In the Studio with Artist Aleni Antalis

Today, we are going In the Studio with artist Aleni Antalis. Her artwork is on display at our current 25th Anniversary Light show on display June 24 - August 30, 2026 in Patricia Barland Gallery.

Aleni Antalis is a multidisciplinary artist and small business owner based in Annapolis, MD. Fueled by experimentation, Antalis’ work explores the complexities of being a human in today’s society and the vital relationship between mental health, science, and nature. Antalis would describe her work as deconstructed self portraits.

Visit antalisa.myportfolio.com and follow @designs_aea on instagram to learn more about Aleni Antalis and her work!

How does space and location impact your work? For example, how does your vision of the work change seeing it in the gallery space vs. your workspace?

Recently, my work has explored dimension and 3D space, so determining if the piece is viewed in the round or hanging on the wall can be an important decision to make early on. Sometimes it can be overwhelming trying to picture how a piece will look in a gallery vs my studio, so I have found that I appreciate versatility in my work and even have a few sculptures that can be viewed on a pedestal as well as being hung on the wall. I found that the space itself isn’t the changing variable, but my work is, and if I create with that flexibility then I find myself appreciating my work more regardless of the location.

What draws you to a new medium or material?

Experimentation is a huge factor in my creative process. Working also as a scenic artist for an event company, I am constantly getting introduced to new raw materials. Trying to manipulate the material to learn the full scope of what it can produce fuels the creative process. For example, I learned in the scenic world how joint compound can be applied to create a plaster look on a wall, and I carried that technique with me through my personal work when trying to achieve a certain texture.

What is something you want to explore in your work in the future?

I want to continue going larger with my work. Just over a year ago, my sculptures were no bigger than a foot. The larger the work, the more confident I have to be in it. There is something very freeing about building large scale, though I often find myself intimidated by it. As soon as my idea gets too grand, I start to worry about materials, travel, weight, etc and tend to scale it down.

How do you continue to find inspiration and ideas? Is that something that you struggle with?

Inspiration comes from my own experiences and beliefs. I have always been told that I am a “passionate” person. Even from a young age I was forming strong beliefs and speaking my mind any chance I got. Now I have the freedom to incorporate all those thoughts into tangible art. Between mental health, politics, and personal experiences, I find myself constantly swarmed with inspiration. If anything, I struggle more with narrowing down ideas than finding the inspiration itself.

Is there a common thread, theme, or motif you always find comes up in your work?

I find that, aesthetically, I am drawn to the duality between industrial and natural elements. Being a Pittsburgh native, I grew up around bridges, skyscrapers, and powerlines, while also being a short drive from park trails. Human interaction with nature contrasting how we respond to a concrete jungle, continues to be a theme in my work. I tend to show this through the polarity of mediums, like a glossy, smooth epoxy on rough cement.