and my artworks to a whole next level!
What does abstraction mean to you personally, and where does your deep-rooted love for this form of expression come from?
I think inspiration comes from inner feelings – not based on logic and arguments. And the most intense feelings and thoughts I have are when I can lose myself in colours. Most of all the IKB – International Klein Blue: ultramarine. It’s endless and almost meditative.
As this became increasingly clear to me, the next challenge was to find a way to fix the pure pigments on canvas because you never have that intensity and deepness with water – or oil-based colours… and it took me many years to find a way to display a colour at its maximum intensity, brightness, and intense brilliance!
You reimagined an old barn to be your showroom. Was this the first place where you held an exhibition? Could you share some memories from the day you finally showed your work to the public and how did that impact you?
Yes, my first exhibition when I transformed my passion to profession in 2020 was in our barn! It’s also my showroom, and I showed my works together with a friend who is also an artist, and we had so many visitors and art collectors here I never thought of! It was such a wonderful feeling!
After that, other exhibitions followed here in Germany and many other countries, and I am always happy to show my works in very special places. For example: old industrial halls, interior-design spaces, or stylish showcases.
In the last 3 years, the highlights were in New York / Hamptons, in London / Kensington, and Paris / Carrousel du Louvre!
Blue Infinity, Isabel Kleinert, 2026
Yves Klein is a major inspiration for you. Where does this fascination come from? Also, a technical detail: is the first part of your name, Kleinert, an homage to Yves, or is that your real surname and that’s just a coincidence? Are there any other artists that influence you?
My name is Isabel Kleinert in fact! I also love Rothko and Lichtenstein, but most of all I love Yves Klein.
For a few years now, in addition to my pigment-on-canvas works, I have started a second line of art using Resin. Even in this new technique, I still use those special pigments that I source from all over the world. Also, these works want to have "all eyes on me" and they hang in collections even in Asia.
Regarding your work Deepest Blue and your use of pure pigments: how do you approach the beginning of a new piece? Do you have a specific ritual or a state of mind you need to enter before you start painting?
Well, I need to have the feeling and the longing to create a new artwork, and the beginning is the imagination to see it. In fact, the work then, during the process, creates itself and the result often is quite different than my idea and that’s very-very beautiful and fascinating to see what the pigments and my hands show me!
Ice Vibes, Isabel Kleinert, 2025
I noticed that some of your paintings contain writings and text layers. What is the idea behind including these, and what kind of messages or thoughts are you writing there?
Some works want to have some words, and I think of an important feeling or situation in my life and write it in alienated / illegible words in different languages on the canvas. The viewer thus has an imagination of words and can read things I, in fact, never wrote there. But in his imagination, the text looks like his thoughts. When you see such works, maybe every day you will read different words, even after a long time – not because the words really changed, but because your inner feelings and thoughts changed.
And for my final question: What is the main idea or feeling you want people to take away after they encounter your work?
I want the viewer to feel his maybe hidden thoughts and give him feedback from his own heart to see his inner wishes. We often think in predefined templates, and you need inspiration to recognize and feel the things that are really important for you.
Courtesy of Isabel Kleinert
Isabel’s journey toward the "endless blue" of her studio is proof that our most frightening decisions often lead to our greatest heights. By making that pivotal choice, she didn't just change her career; she moved her life to a level where every action finally comes from the heart.
She found her element in a color that doesn't just sit on the canvas, but pulls you into it. Yet, this dance isn't just for her. Her works wait, ready to act as a companion for whoever stands before them – a partner in the search for what truly matters.
See more of Isabel’s work on website.
Article by Vasya Kavka
Based in Ukraine, Vasya Kavka is a writer working at the intersection of contemporary art and digital culture. Through his platform @ambient.delusion, he researches emerging and underground artists, publishing interviews and editorial features that move beyond aesthetics to examine context, creative process and cultural relevance. His work is driven by curiosity and a commitment to thoughtful, accessible storytelling that situates artistic practices within the broader currents shaping contemporary culture.
